Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative

Removing regulatory barriers to achieve market solutions.

The Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative is a strategy to modernize Arlington’s regulations, practices, and processes to ensure a more nimble response to economic shifts. By removing regulatory barriers and constraints, the County seeks to enable market-based solutions to address the commercial building supply, specifically repositioning and converting obsolete inventory.

Since 2022, the County has established new and shifting uses for commercial spaces to increase opportunities for businesses. See the chart below for details.

The second phase of this initiative, known as CMRI 2.0, will focus on five strategic areas: office conversion, repositioning, redevelopment, tenant support, and placemaking. The County has identified specific workstreams for staff, so they can act quickly to address all strategic areas simultaneously. The County will engage with the community as appropriate for each area to solicit input and feedback on how we are approaching this important issue. 

Frequently Asked Questions

CMRI 2.0

More information to be posted as available. Check back for updates.

CMRI 1.0

In 2022, an interdepartmental Rapid Response Team was established to work on several Zoning Ordinance amendments to accommodate new, emerging or expanded uses within Arlington’s commercial and mixed-use districts. More information about the new uses and Board actions is below. A more in-depth overview of thefirst phase can be found in Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative – Planning & Zoning Strategies for New Land Uses(PDF, 248KB).

New or Expanded Use

Proposed Changes to ACZO

Micro-fulfillment Centers

Permit micro-fulfillment centers within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right with use standards.

Universities/colleges in commercial and mixed-use buildings

Place universities/colleges within the Retail, Service and Commercial Use category (as office) so as to be considered by-right without a use permit or site plan amendment.

Animal Boarding

Permit animal boarding within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right with use standards.

Artisan Beverage Facilities* (Breweries & Distilleries)

Permit artisan beverage facilities within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right with use standards.

Artisan Workshop Facilities* (Maker Spaces)

Permit artisan workshop facilities within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right with use standards.

Hydroponics, horticulture, floriculture, and/or aquaculture* (Urban Agriculture)

Permit “urban agriculture” within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right with use standards.

Entertainment, arcades, all other indoor recreation uses, recreation, indoor

Permit evolving restaurant concepts that blend food and beverage with indoor recreation, as well as retail and service concepts such as gaming centers within commercial and mixed-use districts.

Audio-visual production studio, broadcasting facilities

Permit audio-visual production studio and broadcasting facilities within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right.

Flex/R&D Spaces, including Light Industrial Service/Medical/Dental Laboratories

Define use, develop use standards, if appropriate, and permit within certain commercial and mixed-use districts as a by-right use.

Food Delivery Services  

Change food delivery services as an accessory to restaurants and other establishments from a use permit to by-right.

Food Establishments, such as but not limited to Shared Commercial Kitchens, Catering Establishments, Ghost Kitchens

Permit alternative food establishments, such as shared commercial kitchens and ghost kitchens, within commercial and mixed-use districts as by-right. Read the memo(PDF, 374KB) (March 2023)


 

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