Setback Requirements for the IM Industrial Manufacturing District in Arlington

In the City of Arlington’s IM: Industrial Manufacturing district, street frontage setbacks are required at 10 feet for standard roads or 20 feet when adjacent to a freeway or frontage road. While interior side and rear setbacks are generally not required (0 feet), the City of Arlington mandates a significant 40-foot setback for any IM: Industrial Manufacturing property line that is adjacent to a single-family residential use or district.

Setback Standards for the IM District

The City of Arlington establishes specific dimensional standards for the IM: Industrial Manufacturing district to ensure heavy industrial uses are appropriately separated from the public right-of-way and sensitive residential areas [Section 2.3.11].

The following table outlines the minimum setback requirements for all primary structures within the IM: Industrial Manufacturing district:

Boundary Location	Minimum Setback Requirement
Street Frontage (Freeway or Frontage Road)	20 feet
Street Frontage (All Other Streets)	10 feet
Interior Side and/or Rear	0 feet
Adjacent to Single Family (Side and/or Rear)	40 feet

[Section 2.3.11]

Definitions and Measurements

To accurately apply these standards within the City of Arlington, developers must follow the specific measurement rules defined in the Unified Development Code [Section 4.1.6]:

Street Frontage Setbacks

A street frontage setback is defined as the area extending along any front, side, or rear lot line that is adjacent to a street, private access easement, or alley. Within the IM: Industrial Manufacturing district, these are measured from the right-of-way line as shown on the City of Arlington's Thoroughfare Development Plan for arterial and collector streets [Section 4.1.6].

Interior Setbacks

Side Interior Building Setback: This applies to the area extending along a side lot line that is not adjacent to a street, private access easement, or alley.
Rear Building Setback: This applies to the area extending across the rear lot line that is not adjacent to a street, private access easement, or alley.

In the IM: Industrial Manufacturing district, these interior setbacks may be reduced to zero unless the property abuts a single-family residential zone [Section 2.3.11].

Prohibited Uses of Setback Areas

The City of Arlington prohibits most structures and activities within these designated areas. Setbacks must remain unoccupied and unobstructed from 30 inches above the grade upward [Section 4.1.6]. However, the City of Arlington does allow certain features within these areas, such as:

Fences (subject to height and visibility requirements).
Landscaping that meets or exceeds City of Arlington requirements.
Sidewalks and driveways.

Additionally, in the IM: Industrial Manufacturing district, loading areas, outside storage, and outside display areas are expressly prohibited from encroaching into any required perimeter landscape setback [Section 5.2.2].

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