RE Residential Estate Setback Requirements in the City of Arlington

The City of Arlington RE: Residential Estate district requires a minimum front setback of 40 feet for arterial/collector roads and 20 feet for local streets. Interior side and rear setbacks for the RE Residential Estate district are 10 feet, while setbacks from side streets range from 5 to 20 feet depending on the roadway type. Non-residential uses within the RE Residential Estate district must maintain a 20-foot setback when adjacent to single-family uses [Section 2.2.2].

RE Residential Estate Setback Standards

Setbacks in the City of Arlington are measured from the property lines, with specific rules for street frontage setbacks which are measured from the right-of-way line as shown on the Thoroughfare Development Plan [Section 4.1.6].

The following table outlines the specific minimum setback distances for the RE Residential Estate district:

Setback Category	Location or Condition	Minimum Requirement
Street Front	Arterial or Collector	40 feet
	Local street, alley, or private access easement	20 feet
Street Side	All Roadways	20 feet
	Private access easement or alley	5 feet
Street Rear	All Roadways	15 feet
	Private access easement or alley	10 feet
Interior	Side yard	10 feet
	Rear yard	10 feet
Adjacency Buffer	Non-residential use adjacent to single-family (side/rear)	20 feet

[Source: Section 2.2.2]

General Setback Regulations

In the City of Arlington, all setbacks must remain unoccupied and unobstructed from 30 inches above grade upward [Section 4.1.6.F]. However, the City of Arlington Unified Development Code allows for certain exceptions and minor encroachments:

Setback Reductions

In the RE Residential Estate district, specific residential features are permitted to encroach into the required 20-foot setback from a local street, private access easement, or alley by up to five feet. These features include:

Covered front porches.
J-swing garages (this reduction specifically does not apply to front-entry garages) [Section 4.1.6.G].

Permitted Projections

Certain architectural and functional features may project into the required setbacks of the RE Residential Estate district, provided they do not extend into public or private easements or rights-of-way:

Terraces and Patios: Uncovered paved surfaces not taller than 12 inches may project into any required setback [Section 4.1.6.H.1].
Architectural Features: Cornices, eaves, canopies, and chimneys may project up to two feet into any required yard, provided they do not occupy more than two percent of the required setback area [Section 4.1.6.H.3].
Roofs over Porches: Roofs over porches or other exterior approaches may encroach up to five feet into a front setback [Section 4.1.6.H.4].
Swimming Pools: A pool and its decking may project into a side or rear setback, but the outside wall of the pool must be at least five feet from the lot line [Section 4.1.6.H.8].

Placement and Measurement Rules

Double-Frontage Lots: In the RE Residential Estate district, street setbacks are required on all frontages of a double-frontage lot [Section 4.1.6.D].
Corner Lots: Only one lot line is considered the front lot line for corner lots in the RE Residential Estate district. The Zoning Administrator may determine which street front is the "front yard" based on the prevailing pattern of the street [Section 4.1.6.E].
Building Line Prohibitions: Enclosed accessory buildings, such as storage sheds, cannot be located between the front property line and an imaginary line drawn from the front corners of the main building to the side property lines [Section 3.3.6.A.3].

Sections Cited