HC: Highway Commercial District Setback Requirements in Arlington, Texas
In the City of Arlington HC: Highway Commercial district, developments are required to maintain a minimum front setback of 20 feet regardless of whether the property faces a freeway, a frontage road, or a local street. The HC: Highway Commercial district further mandates an interior side setback of 20 feet and an interior rear setback of 10 feet, which increases to a 25-foot minimum whenever the property is adjacent to a single-family residential use.
Standard Setback Requirements for HC: Highway Commercial
The City of Arlington establishes specific dimensional standards for the HC: Highway Commercial district to ensure attractive appearances and controlled traffic movement for uses such as automobile sales, hotels, and offices [Section 2.3.7].
The following table outlines the minimum setback requirements for the HC: Highway Commercial district:
| Boundary / Condition | Minimum Setback Distance |
|---|---|
| Front: Freeway or Frontage Road | 20 feet |
| Front: All Other Streets | 20 feet |
| Interior: Side | 20 feet |
| Interior: Rear | 10 feet |
| Adjacency: Adjacent to Single-Family (Side and/or Rear) | 25 feet |
Measurement and General Standards
Setbacks in the City of Arlington are defined as open spaces on a lot that must remain unoccupied and unobstructed from 30 inches above the ground level upward, except for specific permitted items like fences or landscaping [Section 4.1.6.A; Section 4.1.6.F].
Frontage Measurement
In the City of Arlington, street frontage setbacks are measured from the right-of-way line. For arterial and collector streets, this measurement is taken from the line shown on the City's Thoroughfare Development Plan [Section 4.1.6.C].
Double-Frontage and Corner Lots
For double-frontage lots within the HC: Highway Commercial district, the City of Arlington requires street setbacks to be maintained on all frontages, unless the district is specifically classified as a mixed-use district under Article 5 [Section 4.1.6.D]. On corner lots, only one lot line is designated as the front lot line for setback purposes, typically the shorter line abutting the street [Section 4.1.6.E; Section 12.7.1].
Permitted Projections into HC Setbacks
Certain architectural and functional features are permitted to project into the required setbacks of the HC: Highway Commercial district, provided they do not encroach into a public right-of-way or obstruct a required visibility triangle. These include:
- Paved Surfaces: Uncovered paved terraces and patios not taller than 12 inches [Section 4.1.6.H.1].
- Architectural Features: Cornices, eaves, sills, and lintels may project up to two feet into a required yard, provided they do not occupy more than two percent of the total setback area [Section 4.1.6.H.3].
- Access Features: Handicap ramps and roofs over porches or exterior approaches (encroaching up to five feet) are permitted in front setbacks [Section 4.1.6.H.4; Section 4.1.6.H.5].
- Recreational Features: A swimming pool and its associated decking may project into a required side or rear setback, provided the outside wall of the pool remains at least five feet from the property line [Section 4.1.6.H.8].
Specific Use Setbacks in the HC District
In addition to the base dimensional standards, certain land uses within the City of Arlington HC: Highway Commercial district are subject to additional siting requirements:
- Auto Service Centers: Service bays are prohibited from facing a public street. If a service bay faces a residential zoning district, it must be screened according to Level 3 standards [Section 3.2.3.B].
- Outside Storage: For retail uses like lumber sales, outside storage is prohibited between a public street and the projected building face [Section 3.2.3.I].
Sections Cited
- Section 2.3.7, Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Districts (Highway Commercial | HC)
- Section 3.2.3.B, Auto Sales, Equipment, and Repair
- Section 3.2.3.I, Retail (Sales)
- Section 4.1.6, Setbacks
- Section 4.1.6.A, Definitions
- Section 4.1.6.C, Measurement
- Section 4.1.6.D, Double-Frontage Lots
- Section 4.1.6.E, Corner Lots
- Section 4.1.6.F, Standards
- Section 4.1.6.H, Permitted Projections into Required Setbacks
- Section 12.7.1, Other Terms Defined (Lot Line, Front)