RM-12 Residential Medium-Density 12 Off-Street Parking Requirements
In the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district of the City of Arlington, primary residential dwellings including single-family detached, duplexes, and townhouses are required to provide two off-street parking spaces per unit, typically in the form of an enclosed two-car garage. Cottage Communities, which are permitted as Planned Developments within the RM-12 district, utilize a sliding scale for parking based on unit size, ranging from 1 to 2 spaces per unit plus mandatory guest parking. Non-residential uses such as day care centers and religious assemblies must meet specific ratios based on gross floor area or seating capacity, such as 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet or one space per four seats, respectively.
Residential Parking Ratios for RM-12
The City of Arlington Unified Development Code establishes specific parking ratios for the various housing types permitted within the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district. Most standard residential units must provide two spaces per dwelling unit [Section 5.4.3].
| Residential Use Type | Required Parking Spaces |
|---|---|
| Dwelling, single-family detached | 2 per dwelling unit |
| Dwelling, duplex | 2 per dwelling unit |
| Dwelling, townhouse | 2 per dwelling unit |
| Garage apartment | 1 per dwelling unit |
| Independent senior living facility | 1.3 per dwelling unit |
| Assisted living facility (≤6 residents) | 2.0 per dwelling unit (not to exceed 1 per bedroom) |
| Assisted living facility (≥7 residents) | 1.0 per dwelling unit |
| Nursing home | 1.0 per 4 beds |
| Lodging house / Fraternity or Sorority / Private dorm | 1 per bed |
Cottage Community Parking Standards
Cottage Communities are a specific development type allowed only as Planned Developments (PD) within the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district [Section 5.11.1]. These developments follow specialized parking requirements based on the square footage of the individual cottage units [Section 5.11.16].
| Unit Size (Square Feet) | Required Parking Spaces |
|---|---|
| Units up to 700 sq. ft. | 1 space per dwelling unit |
| Units 701 – 1,000 sq. ft. | 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit (rounded up) |
| Units over 1,000 sq. ft. | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
| Guest Parking | 1 space for every 4 dwelling units |
Non-Residential and Commercial Parking Ratios
While the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district is primarily intended for residential use, certain complementary commercial and institutional uses are permitted, either by-right or via a Specific Use Permit (SUP). These projects must provide off-street parking according to the following standards [Section 5.4.3].
| Non-Residential Use Type | Required Parking Spaces |
|---|---|
| Day care center | 2.5 per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA |
| Bed and breakfast inn | 1 per guest room (in addition to principal residence requirement) |
| Religious assembly | 1 space per 4 seats |
| Public or private school (Elementary/Middle) | 2 per classroom |
| Public or private school (High School) | 6 per classroom + 1 per 300 sq. ft. admin office |
| Country club | 4 per 1,000 sq. ft. GFA |
| Golf course | 4 per green |
| Community garden | 1 per 5,000 sq. ft. of lot area |
Design and Location Standards
The City of Arlington enforces strict design requirements for how parking is provided in the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district to maintain the aesthetic character of the neighborhood.
Residential Garage Requirements
For all single-family detached, townhouse, and duplex dwellings in the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district, the City of Arlington requires an enclosed two-car garage. This garage must have a minimum area of 390 square feet. This requirement does not apply to dwellings constructed prior to January 31, 1984 [Section 5.4.9].
Parking Location and Tandem Parking
In the RM-12: Residential Medium-Density 12 district, parking facilities for townhouses and duplexes may have reduced front setbacks (to 15 feet) if access is provided via a private access easement at the rear of the structure [Section 4.1.6]. Tandem parking is specifically permitted for residential townhouses that utilize a single-car garage, provided the driveway accessing that garage is at least 20 feet long as measured from the front property line [Section 5.4.9].
General Parking Calculations
When calculating the number of required spaces in the City of Arlington, any fractional result exceeding 0.5 must be rounded up to the next higher whole number [Section 5.4.4]. For multi-family or independent senior living developments (where permitted or requested as a component of a PD), both the garage parking and the tandem parking space (minimum 18 feet in length) behind the garage may be counted toward the total parking requirement [Section 5.4.9].
Sections Cited
- Section 2.2.1 Residential Districts, General Purposes
- Section 2.2.7 Residential Medium-Density | RM-12
- Section 3.1.5 Table of Allowed Uses
- Section 4.1.6 Setbacks
- Section 5.4.3 Off-Street Parking Standards
- Section 5.4.4 Computation of Parking and Loading Requirements
- Section 5.4.9 Parking Facility Location and Design
- Section 5.11.1 Cottage Community Purpose and Intent
- Section 5.11.16 Cottage Community Parking