Off-Street Parking Standards for Arlington County District C-1-R

In the Arlington County C-1-R: Restricted Local Commercial district, residential one-family detached dwellings generally require one to two off-street parking spaces depending on whether the lot fronts a cul-de-sac. Commercial projects in this district must provide one space per 250 square feet of floor area on the first floor and one space per 300 square feet for floor area located elsewhere, with significant exemptions available for properties located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance [Section 14.3.6, Section 14.3.7].

General Parking Requirements for C-1-R

The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance mandates that every land use established in the C-1-R district must provide sufficient off-street standing and parking space for motor vehicles [Section 14.3.1]. In the C-1-R: Restricted Local Commercial district, all required off-street parking must be provided on the same parcel as the principal use, unless the Zoning Administrator authorizes off-site parking within 1/4 mile of the site due to physical constraints or public convenience [Section 14.3.3].

Parking Ratios for Allowed Uses

Ratios for the Arlington County C-1-R district are calculated based on gross floor area (GFA) for commercial projects and per dwelling unit for residential projects.

Use Type	Minimum Parking Requirement
Residential: One-family detached	1 per dwelling unit (not on cul-de-sac)
Residential: One-family detached	2 per dwelling unit (fronting cul-de-sac)
Retail & Service Commercial	1 per 250 sq. ft. (1st floor); 1 per 300 sq. ft. (elsewhere)
Office (Other than medical/dental)	1 per 250 sq. ft. (1st floor); 1 per 300 sq. ft. (2nd–5th floors)
Medical or Dental Office/Clinic	1 per 150 sq. ft. (first 5,000 sq. ft. of building)
Restaurants	1 per each 6 seats
Bed and Breakfasts	1 per guest room plus principal residence requirement

[Section 14.3.7]

Metro Station Area Exemptions

For projects in the Arlington County C-1-R district located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance, the Zoning Ordinance provides specific relief from standard parking requirements to encourage pedestrian activity.

Retail and Service-Commercial Uses: No parking is required for the first 5,000 square feet of floor area per main building [Section 14.3.6.A.2].
Restaurants (Daytime): No floor area restriction applies to restaurants operating only between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. [Section 14.3.6.A.1].
Restaurants (Evening): For those operating between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., no parking is required for the first 200 seats [Section 14.3.6.A.1].
Grocery Stores: If the store is not the principal use on the site, no parking is required for the first 15,000 square feet [Section 14.3.6.A.3].

Technical and Dimensional Standards

All parking areas within the Arlington County C-1-R district must comply with specific design and maintenance standards to ensure safety and longevity.

Standard Category	Requirement
Full Size Stall Width	8.5 feet
Compact Size Stall Width	8.0 feet
Two-way Aisle Width	23.0 feet (for 90-degree parking)
Compact Car Allowance	Up to 15% of total spaces (in lots > 100 spaces)
Minimum Lighting	1 footcandle throughout the parking area
Wheel Bumpers	Fixed and permanent, at least 4 inches high

[Section 14.3.3.C, Section 14.3.3.F, Section 14.3.4.A, Section 14.3.4.B]

Placement and Setbacks

In the C-1-R district, surface and structure parking must be placed to the rear or the side of buildings [Section 10.2.3.D]. For residential projects, parking spaces may encroach on the exterior 10 feet of a setback area only if located on a driveway with an existing or approved curb cut [Section 14.3.3.I]. All parking areas must be improved with a durable, dust-free, and hard material such as bituminous hot mix or Portland cement concrete [Section 14.3.4.A].

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