GC: General Commercial District Use and Development Guide - City of Arlington

The GC: General Commercial district in the City of Arlington is primarily intended to accommodate a broad range of commercial activities, including automobile sales, restaurants, and warehousing, while allowing for residential densities up to 36 units per acre. Development in the City of Arlington GC district requires a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet and must maintain a 20-foot setback when adjacent to single-family residential properties [Section 2.3.6]. While many uses are permitted by right, certain activities such as used motor vehicle sales and small box discount stores require a Specific Use Permit or are subject to location-based prohibitions [Section 3.1.5].

Purpose of the GC District

The City of Arlington established the GC: General Commercial district to provide sites for diverse commercial uses including car washes, offices, and commercial services. The district is specifically designed for freestanding commercial structures located along arterial streets, particularly in older sections of the City of Arlington that are undergoing redevelopment. Sites are required to maintain an attractive appearance through landscaping and controlled traffic movement [Section 2.3.6].

Allowed Uses in the GC District

Uses in the City of Arlington are classified as Permitted (P), permitted subject to supplemental standards (P*), requiring a Specific Use Permit (S), or requiring a Specific Use Permit with supplemental standards (S*) [Section 3.1.2].

Residential and Group Living

Dwelling, Multi-family: Permitted with supplemental standards [Section 3.1.5].
Nursing Home: Permitted [Section 3.1.5].
Halfway House: Requires a Specific Use Permit [Section 3.1.5].

Public, Institutional, and Civic

Community and Cultural: Art gallery, museum, domestic violence shelter, and government administration buildings are all permitted by right [Section 3.1.5].
Educational: Business schools, public or private schools, trade schools, and universities/colleges are permitted [Section 3.1.5].
Religious Assembly: Permitted [Section 3.1.5].
Health Care: Hospitals and medical/dental offices are permitted [Section 3.1.5].

Commercial Uses

Auto Sales and Service: Motor vehicle fueling facilities, new vehicle sales, and car washes (S*) are allowed. Used motor vehicle sales require a Specific Use Permit (S*) and are prohibited in the Interstate 20 corridor bounded by Cooper Street, Arbrook Boulevard, State Highway 360, and Bardin Road [Section 3.1.5, Section 3.2.3.B.5].
Food and Beverage: Restaurants (including drive-through), catering services, and sidewalk cafes (P*) are permitted. Bars, nightclubs, and live entertainment venues require a Specific Use Permit (S*) [Section 3.1.5].
Lodging: Bed and breakfast inns (P*), luxury hotels (P*), and upscale hotels (S*) are permitted depending on their STR, Inc. chain scale rating [Section 3.1.5, Section 3.2.3.E.2].
Office and Professional: General business offices, professional offices, and telemarketing call centers are permitted [Section 3.1.5].
Personal Services: Day care centers (P*), general personal services, massage therapy clinics, and tattoo/piercing studios (S) are permitted [Section 3.1.5].
Retail Sales: General retail, firearm sales, pawn shops, and secondhand stores are permitted. Small box discount stores require a Specific Use Permit (S*) and must be at least 1.5 miles from any other small box discount store [Section 3.1.5, Section 3.2.3.I.7].

Industrial and Utility Uses

Industrial Service: Building maintenance sales, commercial cleaners, and research laboratories are permitted [Section 3.1.5].
Manufacturing: Custom and craft work is permitted. Gas wells require a Specific Use Permit (S*) [Section 3.1.5].
Utilities: Utility lines, towers, and telecommunication facilities (P* or S*) are permitted subject to height and screening standards [Section 3.1.5, Section 3.2.4.D].

Prohibited Uses

In the City of Arlington GC district, any use not explicitly listed as permitted or requiring a Specific Use Permit in the UDC Use Table is prohibited. Specific prohibited uses include:

Residential: Single-family detached dwellings, duplexes, townhouses, and manufactured housing [Section 3.1.5].
Group Living: Assisted living facilities, boarding homes, and foster family/group homes [Section 3.1.5].
Commercial: Animal production and crop production [Section 3.1.5].
Industrial: Heavy manufacturing, high-impact uses, and outdoor salvage yards [Section 3.1.5].
Specific Prohibitions: Package liquor stores and used motor vehicle sales are strictly prohibited in the designated Interstate 20 corridor area [Section 3.2.3.B.5, Section 3.2.3.I.5].

Development Standards

All development in the City of Arlington GC district must adhere to specific intensity and dimensional requirements.

Dimensional Standards Table

Standard	Requirement
Max. Density	36 dwelling units per acre
Min. Lot Area	10,000 square feet
Min. Street Setback (Freeway/Frontage)	20 feet
Min. Street Setback (Other Streets)	10 feet
Min. Interior Side and/or Rear Setback	0 feet
Min. Setback Adjacent to Single-Family	20 feet
Max. Building Height	N/A (See Article 4 for exceptions)
Max. Lot Coverage	N/A

[Section 2.3.6]

Off-Street Parking Requirements

Parking requirements in the City of Arlington are generally based on the Gross Floor Area (GFA) of the use.

Use Type	Required Parking Spaces
Medical or Dental Office	4 per 1,000 sf GFA
General Office	2.5 per 1,000 sf GFA
General Retail Store	3 per 1,000 sf GFA
Restaurant	10 per 1,000 sf GFA (includes dining areas)
Bar / Nightclub	14 per 1,000 sf GFA
Bank or Financial Institution	2.5 per 1,000 sf GFA

[Table 5.4-1]

Sections Cited

Section 2.3.6: General Commercial | GC
Section 3.1.2: Explanation of Table Abbreviations
Section 3.1.5: Table of Allowed Uses
Section 3.2.3: Commercial Uses - Supplemental Standards
Section 3.2.4: Industrial Uses - Supplemental Standards
Article 4: Dimensional Standards
Table 5.4-1: Off-Street Parking Schedule A
Section 5.3.1: Residential Screening and Buffering