Off-Street Parking Standards for the R-8 One-Family Dwelling District in Arlington County

In the Arlington County R-8 District, residential projects typically require one off-street parking space per dwelling unit, though this increases to two spaces for homes located on cul-de-sacs. Commercial and institutional projects within the R-8 District, such as schools or medical offices on transitional sites, are subject to specific ratios based on floor area or occupancy, and all parking areas must maintain a 10-foot landscaped setback from property lines.

Residential Parking Ratios in the R-8 District

Arlington County requires that all residential uses in the R-8 District provide sufficient off-street parking space on the same parcel as the use [Section 14.3.3.A]. For accessory dwellings, specific rules apply to ensure existing parking is maintained or new spaces are created when needed [Section 14.3.7].

Residential Use Type	Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement
One-family Dwelling (Not on a cul-de-sac)	1 space per dwelling unit
One-family Dwelling (Fronting on a cul-de-sac)	2 spaces per dwelling unit
Accessory Dwellings	Maintain existing spaces; if none exist, 1 space must be created unless the block is less than 65% parked
Family Day Care Homes (6 to 12 children)	1 space total (not in addition to existing residential parking)
Recovery Residences (8 or fewer residents)	Follows standard one-family dwelling requirements

Commercial and Institutional Parking Ratios in the R-8 District

While the R-8 District is primarily designated for one-family dwellings, certain civic, public, and transitional commercial uses are permitted and must meet the following Arlington County parking standards [Section 14.3.7].

Non-Residential Use Type	Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement
Religious Institutions	1 space per 5 sanctuary seats
Schools (Elementary and Middle)	1 space per 7.5 students (design capacity) for staff + 1 per 40 students for visitors
Schools (High)	1 space per 10 students of design capacity
Libraries, Museums, and Art Galleries	1 space per 500 sq. ft. of floor area
Hospitals and Sanitariums	1 space per 4 beds + 1 space per 2 employees (non-doctors) + 1 per doctor
Medical or Dental Offices/Clinics	1 space per 150 sq. ft. (first 5,000 sq. ft.); requirements increase for larger buildings
General Office Buildings	1 space per 250 sq. ft. of floor area on the first floor

Design and Dimensional Standards

Arlington County regulates the physical dimensions of parking spaces and aisles within the R-8 District to ensure safety and maneuverability.

Space and Aisle Dimensions

The following dimensions are required for full-size automobile spaces in Arlington County [Section 14.3.3.C.1].

Parking Angle (Degrees)	Stall Width (Feet)	Depth of Stalls Perpendicular to Aisle (Feet)	One-Way Aisle Width (Feet)	Two-Way Aisle Width (Feet)
45	8.5	17.5	12.0	Not Permitted
60	8.5	19.5	16.0	Not Permitted
90	8.5	18.0	23.0	23.0
Parallel	22.0	8.0	12.0	23.0

General Restrictions and Placement

Setbacks: Off-street parking areas in the R-8 District (excluding one-family dwellings) must provide a 10-foot setback area that is landscaped and properly maintained at all times [Section 14.3.3.E].
Compact Cars: Up to 15 percent of the total parking spaces provided for a project in the R-8 District may be designated for compact cars [Section 14.3.3.F].
Surfacing: All parking spaces for one-family dwellings must be located on a driveway with an approved curb cut and surfaced with a durable, dust-free, and hard material [Section 14.3.3.I.1].
Maneuvering: Street rights-of-way in the R-8 District shall not be used for maneuvering or direct ingress/egress to off-street parking spaces, except for one-family dwellings [Section 14.3.3.H.1].

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