Permitted Districts for Restaurants, Cafes, and Bakeries in Arlington County
In Arlington County, restaurants and bakeries are primarily permitted in all Commercial/Mixed Use (C) and Industrial (M) districts, with specific permissions ranging from by-right use to required site plan approval. These establishments are generally excluded from Residential (R) and Residential Apartment (RA) districts as principal uses, though they may exist within high-density RA districts subject to County Board site plan approval. In Metro station areas, Arlington County provides significant parking exemptions for restaurants, including a total exemption for those operating between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. [§14.3.6].
Use Categorization in Arlington County
The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance classifies these establishments into two specific sub-categories under the "Retail, Service and Commercial Use Categories" [§12.2.5]:
- Food Establishments: This includes restaurants, coffee shops, yogurt/ice cream shops, and shared commercial kitchens [§12.2.5.B].
- Retail Sales: Bakeries are specifically listed as a "Retail Sales" use type [§12.2.5.G.2(a)].
- Artisan Beverage: This includes facilities like breweries or distilleries that serve beverages on-site [§12.2.5.B].
Permitted Districts for Food and Bakery Uses
The following table outlines the permissions for restaurants, bakeries, and artisan beverage producers across Arlington County’s commercial and industrial districts.
| Zoning District | Restaurant (Food Est.) | Bakery (Retail Sales) | Artisan Beverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| RA4.8 (Multiple-Family) | S | S | S |
| R-C (Multiple-Family/Commercial) | S | S | |
| RA-H / RA-H-3.2 (Hotel/Apartment) | S | S | |
| C-1-R (Restricted Local Commercial) | P | P | |
| C-1 (Local Commercial) | P | P | |
| CP-FBC (Columbia Pike Form Based) | P | P | P |
| MU-VS (Mixed Use Virginia Square) | S | P | P |
| C-1-O (Limited Commercial Office) | S | P | P |
| C-O-1.0 to C-O-A (Mixed Use) | S | P | P |
| C-O Rosslyn / Crystal City | S | P | P |
| C-2 (Service Commercial) | P | P | P |
| C-TH (Commercial Townhouse) | P | P | P |
| C-3 (General Commercial) | P | P | P |
| C-R (Commercial Redevelopment) | P | P | P |
| CM / M-1 / M-2 (Industrial) | P | P | P |
Key: P = Allowed By-Right; S = Site Plan Approval Required; Blank = Not Permitted [§7.1.2, §8.1.2, §11.1.5].
Use Standards for Outdoor Cafes
Outdoor cafes in Arlington County are permitted only as an accessory use to a legally established food establishment [§12.9.15].
Standards for Private Property
If located on private property, outdoor cafes must not extend past the normal operating hours of the principal food establishment. If the cafe is located in a side or rear yard abutting or across an alley from an "R" or "RA" district, it may only operate between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. [§12.9.15.A].
Standards for Public Sidewalks
Outdoor cafes may be permitted on public sidewalks within a public street or utilities easement, provided they maintain an unobstructed pedestrian clear zone of at least six feet. These cafes are subject to Arlington County Code Chapter 70 regarding encroachments into public spaces [§12.9.15.B].
Parking Requirements for Food Establishments
Arlington County mandates specific off-street parking ratios for food-related uses, with significant modifications allowed in high-density areas.
| Use Type | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Standard Restaurant | 1 space per 6 seats |
| Bakeries / Retail | 1 space per 250 sq. ft. (1st floor) |
| C-O Districts (Site Plan) | 1 space per 530 sq. ft. of GFA |
| MU-VS District (Office/Retail) | 1 space per 580 sq. ft. of GFA |
Metro Station Area Exemptions
In Arlington County, no parking is required for restaurants where the major portion of the use is located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance under the following conditions [§14.3.6.A]:
- Daytime Operations: Restaurants operating only between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. have no floor area or seating restriction for this exemption.
- Evening Seating Exemption: Restaurants operating between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. are exempt from parking requirements for the first 200 seats. Parking is only required for the number of seats exceeding 200.
Special Planning Area Regulations
Clarendon Revitalization District
In the Clarendon Revitalization District, the Arlington County Board may approve additional density for restaurants. Specifically, restaurants may be counted at 200 percent of their actual floor area to calculate the project's retail requirement [§15.5.8.C.2]. Additionally, ground floor retail space (including restaurants and bakeries) must contain at least 75 percent of the gross leasable floor area in office buildings and must have direct access to the sidewalk [§7.20.8.C].
Green Valley Village Center
In the Green Valley Village Center Special Revitalization District, the Arlington County Board requires that for any building on a "Retail Required" block face, at least 75 percent of the gross floor area of the ground floor must be dedicated to retail uses, such as restaurants or bakeries [§10.2.4.H].
Sections Cited
- §4.1.2 Public (P) Districts Principal Use Table
- §7.1.2 Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Districts Principal Use Table
- §8.1.2 Industrial (M) Districts Principal Use Table
- §10.2.4 Unified Commercial/Mixed Use Development in Green Valley
- §11.1.5 Columbia Pike Form Based Code District Principal Use Table
- §12.2.5 Retail, Service and Commercial Use Categories
- §12.9.15 Outdoor Cafés
- §14.3.6 Parking in Metro Station Areas
- §14.3.7 Required Parking and Standing Space
- §15.5.8 Affordable Dwelling Units for Increased Density (Clarendon retail incentives)