Pentagon City Planning Study
On July 23, 2024, the County Board approved the Pentagon City Sector Plan(PDF, 29MB) update and related items.
With the commitment of Amazon to develop its east coast headquarters in Arlington County, the 1976 Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan (PDSP) is anticipated to approach full build out. Future growth will require additional development potential to be allocated by the County Board to enable redevelopment and/or major improvements. Starting in the fall of 2020, Arlington County led an 18-month strategic community planning process for Pentagon City to reevaluate long-term goals for this important area with an emphasis on its transportation network. Informed by the community's work on livability, the Planning Study included broad participation from residents, businesses, community groups, and stakeholders. On February 12, 2022, the Arlington County Board voted 5-0 to approve the Pentagon City Sector Plan (PCSP) and its associated Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance amendments. After that approval, in May 2024, the Virginia Court of Appeals held that, while the actions of the County Board in February of 2022 were substantively proper, the public notice pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-2204 was insufficient under the prevailing statute at the time which rendered the Pentagon City Sector Plan and related policy and regulatory elements void ab initio. To remedy this procedural defect, the County Board re-adopted an unchanged version of the Pentagon City Sector Plan and related policies and regulations on July 23, 2024.
Process, Study Area and Timeline
Documents
View Pentagon City Planning Study documents.
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Background
The purpose of the planning study is to develop a comprehensive vision and policy framework for the future of the Pentagon City Study Area through County Board adoption of a County Plan. Historical development patterns combined with the recent announcement by Amazon to locate their eastern headquarters in Arlington County requires a thoughtful assessment of Pentagon City’s desired character and the ability of its transportation network to sustain further growth.
For over four decades, the Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan (PDSP) has successfully guided growth in the area, resulting in a diverse mix of residential uses, hotels, offices, and retail. Building upon this commitment to planned development around a Metro station, recent events have placed a greater focus on ensuring this approach continues into the future. The planning study will be supported by a significant transportation analysis in a coordinated effort to comprehensively study future growth in the Pentagon City area.