Arlington County, a Washington, D.C., community that took shape in the 1950s, when single-family homes were the rule in suburbia, recently became one of the first locations on the East Coast to eliminate single-family-only zoning.
Lots in the 26-square-mile county that previously were limited to one home will now allow densities of two to six units. The actual number of units permitted on each site will be determined by the size of the lot, with lots larger than 6,000 sf permitted to have five or six units.
The new zoning rules will be phased in beginning on July 1. Arlington will allow 58 permits per year for multi-unit conversion on lots that were previously restricted to single-family construction until 2028. At that point, there will be no limits on new multifamily projects.
Multifamily buildings on formerly single-family lots still must conform to the limits on height, lot coverage, floor plans, and setbacks that were applied to single-family homes. The zoning change is the fruit of a report, the Missing Middle Housing Study, conducted by the county to assess the need for multifamily development.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jan 29, 2019
Here's what $41M will buy you in the OMA-designed Avery tower in SF
A glass-enclosed, full-floor, 8,482-sf penthouse will sit more than 600 feet above San Francisco's Transbay District.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 28, 2019
Luxury townhomes rise on the site of a former office park in Irvine, Calif.
KTGY Architecture + Planning designed the project.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 25, 2019
The country's most expensive home sells for $238 million
The unit comprises four stories at 220 Central Park South in Manhattan.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 22, 2019
Caoba is the first tower to open at Miami Worldcenter
Caoba was co-developed by CIM Group and Falcone Group.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 16, 2019
Micro-units: Good for the city? Good for citizens?
Thinking more holistically about housing typologies and zoning will improve our public realm.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 7, 2019
364-unit multifamily development planned near Lake Lewisville in Texas
BGO Architects is designing the project.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 18, 2018
Redesigning the intergenerational village: Innovative solutions for communities and homes of the future
Social sustainability has become a central concern in terms of its effect that spans generations.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 11, 2018
62-story luxury rental tower provides 40,000 sf of indoor and outdoor amenities in Manhattan
CetraRuddy designed the building.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 6, 2018
JCJ Architecture to design new housing facility for Barrier Free Living
The non-profit’s new facility will provide housing and support services for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities.
