Setback and Placement Requirements for the M-2 Service Industrial District in Arlington County

In the M-2 Service Industrial District of Arlington County, the primary front setback requirement is 40 feet from the centerline of any street. While the M-2 Service Industrial District generally does not require side or rear yards, specific graduated setbacks apply if the property abuts a residential district or if the building walls contain windows or openings. Additionally, no structure in the M-2 Service Industrial District may be located closer to a street centerline than 50 percent of the building's total height [Section 3.2.6.A.1].

M-2 Service Industrial District Setback Standards

The following table outlines the minimum placement and yard requirements for developments within the M-2 Service Industrial District in Arlington County. These standards are intended to ensure appropriate spacing between industrial uses and the public right-of-way or adjacent residential neighborhoods.

Type of Setback	Requirement in M-2 Service Industrial District
Front Setback	40 feet from the centerline of any street [Section 3.2.6.A.1(a)]
Minimum Street Distance	No closer to the centerline of any street than 50% of the building height [Section 3.2.6.A.1]
Side Yard (General)	None required [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)]
Rear Yard (General)	None required [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)]
Side/Rear Yard (Abutting R or RA)	8 feet for the first 10 feet of building height, plus 2 additional feet for every 10 feet of additional height [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)]
Side/Rear Yard (With Windows)	8 feet for the first 10 feet of building height, plus 2 additional feet for every 10 feet of additional height [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)]

Specific Placement and Yard Regulations

Street Setbacks

For all properties in the M-2 Service Industrial District, Arlington County requires that structures maintain a minimum distance from the street. The standard is 40 feet from the centerline of the street, but this is subject to the overarching rule that the setback must be at least 50 percent of the height of the building [Section 3.2.6.A.1]. For the purposes of these regulations, a limited access highway is considered an abutting lot rather than a street [Section 3.2.6.A.1].

Side and Rear Yard Exceptions

While the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance generally exempts the M-2 Service Industrial District from side and rear yard requirements, there are two critical exceptions where a setback must be maintained:

Abutting Residential Districts: If an M-2 Service Industrial District lot abuts any Residential (R) or Residential Apartment (RA) district, a graduated setback is required [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)].
Wall Openings: If a wall on the side or rear of a lot contains windows or other openings (regardless of whether they can be opened), the graduated setback applies [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)].

The graduated setback for these exceptions is calculated as eight feet for the first 10 feet of building height. For every additional 10 feet of building height (or fraction thereof), an additional two feet of setback must be added to the base eight-foot requirement [Section 3.2.6.A.2(a)].

Visual Clearance at Corners

On any corner lot within the M-2 Service Industrial District, Arlington County mandates a sight triangle to ensure traffic safety. No building or obstructions are permitted between a height of one foot and 10 feet above the curb level within the triangle formed by the street right-of-way lines and a line connecting those points 10 feet from their intersection [Section 3.2.6.A.4(b)].

Sections Cited