R-8 One-Family Dwelling District Zoning Guide | Arlington County Zoning Guide

In Arlington County, the R-8 One-Family Dwelling District is primarily designed for low-density residential use, specifically one-family detached dwellings on lots of at least 8,000 square feet. While one-family homes and certain recovery residences are allowed by-right, many institutional and community uses require a special exception use permit from the Arlington County Board.

Permitted Uses in the R-8 District

The following uses are permitted by-right in the R-8 district of Arlington County, meaning they can be approved administratively if they meet all relevant development standards [§5.1.2]:

Residential: One-family detached dwellings [§5.1.2].
Group Living: Recovery residences with eight or fewer residents [§12.3.9].
Institutional: Churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples [§5.1.2].
Infrastructure: Minor utilities (excluding bus shelters and bike share stations) [§5.1.2].
Agriculture: All agricultural uses, subject to specific animal keeping setbacks [§12.7.1].
Telecommunications: Small cell or micro-wireless facilities [§5.1.2].

Special Exception Uses (Use Permit Required)

In the Arlington County R-8 district, several uses are only allowed if a "U" (use permit) or "S" (site plan) is granted by the County Board. These are considered special exceptions [§5.1.2]:

Educational: Colleges, universities, and elementary, middle, or high schools [§12.4.1].
Community Services: Community centers, libraries, museums, art galleries, recreation centers, and community swimming pools [§12.4.8].
Care Facilities: Child care centers, hospitals, and all other day care uses [§12.4.1, §12.4.2].
Group Living: Dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and group homes [§12.3.3, §12.3.5, §12.3.6].
Public/Civic: Cemeteries, country clubs, golf courses, parks, playgrounds, and playfields [§5.1.2].
Transportation: Airports, aircraft landing fields, bus/trolley/rail passenger terminals, and transitional parking areas [§12.4.4, §12.8.5].
Other: Membership clubs and lodges, government offices (federal, state, or local), bed and breakfasts, open-air markets, and recycling centers [§12.5.3, §12.5.13, §12.5.17].

Accessory and Transitional Uses

Arlington County allows specific accessory uses and buildings in the R-8 district provided they are incidental to the primary one-family dwelling [§12.9.1]:

Accessory Dwellings: Permitted by-right subject to specific size and occupancy limits [§12.9.2].
Family/Caregiver Suites: Allowed within a main dwelling to accommodate relatives or care providers [§12.9.8].
Home Occupations: Includes accessory homestays and professional services conducted by a resident [§12.9.11, §12.9.12].
Outdoor Amenities: Private swimming pools and guest houses (no kitchen allowed) [§12.9.10, §12.9.17].
Parking and Storage: Routine vehicle maintenance, recreational vehicle parking, and a maximum of one commercial vehicle (10,000 lbs or less) [§12.9.4, §12.9.16, §12.9.18].

Expanded Housing Option (EHO) Development

Arlington County allows for increased density in the R-8 district through the Expanded Housing Option. Subject to a permit from the Zoning Administrator, the following residential uses are allowed in the R-8 district [§10.4.3]:

Duplexes.
Semidetached dwellings.
Townhouses (maximum of 3 units).
Multiple-family buildings (maximum of 6 units).

Prohibited Uses in the R-8 District

Any use not explicitly listed as permitted, special exception, or accessory in the Residential (R) Districts Principal Use Table is prohibited in the R-8 district. Prohibited categories include, but are not limited to [§5.1.2]:

Retail and Commercial: Restaurants, bars, convenience stores, and standard retail shops (unless as a permitted home occupation or open-air market).
Industrial: Manufacturing, heavy industrial services, and large-scale distribution warehouses.
Automotive: Vehicle body shops, car washes, and vehicle sales/rental facilities.
Adult Uses: Adult book stores and adult entertainment establishments.

R-8 Density and Dimensional Standards

Development within the R-8 district must conform to the following technical requirements [§5.5.3, §3.2.5]:

Standard Type	Requirement for One-Family Detached
Minimum Lot Area	8,000 sq. ft.
Minimum Lot Width (Average)	70 feet
Maximum Building Height	35 feet
Maximum Lot Coverage	35%
Maximum Main Building Footprint	2,800 sq. ft.
Max Footprint with Front Porch (min 60 sq. ft.)	3,136 sq. ft.

Sections Cited

§3.2.5 Coverage
§4.1.2 Public (P) districts principal use table
§5.1.2 Residential (R) districts principal use table
§5.5.3 R-8 Density and dimensional standards
§10.4 Expanded Housing Option Development
§12.3 Residential Use Standards
§12.4 Public and Civic Use Standards
§12.5 Commercial/Mixed Use Standards
§12.7.1 Agriculture
§12.8 Transitional Use Standards
§12.9 Accessory Use Standards