In order to implement the vision for Columbia Pike, changes to the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) and the Zoning Ordinance, and the development of new urban design guidelines are necessary. These changes will help steer a walkable, vibrant community with a mix of office residential and retail development through revitalization and new development. It is intended that traditional urban design principles will guide this redevelopment and revitalization and reverse the trend of stand alone buildings that are built with more emphasis on the car than on the pedestrian. In addition to implementing this new vision, changes to the GLUP and Zoning Ordinance will help address the current problems relating to the lack of private investment along the corridor including small lot size, narrowness of lots, and the existing requirement of on-site parking.

Recommendation 1: Adopt the Columbia Pike Initiative - A Revitalization Plan

The purpose of this plan is to establish the overall vision for the Columbia Pike Corridor and to provide a framework to guide public and private investment for the physical revitalization of the area (see The Concept Plan). The plan also contains recommendations to help implement this vision, focusing on land use and zoning, urban design, economic development and commercial revitalization, housing, historic preservation, transportation/transit/traffic/parking and public infrastructure, and open space and recreational needs. The overall goals of the plan are to:

• Develop a vibrant community with safe neighborhoods and active retail and office, as well as a variety of housing options and types, all involving a mix of renovation
• Develop an ethnically diverse and culturally rich community
• Develop a community that can be easily accessed by public transit and on foot
• Develop a community with well-designed and attractive buildings, streetscapes, public art, and open spaces that link the commercial corridor with the neighborhoods
• Develop a corridor with distinct commercial mixed-use districts.

Recommendation 2: Conduct further study to amend the General Land Use Plan in order to help implement the new Columbia Pike vision.

General Land Use Plan (GLUP)

In order to help implement the new Columbia Pike vision, existing land use patterns on the GLUP should be reevaluated. Changes to the GLUP may include the following:

• Revising the boundaries of the Columbia Pike "Special Revitalization District" and the designation of the revised area to the "Town Center Special Revitalization District" (see Map 5).
• Designating the "Village Center Special Revitalization District", "Neighborhood Center Special Revitalization District", and "Western Gateway Special Revitalization District" (see Map 5).
• Revising Note 8 to reflect the following:

• Amending the Legend to include the following changes to the description of the "Service Commercial" land use category:

• Incorporating a "General Location of Open Space" symbol on the north side of Columbia Pike between S. Edgewood Street and S. Cleveland Street; and on the north side of Columbia Pike between S. Highland Street and S. Glebe Road (See Map 5).
• Changing from "Low" Residential (1-10 units per acre) to "Service Commercial" (Personal and business services. Generally one to four stories. Maximum 1.5 FAR.), for the areas listed in Table 7 and shown on Map 7.
• Changing from "Low-Medium" Residential (16-36 units per acre) to "Service Commercial" (Personal and Business Services. Generally one to four stories. Maximum FAR 1.5.), for the areas listed in Table 7 and shown on Map 5.
• Changing from "Low-Medium" Residential (16-36 units per acre) to "Public" [Parks (local, regional, and federal0. Schools (public). Parkways, major unpaved rights-of-way. Libraries and cultural facilities.], for the areas listed in Table 7 and shown on Map 5.

Table 7 Possible General Land Use Plan Recommendations

Recommendation 3: Conduct further study to amend the "C-2" Service Commercial District in the Zoning Ordinance in order to help implement the new Columbia Pike vision.

Zoning

Changes to the "C-2" Zoning District (to include special provisions for the Columbia Pike Corridor) may include the following:

• Developing new site plan options for individual revitalization districts along Columbia Pike that may increase the allowable densities and heights in those respective areas. Development associated with these options shall be subject to general urban design guidelines outlined in an Urban Design Handbook.
• Developing new "administrative exception" options for individual revitalization districts along Columbia Pike that may increase the allowable densities and heights in those respective areas. Development associated with these options will be required to meet reasonable but specific urban design requirements outlined in an Urban Design Handbook. Projects would be received and approved administratively.
• Developing a new parking requirement ratio for the new site plan options to allow for off-site parking on public and/or private surface and/or structured parking facilities by agreement.

• In approving additional density under the new site plan options, considering preservation and retention of the historic character-defining elements of existing building(s). Also, under the "administrative exception" options, allowing for off-site parking on public and/or private surface and/or structured parking facilities if preservation and retention of historic character-defining elements of existing building(s) are incorporated.
• Developing within the "C-2" zoning district the following specific development options:

2. B. Village Center Special Revitalization District

To help understand the impacts of these possible changes with respect to density levels, Table 8 identifies the existing site area, existing commercial gross floor area, existing commercial floor-to-area ratio, potential density at 1.5 FAR, potential density at 2.0 FAR, potential density with possible plan changes, and potential density with mix of probable redevelopment sites and revitalization of existing sites.

Table 8 Existing and Potential Development

Recommendation 4: Develop an Urban Design Handbook and an administrative review process (in conjunction with changes to the "C-2" Service Commercial District) to help implement the new Columbia Pike vision.

Urban Design and Review Process

The site plan opportunities would be subject to overall urban design guidelines. Design guidelines would generally address the siting of buildings, heights, setbacks, treatment of retail, parking, signage, preservation, landscaping, and streetscape. The "administrative exception" opportunities would also be subject to the overall urban design guidelines as well as specific, block by block, urban design requirements outlined in an Urban Design Handbook. The "administrative exception" alternative would permit additional density and height when a developer builds in accordance with the Handbook standards, essentially creating a second level of development permitted "by right", upon meeting the standards. If an applicant chose the "administrative exception" alternative, there would be no variation from what is required in the Handbook. The creation of this handbook would establish a form of development and would specifically address the siting of buildings, façade treatments, massing, bulk, heights, open space, and setbacks of in-fill development, larger redevelopment, and rehabilitation projects.

As part of the "administrative exception" process, a Unified Development Team would be established to evaluate projects to determine whether they meet the requirements set forth in the Zoning Ordinance and the Urban Design Handbook. The Unified Development Team would be an Interdepartmental Team comprised of various key staff from CPHD, DED, DPW, and PRCR.

The specificity of the development requirements under the "administrative exception" option would give a heightened sense of predictability to developers and could translate into a direct financial benefit. In addition, a smooth approval process is key to facilitating the opportunity for new development and can tip the balance in our favor in the competition for tenants between Arlington and our neighboring jurisdictions. Inconsistent, confusing and a drawn out approval processes delay decisions and significantly raise the cost of new development to the point that ultimately developers will look else where. Most developers are keenly aware of how long it takes to get permits and approvals from jurisdiction to jurisdiction within the metro area and this weighs heavily in their decisions to move forward or move somewhere else. Typically, a developer will weigh the cost of a prolonged approval process against other location factors.