Off-Street Parking Requirements for the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) District

Arlington County requires projects in the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) district to provide one parking space per residential unit and one space per 580 square feet of office or retail space. Most commercial developments are granted a parking exemption for the first 5,000 square feet of floor area, and hotels are required to provide 0.7 spaces per guest room. All accessory parking for the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) district must be managed through a mandatory Shared Parking Management Plan (SPMP) to ensure adequate access for visitors and retail patrons.

Standard Parking Ratios in the MU-VS District

In Arlington County, any development within the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) district must adhere to specific off-street parking minimums based on the land use type. These requirements are intended to balance the needs of residents, employees, and visitors within the Metro station area [§7.8.5.A.4].

Use Type	Required Parking Ratio
Residential (Dwelling Units)	1.0 space per dwelling unit
Office and Retail	1.0 space per 580 sq. ft. of gross floor area (GFA)
Hotel	0.7 spaces per guest room
Commercial Parking (Principal Use)	Permitted by-right up to 20 spaces or 20,000 sq. ft.

Commercial Parking Exemptions

To encourage pedestrian-related commercial activity, Arlington County provides a significant exemption for small-scale retail and service uses in the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) district. No parking is required for retail and service-commercial uses for the first 5,000 square feet of gross floor area per main building [§7.8.5.A.4(b)].

However, Arlington County excludes certain high-intensity or specialized uses from this 5,000-square-foot exemption. The following uses must provide full parking as required by standard ratios regardless of their size [§14.3.6.A.2]:

Medical or dental offices and clinics.
Hospitals.
Schools (including trade or commercial schools).
Vehicle service, sales, or rental facilities.
Major utilities and community service uses.
Specialized services such as catering, printing, or sign-making shops.
Recreational facilities like indoor swimming pools.

Shared Parking and Visitor Requirements

Arlington County mandates that all site plan applications in the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) district include a Shared Parking Management Plan (SPMP). This plan ensures that parking is available for visitors, clients, and retail patrons during peak hours [§7.8.5.A.4(d)].

Visitor Parking Minimums

The SPMP must allocate specific quantities of short-term, high-turnover spaces, which are typically required to be located on the first level of the parking garage:

Residential Projects: 0.1 space per dwelling unit must be provided for visitors.
Commercial/Mixed-Use Projects: In buildings where more than 50% of the GFA is non-residential, visitor spaces are calculated at a ratio of one space per 580 sq. ft. of the GFA required for retail or office provision.
Public Access: Commercially oriented parking in the building must be made available to the general public during evening and weekend hours [§7.8.5.B.4(d)].

Location and Design Standards

Arlington County enforces strict location and design standards for parking structures within the Mixed Use – Virginia Square (MU-VS) district to maintain the urban character of the neighborhood.

Below-Grade Requirement: All required parking must be located below the finished grade or within the structure housing the use. The County Board may permit exceptions to this only through an approved site plan [§7.8.5.A.4].
Build-to Lines: Buildings fronting on public streets must have a build-to line of 14 feet from the back of the curb. This space between the sidewalk and the building face must remain consistent with county streetscape and landscaping standards [§7.8.1].
Surface Parking Screening: If surface parking is provided, it must be screened from public view by evergreen hedges at least 18 inches high at the time of planting, or a masonry wall between 36 and 48 inches tall [§14.2.4].
Off-Site Parking: Up to 100% of required parking may be provided off-site if the facility is located within a 1/4-mile radius of the subject site and is secured by a legally binding parking agreement [§14.3.3.B].

Sections Cited