RA-H-3.2 District Off-Street Parking Standards in Arlington County
Arlington County requires projects in the RA-H-3.2 Multiple-family Dwelling and Hotel district to provide one off-street parking space per dwelling unit for residential uses and one space per guest room for hotels. Commercial developments within this district must maintain a ratio of one space per 300 square feet of gross floor area, with most parking required to be located below grade or within the building structure.
Specific Parking Ratios for the RA-H-3.2 District
The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance establishes specific off-street parking requirements for projects developed under a site plan within the RA-H-3.2 district. These requirements are intended to support high-rise hotel and multiple-family dwelling redevelopment within designated "Metro Transit Corridors" [§7.5.1].
| Use Type | Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Multiple-family Dwelling | 1 space per dwelling unit |
| Hotel | 1 space per guest room and dwelling unit |
| Commercial Uses | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area |
Location and Structural Requirements
Arlington County mandates specific placement standards for parking facilities within the RA-H-3.2 district to maintain the urban character of Metro Transit Corridors.
Internalized Parking
The off-street parking provided for RA-H-3.2 projects must be located below grade or within the structure housing the use to which the parking is appurtenant. The County Board may only allow deviations from this requirement through an approved site plan [§7.5.5.A.2].
Dimensional Standards
All parking areas in Arlington County must adhere to strict dimensional requirements for stalls and aisles. For example, standard 90-degree parking stalls for full-size automobiles must be 8.5 feet wide and 18 feet deep, with a two-way aisle width of at least 23 feet [§14.3.3.C.1].
Parking Reductions and Exemptions
Because the RA-H-3.2 district is located within high-density Metro Transit Corridors, certain uses may qualify for parking exemptions or reductions.
Metro Station Proximity Exemptions
For uses located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance, Arlington County provides the following exemptions:
- Retail and Service-Commercial: No parking is required for the first 5,000 square feet of gross floor area per main building, excluding certain high-impact uses like hospitals or vehicle service establishments [§14.3.6.A.2].
- Daytime Restaurants: No parking is required for restaurants operating exclusively between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. [§14.3.6.A.1].
- Evening/Night Restaurants: Restaurants with fewer than 200 seats operating between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. are exempt from parking requirements [§14.3.6.A.1].
Direct Transit Connection Reduction
Arlington County may reduce the parking requirement for office and commercial uses by 10 percent if the project provides a direct, sheltered connection (no more than 500 feet in length) to a Metro Transit Station [§14.3.6.C].
Use of Compact Car Spaces
For parking areas in the RA-H-3.2 district that contain more than 100 spaces, Arlington County allows up to 15 percent of the required parking to be designated for compact cars. These spaces must be grouped together and clearly marked as "compact cars only" [§14.3.3.F].
Sections Cited
- Section 7.5 RA-H-3.2, Multiple-family Dwelling and Hotel District
- Section 7.5.1 Purpose
- Section 7.5.5 Site development standards
- Section 14.3.3 General requirements (Parking and Loading)
- Section 14.3.6 Parking in Metro station areas
- Section 14.3.7 Required parking and standing space