Off-Street Parking Standards for the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business District in Arlington County
In the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district of Arlington County, residential projects consisting of multi-family dwellings generally require 1.125 spaces per unit for the first 200 units and 1 space for each unit thereafter. Commercial retail developments in this district must provide 1 space per 250 square feet on the first floor, while office requirements range from 1 space per 250 square feet to 1 space per 400 square feet depending on the floor height [Section 14.3.7]. Parking areas in the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district must be located to the side or rear of buildings and must include a five-foot landscaped strip when abutting residential or public districts [Section 10.2.3.D, Section 14.2.4.E.1(c)].
General Parking Regulations in the C-2 District
Arlington County requires that all off-street parking for the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district be provided on the same parcel of land as the principal use [Section 14.3.3.A]. For Unified Commercial/Mixed Use developments within the C-2 district, surface and structure parking, as well as all loading areas, must be placed to the rear or side of the buildings to maintain the streetscape [Section 10.2.3.D].
Screening and Landscaping
Parking areas in the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district are subject to specific screening requirements to protect adjacent properties:
- Residential Adjacency: A five-foot wide landscaped strip must be provided where C-2 properties abut R, RA, and S-3A districts [Section 14.2.4.E.1(c)].
- Wall/Fence Requirements: If a parking area is within 50 feet of a residential district lot line, a six-foot solid wall or fence is required, though this height is reduced to four feet when the wall is located within a required setback [Section 14.3.4.A.1(b)(6)].
- Visual Protection: In Unified developments, all surface parking must be screened from public view by landscaping and a four-foot high solid wall [Section 10.2.3.D].
Residential Parking Requirements
Residential uses within the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district are primarily governed by the multi-family standards, though specific ratios exist for various household living types.
| Residential Use Type | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| One-family detached (not on cul-de-sac) | 1 space per dwelling unit [Section 14.3.7] |
| One-family detached (on cul-de-sac) | 2 spaces per dwelling unit [Section 14.3.7] |
| Dwellings (other than 1- or 2-family) | 1 & 1/8 spaces for each of the first 200 units; 1 space for each additional unit [Section 14.3.7] |
| Assisted living / Independent living | 0.5 spaces per bedroom [Section 14.3.7] |
| Group homes | 1 space per each 5 sanctuary seats (if applicable) or as determined by the Board [Section 14.3.7] |
Commercial and Service Parking Requirements
Commercial projects in Arlington County's C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district have varying requirements based on the intensity of the use and the floor on which the use is located.
| Commercial Use Type | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Retail and Service Commercial (1st Floor) | 1 space per 250 sq. ft. of floor area [Section 14.3.7] |
| Retail and Service Commercial (Other Floors) | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. of floor area [Section 14.3.7] |
| Office (1st Floor) | 1 space per 250 sq. ft. of floor area [Section 14.3.7] |
| Office (Floors 2 through 5) | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. of floor area [Section 14.3.7] |
| Office (Above 5th Floor) | 1 space per 400 sq. ft. of floor area [Section 14.3.7] |
| Restaurants | 1 space per 6 seats [Section 14.3.7] |
| Hospitals | 1 space per 4 beds, plus 1 per 2 employees (non-doctors), plus 1 per doctor [Section 14.3.7] |
| Vehicle sales, rental, or leasing | 1 customer and 1 employee space per 1,200 sq. ft. of area [Section 14.3.7] |
Special Exceptions and Unified Developments
Arlington County provides flexibility for projects in the C-2: Service Commercial-Community Business district through the Unified Commercial/Mixed Use Development process.
Mixed-Use Reductions
For projects located within the Clarendon Revitalization District (which includes portions of the C-2 district), the County Board may modify standard parking requirements to better align with the Clarendon Sector Plan [Section 9.2.2.D]. In these cases, the Board evaluates the impact of the modification on local traffic safety and neighborhood character [Section 9.2.2.D.1].
Metro Station Area Exemptions
Arlington County encourages pedestrian-oriented development near transit. For commercial uses in the C-2 district where the major portion of the use is located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance, no parking is required for the first 5,000 square feet of floor area [Section 14.3.6.A.2]. However, this exemption does not apply to certain high-intensity uses like medical offices, clinics, or vehicle service establishments [Section 14.3.6.A.2].
Sections Cited
- Article 7. Commercial/ Mixed Use (C) Districts
- §7.17. C-2, Service Commercial-Community Business District
- §9.2.2. C-3 District (as referenced for Clarendon Revitalization District standards)
- §10.2. Unified Commercial/Mixed Use Development
- §10.2.3. Unified commercial/mixed use development not within specific revitalization districts
- §14.2. Landscaping
- §14.2.4. Parking area landscaping
- §14.3. Parking and Loading
- §14.3.3. General requirements
- §14.3.4. Required improvements
- §14.3.6. Parking in Metro station areas
- §14.3.7. Required parking and standing space