Off-Street Parking Standards for the C-O-A Mixed Use District

In Arlington County's C-O-A: Mixed Use district, residential projects are required to provide one off-street parking space per dwelling unit, while commercial and office spaces require one space per 530 square feet of floor area (increasing to 580 square feet for mixed-use projects). These parking facilities must generally be located below grade or within the structure of the building. Hotel developments within the C-O-A: Mixed Use district require one off-street space per guest unit and must include a comprehensive transportation demand management (TDM) plan.

Off-Street Parking Ratios for the C-O-A District

Arlington County specifies distinct parking ratios for different land uses within the C-O-A: Mixed Use district to accommodate the high-density, transit-oriented nature of areas near Metrorail stations. According to the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance, the following minimum off-street parking requirements apply:

Land Use Type	Required Parking Ratio
Residential (Multiple-family)	1 off-street space per dwelling unit
Commercial or Office (Standalone)	1 off-street space per 530 sq. ft. of gross floor area
Commercial or Office (Mixed-use)	1 off-street space per 580 sq. ft. of gross floor area (when associated with multi-family use)
Hotel	1 off-street space per guest unit

Site Development and Placement Standards

The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance imposes strict placement requirements for parking within the C-O-A: Mixed Use district. All required parking must be located either below the finished grade or within the structure of the building to which the parking is appurtenant [§7.14.5.B.2]. The County Board may, however, allow for alternative parking arrangements or locations through the approval of a specific site plan [§7.14.5.B.2].

Transportation Demand Management (TDM)

For hotel uses in the C-O-A: Mixed Use district that are subject to site plan approval, the developer must provide a transportation demand management plan. This plan is required to address several factors, including retail parking needs and shared parking arrangements for motor vehicles and buses [§7.14.4.A].

Loading Space Requirements

In addition to passenger vehicle parking, the C-O-A: Mixed Use district must comply with off-street loading standards established in Article 14 of the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance [§7.14.5.B.4]. These requirements generally include:

Retail/Commercial: One loading space is required for the first 3,000 square feet of floor area, with additional spaces required as the square footage increases [§14.3.8.D].
Office/Service: One loading space is required for projects exceeding 6,000 square feet of floor area [§14.3.8.C].

Relationship to Residential Districts

Arlington County maintains protections for nearby residential neighborhoods. If a commercial project in the C-O-A: Mixed Use district is associated with a multiple-family use, the ordinance mandates the more conservative parking ratio of one space per 580 square feet for the commercial/office portion of the development [§7.14.5.B.2]. Furthermore, to qualify as a "multiple-family structure" under C-O-A rules, at least 30 percent of the building’s gross floor area must be dedicated to multiple-family residential use [§7.14.3.B.3.d].

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