NC: Neighborhood Commercial District Setback Requirements in Arlington, Texas
In the City of Arlington, the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district requires a minimum building setback of 20 feet from freeways or frontage roads and 10 feet from all other streets. While side and rear setbacks are generally 0 feet, the City of Arlington mandates a 20-foot setback whenever an NC: Neighborhood Commercial property is adjacent to a single-family residential use.
NC: Neighborhood Commercial Setback Standards
The City of Arlington Unified Development Code establishes specific dimensional standards for the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district. These setbacks are designed to ensure that businesses serving daily neighborhood needs remain compatible in scale and intensity with nearby residential areas [Section 2.3.4].
| Boundary Type | Minimum Setback Requirement |
|---|---|
| Freeway or Frontage Road | 20 feet |
| All Other Streets | 10 feet |
| Side and/or Rear (General) | 0 feet |
| Adjacent to Single-Family (Side and/or Rear) | 20 feet |
General Setback Definitions and Measurement
In the City of Arlington, a "setback" is defined as an open space on a lot that must remain unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground (30 inches above grade) upward, except for specific permitted exceptions such as fences or landscaping [Section 4.1.6.F].
Street Frontage Setbacks
A street frontage setback in the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district extends along any lot line adjacent to a street, private access easement, or alley [Section 4.1.6.A]. For NC: Neighborhood Commercial properties, these are measured as follows:
- Arterial and Collector Streets: Measured from the right-of-way line as shown on the City of Arlington Thoroughfare Development Plan [Section 4.1.6.C].
- Other Streets: Measured from the existing right-of-way [Section 4.1.6.C].
Interior Setbacks
The side interior building setback applies to the area along a side lot line that is not adjacent to a street or alley. The rear building setback applies to the area across the rear lot line [Section 4.1.6.A]. In the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district, these are 0 feet unless the property line is shared with a single-family residential use [Section 2.3.4].
Specific Conditions and Exceptions
The City of Arlington applies additional rules for specific lot configurations within the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district:
Double-Frontage Lots
For double-frontage lots in the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district, street setbacks are required on all frontages of the lot, unlike mixed-use districts where they may only be required in the front yard of the primary structure [Section 4.1.6.D].
Permitted Projections
Certain architectural features are allowed to project into the required setbacks for the NC: Neighborhood Commercial district. These include:
- Patios: Uncovered paved terraces and patios not taller than 12 inches [Section 4.1.6.H.1].
- Architectural Features: Cornices, eaves, sills, and similar features may project up to two feet into the setback, provided they occupy no more than two percent of the required setback area [Section 4.1.6.H.3].
- Handicap Ramps: These may be located within any required front, side, or rear setback [Section 4.1.6.H.5].
Sections Cited
- Section 2.3.4, Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Districts (Neighborhood Commercial | NC)
- Section 4.1.6, Setbacks