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    Housing Development - Land Use and Zoning Tools

     


    The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance provides public review processes in certain zoning districts for special exceptions by site plan or use permit that allow for greater flexibility in use, density and form of development.  Some affordable housing tools are also available as part of these special exceptions.

       
        On this Page:


    Affordable Housing Ordinance
    In December of 2005, the Arlington County Board approved amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance that are used in the approval process of site plan projects to increase the supply of affordable housing and to streamline the approval process. The developer chooses whether to provide a cash contribution or to provide units using a percent of the increased gross floor area (GFA) above 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR).  For on-site units, the requirement is 5% of the GFA; for off-site units nearby, 7.5%; for off-site units elsewhere in the county, 10%. Cash contribution rates in 2011 are: $1.73/sq. ft. of GFA for first 1.0 FAR; $4.62/sq. ft. from 1.0 to 3.0 FAR for residential; $9.25/sq. ft. of GFA above 3.0 for residential; and $4.62/sq. ft. above 1.0 FAR in commercial. Cash contribution amounts are indexed to the Consumer Price Index for Housing in the Washington-Baltimore MSA.  Section 36.H.6 of the Zoning Ordinance (page 6 of the linked document) outlines all of the requirements. Learn more about the background of the requirements and view an example of a mixed-use project applying the requirements.



    The Special Affordable Housing Protection District (SAHPD)
    The Special Affordable Housing Protection District (SAHPD) is a special land use overlay which identifies existing affordable housing sites in the Metro Corridors which are planned for site plan projects of 3.24 FAR or higher. Existing affordable housing units are to be replaced on a 1-for-1 basis. This has been interpreted as replacing the number of bedrooms or the GFA on a 1-for-1 basis.



    Bonus Density and Height
    The County's 25% density and 6-story height bonus, added to the Zoning Ordinance in 2001 for site plan projects, permit both market-rate and affordable units, with the income from the market-rate units designed to offset the cost of the affordable units. View Zoning Ordinance Section 36.H.7., which is on page 8 of the linked document.



    Transfer of Development Rights
    The Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program allows a site to send density and other development rights for the purposes of the preservation or facilitation of affordable housing, open space, historic preservation, community facilities, or community recreation. Through site plan approval, the TDRs can be transferred to another location where density is deemed more appropriate by the County Board. View Zoning Ordinance Section 36.H.5.b., which is on page 6 of the linked document.



    Bonus Density in Nauck Village Center (FAR)
    The Nauck Village Center Action Plan includes a provision, as an incentive for the creation of affordable housing, for an increase in FAR from a maximum density of 1.5 to 2.0. This use permit option is limited to projects on designated residential sites where the developer agrees to provide at least 10% of the units as Committed Affordable Units.  View Zoning Ordinance Section 31.A.17.c. (12), which is on page 13 of the linked document.



    Bonus Density in Clarendon Revitalization District
    In April 2009 the County Board approved a new Unified Commercial Mixed-Use Development Special Exception Use Permit option for “Service Commercial” properties on the edges of Clarendon.  These properties could obtain up to 1.5 FAR in bonus density by providing affordable housing equal to 10% of the bonus density if that amount is more than 4,000 square feet in GFA.  In some situations, a cash contribution of $15 per square foot of the bonus density could be made instead.  View Zoning Ordinance Section 31.A.17.d. (12)(a), which is on page 16 of the linked document.

    For more information about these programs, contact David Cristeal at 703.228.3760.


    Last Modified: December 28, 2011
    2100 Clarendon Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 Tel: 703-228-3000 TTY: 703-228-4611