EDO: Entertainment District Overlay Regulations in the City of Arlington

The Entertainment District Overlay (EDO) modifies base zoning standards in the City of Arlington by requiring specific front setbacks between 5 and 24 feet, establishing a minimum building height of 20 feet, and enforcing a 40% minimum transparency for ground-floor façades. It further restricts land use by prohibiting HUD-Code manufactured homes and surface parking lots as a primary use, while imposing specialized architectural and public realm design requirements to create a unified character for the 2,800-acre district.

General Applicability and Relationship to Base Zoning

In the City of Arlington, the Entertainment District Overlay (EDO) is applied in addition to the underlying base zoning district. When a property is located within the EDO, the regulations of this overlay govern development in tandem with the base district standards. However, in the event of an express conflict between the base district standards and the EDO standards, the EDO regulations control [Section 2.1.5]. All development within the EDO must also comply with the City of Arlington's non-residential design standards (Section 5.6) and mixed-use design standards (Section 5.7) unless specifically modified by the overlay [Section 5.8.1.A.2].

Modified Land Use Regulations

The City of Arlington enforces stricter land-use controls within the EDO to preserve its function as a tourism and entertainment hub.

Prohibited Uses

The following uses are explicitly prohibited throughout the EDO, regardless of the permissions granted by the underlying base zoning district [Section 5.8.1.B.2]:

HUD-Code manufactured homes or mobile homes.
Halfway houses.
Correctional facilities.
Animal or crop production.
Auto service centers or major auto repair garages.
Surface parking lots as a primary use.
Secondhand goods stores.
Bail bond services.
Sexually oriented businesses (specifically prohibited in the EDO west of State Highway 360) [Section 3.2.3.J.b].

Conditional and Permitted Uses

Restaurants: Any restaurant with a drive-through window requires the approval of a Specific Use Permit (SUP) [Section 5.8.1.B.1.a].
Hotels: Upscale Hotels are only permitted via a Specific Use Permit in conjunction with a "demo and rebuild" project as defined by the code [Section 5.8.1.B.1.b].
Mixed-Use: Mixed-use developments are permitted by right in several districts within the EDO, provided that non-residential uses in RM-12 and RMF-22 areas are restricted to those allowed in the RMU district [Section 5.8.1.B.1.e].

Private Realm Dimensional Standards

The EDO establishes specific dimensional requirements for buildings that differ from standard City of Arlington residential or commercial districts.

Front Building Setbacks

Instead of the standard setbacks found in Article 4, the EDO requires buildings to be placed within a specific range to define the street edge [Section 5.8.1.D.2].

Street Type	Minimum Setback (ft)	Maximum Setback (ft)¹
Major Arterial	5	9
Minor Arterial	7	9
Major or Minor Collector	5	7
City or Local Street	5	11
Mews	5	7
Interstate Frontage Roads	12	24
¹ Note: If a utility easement is deeper than the maximum setback, the setback may be increased to the edge of that easement [Section 5.8.1.D.2].

Height and Massing

Minimum Height: To ensure street-wall consistency, all non-residential and mixed-use buildings must have a minimum height of 20 feet [Section 5.8.1.D.4].
Maximum Length: No building may exceed 250 feet in length without a physical separation of at least 15 feet to provide for pedestrian walkways [Section 5.8.1.D.5].

Building Design and Materials

The City of Arlington requires a high level of architectural detail within the EDO.

Transparency: Ground-floor elevations facing public rights-of-way, parks, or residential areas must consist of at least 40% windows or doors [Section 5.8.1.D.7].
Non-Residential Materials: Exterior walls must be finished with 85% approved materials (such as native stone, brick, or stucco). No single building material may cover more than 80% of the front façade [Section 5.8.1.G.3].
Fencing: Fences and gates exceeding four feet in height are prohibited from extending beyond the front façade of a building. Chain link and vinyl materials are strictly prohibited [Section 5.8.1.D.8].

Parking and Connectivity

Parking and circulation standards in the EDO are designed to favor pedestrian movement over high-volume surface parking.

Maximum Parking: Uses within the EDO are generally not permitted to exceed the minimum parking requirements established in the general code [Section 5.4.4.H.3.a].
Location: Parking lots and structures are prohibited within the front building setback, except for specific properties fronting Interstate 30 or SH 360 which may have one row of parking if approved [Section 5.4.4.H.3.b].
Bicycle Parking: The EDO requires a higher ratio of bicycle parking for residential components, specifically one space for every five residential units [Section 5.4.11.A.2].

Public Realm Design

The EDO provides detailed standards for "Roadside Design" to ensure a consistent pedestrian experience. The roadside is divided into four functional zones [Section 5.8.1.E.2]:

Frontage Zone: A minimum of two feet for street furniture or sidewalk cafes.
Throughway Zone: A clear pedestrian path of at least six feet (commercial/mixed-use) or five feet (residential areas).
Furnishing Zone: A minimum of five feet for street trees, lighting, and benches.
Edge Zone: A minimum of two feet for those streets allowing on-street parking to accommodate car door swings.

Sections Cited

Section 2.1.5 Relationship to Overlay Districts
Section 3.2.3.J Sexually Oriented Business
Section 5.4.4.H Special Parking Requirements
Section 5.4.11 Bicycle Parking
Section 5.8.1 Entertainment District Overlay | EDO
Section 5.6 Non-Residential Design Standards
Section 5.7 Mixed-Use Design Standards