Permitted Zoning Districts for Religious Institutions in Arlington County

Under the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance, churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples are permitted by-right in every primary zoning district, including all Public, Residential, Multiple-family, Commercial/Mixed-use, and Industrial districts. These religious institutions must comply with a specific parking requirement of one off-street parking space for every five sanctuary seats, though the Arlington County Board may authorize off-site parking solutions under specific distance and transportation conditions.

Permitted Districts and Use Classification

In Arlington County, "Churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples" are classified under the "Religious Institutions" sub-category of the "Public, Civic, and Institutional Use" category [§12.2.4.H]. This specific use type is permitted by-right ("P") across the following district groupings:

Public and Residential Districts

District Group	Specific Arlington County Zoning Districts	Permission Type
Public (P)	S-3A, S-D, P-S	By-Right (P)
Residential (R)	R-20, R-10, R-10T, R-8, R-6, R-5, R15-30T, R2-7	By-Right (P)

Multiple-Family and Commercial/Mixed-Use Districts

District Group	Specific Arlington County Zoning Districts	Permission Type
Multiple-Family (RA)	RA14-26, RA8-18, RA7-16, RA6-15	By-Right (P)
Commercial/Mixed-Use (C)	RA4.8, R-C, RA-H, RA-H-3.2, C-1-R, C-1, MU-VS, C-1-O, C-O-1.0, C-O-1.5, C-O-2.5, C-O, C-O-A, C-O Rosslyn, C-O Crystal City, C-2, C-TH, C-3, C-R	By-Right (P)

Industrial and Form Based Code Districts

District Group	Specific Arlington County Zoning Districts	Permission Type
Industrial (M)	CM, M-1, M-2	By-Right (P)
Form Based Code	CP-FBC (Columbia Pike Form Based Code)	By-Right (P)

[Sources: §4.1.2, §5.1.2, §6.1.2, §7.1.2, §8.1.2, §11.1.5]

Technical Standards for Religious Institutions

Accessory Uses

Religious institutions in Arlington County may include various accessory uses that support their primary mission. These include places of assembly for religious practice, associated offices, food services and dining areas, and classrooms for religious instruction [§12.2.4.H]. Additionally, on-site schools, child care facilities, or staff residences may be permitted as accessory components, provided they meet the specific standards for those use types [§12.2.4.H].

Parking and Loading Requirements

Arlington County mandates that religious institutions provide adequate off-street parking based on the capacity of their main assembly area.

Technical Standard	Requirement
Off-Street Parking Ratio	1 space per each 5 sanctuary seats [§14.3.7]
Loading Space	Sufficient space to provide on the lot for the use, as determined by the County Board [§14.3.8.A]

Off-Site Parking Provisions

The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance allows for flexibility in meeting parking requirements for religious institutions through two primary methods:

Short-Distance Off-Site Parking: Required parking may be provided in off-site areas accessory to another principal use (that is not open during the religious institution's primary operating hours) if the parking is within 600 feet of the institution via the shortest effective pedestrian route [§14.3.3.B.3].
Shuttle Service Provision: Parking may be located up to 0.75 miles away if the institution provides a frequent shuttle service between the religious institution and the off-site parking area during days of regular use or assembly [§14.3.3.B.3].

Sections Cited

§4.1.2 Public (P) Districts Principal Use Table
§5.1.2 Residential (R) Districts Principal Use Table
§6.1.2 Multiple-family (RA) Districts Principal Use Table
§7.1.2 Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Districts Principal Use Table
§8.1.2 Industrial (M) Districts Principal Use Table
§11.1.5 Columbia Pike Form Based Code District Principal Use Table
§12.2.4.H Religious Institutions Use Category Definition
§14.3.3.B.3 Parking for Religious Institutions (Off-site and shuttle rules)
§14.3.7 Required Parking and Standing Space Table
§14.3.8.A Off-Street Loading Requirements