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 | Dec 17, 2015
Developers respond to demand from tenants for ‘smart’ design
A number of green prerogatives are having a beneficial impact on multifamily design and construction.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 14, 2015
Study finds increase in cost-burdened renters
Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies released its biennial rental housing report, and it found that 21.3 million renters spend 30% or more of income towards rent.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 10, 2015
Developer of Jean Nouvel-designed New York City condo complex sued
One resident says living in the curvy, glass 100 Eleventh Avenue building is like being in a wind tunnel.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 7, 2015
Are long-term apartment rentals Airbnb’s next target?
Some developers are thinking about that possibility, says one West Coast real estate consultant.
Smart Buildings | Dec 7, 2015
AIA Baltimore holds rowhouse redesign competition
Teams competed to provide the best social and environmental design solutions for the city’s existing rowhouse stock.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 19, 2015
Herzog & de Meuron designs curving NYC luxury apartments
The 160 Leroy building will have 49 luxury homes, along with a white concrete façade covered with large windows.
High-rise Construction | Nov 17, 2015
CTBUH awards '2015 Best Tall Building Worldwide' to Bosco Verticale
Designed by Italian architect Stefano Boeri, the building design was applauded for its “extraordinary implementation of vegetation at such scale and height."
Multifamily Housing | Nov 17, 2015
A new luxury high rise reflects a resurgent condo market in Miami Beach
GLASS is one of several residential buildings in the works in that city’s hot South of Fifth neighborhood.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 5, 2015
Architects propose residential tower in Singapore with gardens on every floor
Imagine a high-rise with lush greenery on every floor—that’s the design Ingehoven Architects and A61 propose for Marina One, a series of residential towers in Singapore.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 4, 2015
Labor City: The Qatari complex for 70,000 migrant workers opens
The project is just one of seven house complexes built by the government for the country’s approximately 260,000 labor migrants.
