Off-Street Parking Standards for the Arlington County RA-H: Hotel District

In the RA-H: Hotel District of Arlington County, off-street parking is generally required at a rate of one space per guest room for hotels and a tiered ratio for residential apartments starting at 1.125 spaces for the first 200 units. Commercial developments within the district, such as retail and office spaces, must provide parking based on square footage, though significant exemptions are available for projects located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance.

General Parking Requirements

Developments within the RA-H: Hotel District must provide off-street parking in accordance with the county-wide standards established in Article 14 of the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance [§7.4.5.A]. These requirements apply to all new uses and expansions of existing uses [§14.3.3].

Residential and Hospitality Ratios

For residential components and the primary hotel use within the RA-H: Hotel District, the following parking minimums apply:

Use Type	Minimum Parking Requirement
Hotels or Motels	1 space per guest room or dwelling unit [§14.3.7.A]
Dwellings (Multiple-Family)	1 & 1/8 (1.125) spaces for each of the first 200 units; 1 space for each additional unit [§14.3.7.A]
Bed and Breakfasts	1 space per guest room, plus the required parking for the principal residence [§14.3.7.A]

Commercial and Office Ratios

Commercial and office uses permitted within the RA-H: Hotel District must adhere to specific ratios based on the floor location within the building:

Use Type	Minimum Parking Requirement
Retail and Service Commercial	1 space per 250 sq. ft. of floor area on the 1st floor; 1 space per 300 sq. ft. elsewhere in the building [§14.3.7.A]
General Office Buildings	1 space per 250 sq. ft. on the 1st floor; 1 space per 300 sq. ft. for the basement and 2nd through 5th floors; 1 space per 400 sq. ft. above the 5th floor [§14.3.7.A]
Medical or Dental Offices	1 space per 150 sq. ft. for the first 5,000 sq. ft.; 1 per 200 sq. ft. for the next 10,000 sq. ft.; 1 per 250 sq. ft. for area exceeding 15,000 sq. ft. [§14.3.7.A]

Metro Station Area Exemptions

Arlington County provides specific parking relief for uses in the RA-H: Hotel District that are located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance to encourage pedestrian-oriented activity [§14.3.6.A].

Use Type	Exemption Criteria
Retail and Service Commercial	No parking is required for the first 5,000 sq. ft. of floor area per main building [§14.3.6.A.2]
Restaurants (Daytime)	No parking required for restaurants operating only between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. [§14.3.6.A.1]
Restaurants (Evening)	No parking required for the first 200 seats for restaurants operating between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. [§14.3.6.A.1]
Grocery Stores	No parking required for the first 15,000 sq. ft. if the store is not the principal use on the site [§14.3.6.A.3]

Site Development Standards

In the RA-H: Hotel District, several technical standards govern the placement and design of parking areas:

Compact Car Spaces: Up to 15 percent of the required parking spaces may be designated for compact cars. If an office use contains more than 100 spaces, 15 percent must be compact spaces and must be visibly marked [§14.3.3.F].
Setbacks: No parking or required walls/curbs shall encroach on the exterior 10 feet of a required setback area. This area must be landscaped and maintained [§14.3.3.E].
Dimensions: Standard standing spaces must be at least 9 by 20 feet with a minimum vertical clearance of seven feet [§14.3.3.C.3].
Screening: Parking areas must be screened from public rights-of-way and abutting residential districts using a landscaped strip at least five feet wide and/or a six-foot solid wall or fence [§14.2.4.E].

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