Self-Storage and Warehousing Regulations in the City of Arlington
In the City of Arlington, self-storage facilities are permitted by-right in the Light Industrial (LI) and Industrial Manufacturing (IM) districts, while requiring a Specific Use Permit (SUP) in the Community Commercial (CC), General Commercial (GC), Downtown Business (DB), and Flex Hybrid (FH) districts. Warehousing and distribution centers are allowed by-right exclusively in the Business Park (BP), Light Industrial (LI), and Industrial Manufacturing (IM) districts. All such developments must adhere to strict screening requirements and off-street parking ratios determined by the total number of storage units or the gross floor area of the facility.
Permitted Zoning Districts
The Arlington Unified Development Code (UDC) categorizes these uses under "Wholesale Distribution and Storage." The following table outlines where these uses are allowed and the type of approval required.
| Use Type | Allowed Districts | Approval Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Storage Facility | CC, GC, DB, FH, LI, IM | SUP in CC, GC, DB, FH; By-Right in LI, IM [Section 3.1.5] |
| Distribution Center / Warehouse | BP, LI, IM | Permitted By-Right [Section 3.1.5] |
Note: An asterisk () in the UDC indicates that supplemental use standards apply to the development.*
Supplemental Standards for Self-Storage
In the City of Arlington, self-storage facilities are subject to specific design and screening regulations to maintain the aesthetic quality of the surrounding area:
- Screening of Doors: Doors into individual storage units must be screened from the view of public streets and adjacent properties. This requirement is waived if the adjacent properties are zoned Light Industrial (LI) or Industrial Manufacturing (IM) [Section 3.2.4.E.1].
- Design Compliance: All self-storage facilities must comply with the City of Arlington’s Non-Residential Design Standards [Section 3.2.4.E.1].
- Overlay Requirements: If a self-storage facility is proposed within the Entertainment District Overlay (EDO), it requires a Specific Use Permit regardless of the underlying base district [Section 5.8.1.B.1.d].
Dimensional Standards
Developments for warehousing or self-storage must comply with the dimensional requirements of their respective districts in the City of Arlington.
| District | Front Setback (Freeway / Other) | Side / Rear Setback | Setback Adjacent to Single-Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Park (BP) | 20 ft / 10 ft | 0 ft | 25 ft [Section 2.3.9] |
| Light Industrial (LI) | 20 ft / 10 ft | 0 ft | 25 ft [Section 2.3.10] |
| Industrial Manufacturing (IM) | 20 ft / 10 ft | 0 ft | 40 ft [Section 2.3.11] |
| Community Commercial (CC) | 20 ft / 10 ft | 0 ft | 20 ft [Section 2.3.5] |
| General Commercial (GC) | 20 ft / 10 ft | 0 ft | 20 ft [Section 2.3.6] |
| Flex Hybrid (FH) | 20 ft / 10 ft | 0 ft | 25 ft [Section 2.3.14] |
Off-Street Parking Requirements
The City of Arlington mandates specific parking ratios for storage and warehousing uses to prevent spillover into adjacent neighborhoods.
Self-Storage Facilities
Parking for self-storage is calculated based on the number of storage units and the administrative office space:
- Ratio: 1 parking space per 20 storage units, plus 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area (GFA) of office area [Section 5.4.3.A].
Warehousing and Distribution Centers
Warehousing uses follow "Schedule B," which provides a graduated scale based on the size of the indoor storage or assembly area [Section 5.4.3.B].
| Indoor Storage/Warehouse Floor Area | Required Number of Spaces |
|---|---|
| 1 - 3,000 square feet | 3 per 1,000 sq ft GFA |
| 3,001 - 5,000 square feet | 2 per 1,000 sq ft GFA |
| 5,001 - 10,000 square feet | 1.25 per 1,000 sq ft GFA |
| 10,001 square feet or more | 0.8 per 1,000 sq ft GFA |
Definitions
- Self-Storage Facility: A facility or area where enclosed storage space, divided into separate compartments no larger than 500 square feet, is provided for use by individuals or businesses. This use may include the retail sale of packing materials and the rental of moving equipment as incidental activities [Section 12.3.4.E.4].
- Distribution Center | Warehouse: A building or area used for the storage, wholesale, and/or distribution of manufactured products, supplies, and equipment. This definition expressly excludes the bulk storage of materials that are flammable, explosive, or create hazardous conditions defined as High Impact Uses [Section 12.3.4.E.3].
Sections Cited
- Section 2.3.5 Community Commercial | CC
- Section 2.3.6 General Commercial | GC
- Section 2.3.9 Business Park | BP
- Section 2.3.10 Light Industrial | LI
- Section 2.3.11 Industrial Manufacturing | IM
- Section 2.3.14 Flex Hybrid | FH
- Section 3.1.5 Table of Allowed Uses – Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Districts
- Section 3.2.4.E Wholesale Distribution and Storage (Supplemental Use Standards)
- Section 5.4.3 Off-Street Parking Standards
- Section 5.8.1.B Land Uses (Entertainment District Overlay)
- Section 12.3.4.E Wholesale Distribution and Storage (Definitions)