Setback Requirements for the S-D: Special Development District
In the S-D: Special Development district of Arlington County, setback requirements are categorized by the specific type of land use and whether the development is by-right or a special exception. One-family dwellings generally require a minimum front setback of 25 feet from the street right-of-way, while other uses require setbacks that scale upward based on the total height of the building.
| Use Type in Arlington County S-D District | Front Setback (Min.) | Side Setback (Min.) | Rear Setback (Min.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-family Dwellings (By-right) | 25 ft. from street right-of-way line | 10 ft. (one side may be reduced to 8 ft.) | 25 ft. (for interior lots) |
| Other Uses (By-right or Special Exception) | Larger of 50 ft. from street centerline OR 25 ft. from street right-of-way | 10 ft. + 1 ft. for every 2.5 ft. of height over 25 ft. | 10 ft. + 1 ft. for every 2.5 ft. of height over 25 ft. |
S-D District Setback Regulations by Use
Arlington County identifies the S-D: Special Development district as a Public (P) district, and its dimensional standards point directly to the general requirements established in Article 3 of the Zoning Ordinance [§4.3.3].
One-Family Dwellings
For one-family detached dwellings in the S-D: Special Development district, the following specific standards apply:
- Front Setback: No structure may be located less than 25 feet from any street right-of-way line. However, the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance allows this to be reduced to the average distance of existing front walls on the same frontage, provided the distance is at least 15 feet (and at least 18 feet for a parking garage) [§3.2.6.A.1(e)].
- Side Setback: The standard side yard is 10 feet. One side yard may be reduced to eight feet, but the aggregate width of both side yards must be at least 30 percent of the total width of the lot [§3.2.6.A.2(b)].
- Rear Setback: On interior lots, no structure shall be located closer than 25 feet from a rear lot line [§3.2.6.A.2(b)].
Other Uses and Special Exceptions
For all other uses allowed in the S-D: Special Development district—including nursing homes, convalescent homes, and other institutional facilities approved by special exception—setbacks are more restrictive to account for larger building scales [§4.3.3.B].
- Front Setback: Structures must be set back the larger of 50 feet from the centerline of any street or 25 feet from any street right-of-way line [§3.2.6.A.1(d)].
- Side and Rear Setbacks: The base setback is 10 feet. This must be increased by one additional foot for every 2.5 feet (or fraction thereof) of building height exceeding 25 feet [§3.2.6.A.2(e)].
- Interior Lot Rear Minimum: Regardless of the height-based calculation, on interior lots, no structure shall be located closer than 25 feet from a rear lot line [§3.2.6.A.2(e)].
Site Plan Considerations for the S-D District
When Arlington County considers site plan approvals in the S-D: Special Development district (particularly for hospitals and healthcare facilities), specific guidelines are used to judge the appropriateness of the placement. The Arlington County Board requires that the bulk and placement of buildings be concentrated to have the least negative impact on surrounding neighborhoods. This often includes tapering building height and mass from the center of the site down to the building line of the site, ensuring that the structures meet the height requirements of surrounding residential properties at the shared building line [§4.3.D.1(b)].
Sections Cited
- §3.2.6.A, Setbacks (required yards)
- §4.3.3, S-D Density and dimensional standards
- §4.3.D.1, Floor area ratio by site plan
- §10.4, Expanded Housing Option Development
- §15.4, Use Permits
- §15.5, Site Plans