Off-Street Parking Standards for the FH: Flex Hybrid District in Arlington, Texas
In the City of Arlington, development within the FH: Flex Hybrid district is subject to specific parking location constraints that prioritize building frontage over surface parking to maintain an urban-scale aesthetic. Multi-family residential units within this district generally require one parking space per unit plus additional visitor and staff parking, while commercial office uses must provide 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area. Notably, the City of Arlington strictly prohibits any surface parking between a residential building and the street right-of-way within the FH: Flex Hybrid district [Section 5.12.4.H.4].
General Parking Requirements
The City of Arlington requires that all off-street parking facilities be located on the same lot as the principal use. These facilities must have an all-weather surface constructed of asphalt or concrete, although the Zoning Administrator may approve porous paving systems [Section 5.4.2.D, Section 5.4.9.H].
Residential Parking Ratios
Because the FH: Flex Hybrid district is categorized as a non-residential zoning district, residential projects (such as multi-family or mixed-use developments) must follow specific ratios intended for these environments [Section 2.1.2].
| Use Type | Primary Parking Requirement | Accessory Parking Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-family or Mixed-Use Residential | 1 parking space per dwelling unit | 5 spaces (Office Staff) + 1 space per 10,000 sq. ft. of gross residential floor area (Visitor Parking) |
| Live/Work Dwelling | 1.5 spaces per unit | Work area is calculated separately as retail or office use |
Commercial and Industrial Parking Ratios
Commercial projects in the FH: Flex Hybrid district must provide parking based on the type of activity and gross floor area (GFA).
| Use Type | Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Office, business or professional | 2.5 per 1,000 sf GFA |
| General retail store | 3 per 1,000 sf GFA |
| Manufacturing and Assembly, small-scale | Subject to Schedule B |
| Wholesale supply business | Subject to Schedule B |
Note on Schedule B: For industrial or wholesale activities, the requirement varies by floor area: 3 spaces per 1,000 sf for the first 3,000 sf; 2 spaces per 1,000 sf for the next 2,000 sf; and decreasing ratios for larger areas [Table 5.4-2].
District-Specific Parking Design Constraints
The City of Arlington enforces unique design standards for the FH: Flex Hybrid district to ensure that parking does not become the dominant visual feature of the streetscape.
- Front Yard Parking Limitations: For non-residential developments in the FH: Flex Hybrid district, no more than one double-loaded parking aisle is permitted in the area between the building and the public right-of-way [Section 5.4.4.H.4.a].
- Residential Street-Front Prohibition: In the FH: Flex Hybrid district, surface parking is explicitly prohibited in the area between a multi-family residential building and the street [Section 5.4.4.H.4.a].
- Mixed-Use Exceptions: If a project includes ground-floor non-residential uses, a surface parking area may be located between those uses and the public street, provided it only includes one drive aisle with parking on both sides [Section 5.13.5.I.3].
- Building Placement: Developments are encouraged to situate buildings at the street frontage, locating the majority of parking to the side or rear of the structures [Section 5.4.9.C.1].
Bicycle Parking Requirements
The City of Arlington requires that residential and commercial projects provide bicycle parking in addition to automobile spaces.
| Land Use | Required Bicycle Spaces |
|---|---|
| Multi-family and Mixed-Use | 20% of the number of residential units |
| Office, Retail, or Commercial | 5% of the number of required automobile spaces |
In multi-family or mixed-use developments, these bicycle racks must be located in a covered and secured area [Section 5.4.11.B, Section 5.4.11.C].
Sections Cited
- Section 2.1.2: Zoning Districts Established
- Section 2.3.14: Flex Hybrid | FH Purpose
- Section 3.2.4.A.2: Flex, Office or Commerce
- Section 5.4.2: Applicability (Off-Street Parking)
- Section 5.4.4.H: Special Parking Requirements in Certain Zoning Districts
- Section 5.4.9: Parking Facility Location and Design
- Section 5.4.11: Bicycle Parking
- Section 5.12.4.H: Off-Street Parking Standards and Location (Multi-Family in Non-Residential)
- Section 5.13.5.I: Off-Street Parking Standards and Location (Mixed-Use in Non-Residential)
- Table 5.4-1: Off-Street Parking Schedule A
- Table 5.4-2: Off-Street Parking Schedule B