Guide to the GC: General Commercial Zoning District in Arlington, Texas

In the City of Arlington, the GC: General Commercial district is designed for freestanding commercial structures along arterial streets, requiring a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet and a maximum residential density of 36 dwelling units per acre. The district focuses on facilitating a broad range of intensive commercial activities, including automobile sales, car washes, and warehousing, primarily within older sections of the City of Arlington undergoing redevelopment [Section 2.3.6, Section 2.3.1].

Purpose and General Character

The GC: General Commercial district in the City of Arlington is intended to accommodate a wide variety of commercial needs for residents, workers, and visitors. Its primary application is for the development of freestanding commercial structures located along major arterial streets. A key characteristic of the GC: General Commercial district is its focus on the redevelopment of older sections of the City of Arlington. To ensure these more intensive uses remain compatible with the community, the City of Arlington requires these sites to provide an attractive appearance through specific landscaping standards, well-designed parking layouts, and controlled traffic movement [Section 2.3.6].

Dimensional Standards

Development within the GC: General Commercial district must adhere to specific intensity and placement regulations to ensure orderly growth within the City of Arlington. While building height is generally not limited by a specific maximum number, it is strictly regulated when the property is adjacent to single-family residential uses [Section 2.3.6, Section 4.1.7.E].

Standard	Requirement
Maximum Density	36 dwelling units per acre [Section 2.3.6]
Minimum Lot Area	10,000 square feet [Section 2.3.6]
Setback: Freeway or Frontage Road	20 feet [Section 2.3.6]
Setback: All Other Streets	10 feet [Section 2.3.6]
Setback: Side and/or Rear	0 feet [Section 2.3.6]
Setback: Adjacent to Single-Family	20 feet [Section 2.3.6]
Maximum Building Height	N/A (See Residential Proximity limits) [Section 2.3.6]
Maximum Lot Coverage	N/A [Section 2.3.6]

Height Limitations Near Residential Areas

In the City of Arlington, buildings in the GC: General Commercial district are subject to "height-to-distance" transitions when sharing a property line with single-family residential zones:

• A building’s height cannot exceed 45 feet within the first 75 feet of a shared property line with a single-family residential use or zone [Section 4.1.7.E].
• Beyond 75 feet, the building's height cannot exceed a ratio of one foot of height for every one foot of distance from the shared residential property line [Section 4.1.7.E].

Permitted Land Uses

The GC: General Commercial district allows for a vast array of uses, ranging from standard retail to more intensive industrial-lite services. Many uses are permitted "by-right" (P), while others require a Specific Use Permit (S) or are subject to Supplemental Use Standards (*) [Section 3.1.2].

Commercial and Retail Uses

• Automotive: New motor vehicle sales (P), used motor vehicle sales (S*), auto service centers (S*), major auto repair (S*), and car washes (S*) [Table 3.1-2].
• Food and Beverage: Restaurants, including those with drive-throughs (P*), catering services (P), and bars (P*) [Table 3.1-2].
• Retail: General retail stores (P), firearm sales (P), nurseries and garden shops (P*), pawn shops (P), and small box discount stores (S*) [Table 3.1-2].
• Lodging: Luxury and upper-upscale hotels (P*), while economy, midscale, and upper-midscale hotels are subject to specific "rebuild only" or "Independent" status rules (R*) [Table 3.1-2, Section 3.2.3.E].

Residential and Mixed-Use

• Multi-family dwellings (P*) and mixed-use developments (P*) are permitted in the GC: General Commercial district, provided they meet the density requirements and supplemental design standards [Table 3.1-2, Section 3.2.1.A].

Public, Institutional, and Recreation

• Community: Religious assemblies (P), government buildings (P), and philanthropic institutions (P) [Table 3.1-2].
• Health: Hospitals (P) and medical or dental offices (P) [Table 3.1-2].
• Education: Business schools (P) and trade schools (P) [Table 3.1-2].
• Indoor Recreation: Gun ranges (P), bowling alleys (S*), billiard parlors (S*), and indoor theaters (P*) [Table 3.1-2].

Industrial and Utility Uses

• Industrial Services: Building maintenance sales and service (P*), commercial cleaners (P), and food processing (P*) [Table 3.1-2].
• Manufacturing: Light manufacturing (P), heavy manufacturing (P), and custom/craft work (P*) [Table 3.1-2].
• Utilities: Electric utility substations (P) and utility lines/metering stations (P) [Table 3.1-2].

Off-Street Parking Standards

The City of Arlington enforces specific parking ratios for uses in the GC: General Commercial district to prevent spillover into adjacent neighborhoods [Section 5.4.1].

Use Type	Parking Requirement
General Office/Professional	2.5 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA [Table 5.4-1]
General Retail Store	3 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA [Table 5.4-1]
Restaurant (Standard)	10 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA [Table 5.4-1]
Medical or Dental Office	4 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA [Table 5.4-1]
Auto Service Center	2 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA [Table 5.4-1]
Warehouse/Storage (Indoor)	0.8 to 3 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA (Scaling based on area) [Table 5.4-2]

Sections Cited

• Section 2.3.1: General Purposes of All Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Districts
• Section 2.3.6: General Commercial | GC
• Section 3.1.2: Explanation of Table Abbreviations
• Section 3.2.1.A: Household Living Supplemental Standards
• Section 3.2.3.B: Auto Sales, Equipment, and Repair Supplemental Standards
• Section 3.2.3.E: Lodging Facilities Supplemental Standards
• Section 4.1.7.E: Special Height Limitations in Non-Residential Zoning Districts
• Section 5.4.1: Off-Street Parking and Loading Purpose
• Table 3.1-2: Allowed Uses – Non-residential and Mixed-Use Districts
• Table 5.4-1: Off-Street Parking Schedule A
• Table 5.4-2: Off-Street Parking Schedule B