Arlington’s plan for a new way of zoning is taking shape with new recommendations to make downtown stand out.
The strategy, known as form-based code, moves away from traditional zoning that has specific restrictions for how a piece of land is used. Instead, the city creates a list of options – such as retail, office, multi-family and mixed use – that can be there. The council selected downtown as a pilot area last year.
The city can also create requirements that dictate, for instance, structure and sign aesthetics, building height, parking options and space between the street and the building.
Jayashree Narayana, the principal with consultant Livable Plans and Codes, presented updates and new proposals regarding form-based code to the city council Tuesday afternoon.
In the proposal, she recommended that the form-based code area be split into subdistricts that will be used to help determine those requirements.
Narayana said the form-based code pilot area in Downtown Arlington would be split into five subdistricts: traditional neighborhood, urban neighborhood, corridor mixed-use, downtown core and a special district for the downtown gateway.
Building frontages would be one of the more noticeable differences between subdistricts.
Regulations on frontages would dictate what the front of these structures look like – some would have wider sidewalks for more pedestrian access while others might have a small parking lot in the front with smaller sidewalks.
The frontage requirements will also determine the minimum and maximum distance between buildings and the street.
The city’s rules will also deal with how tall buildings are. In the proposed regulations Narayana presented, traditional neighborhood subdistricts would be limited to two stories. Developments in urban neighborhoods would be between three stories and five while the downtown core would allow up to 12 stories.
An overall theme or aesthetic for some of those subdistricts could be part of the form-based code, determining things like the style of a building’s facade or what signage looks like.
In the proposal for the subdistricts, Livable Plans and Codes recommended new streets in some areas. Narayana said those recommendations would mainly be offered guidance for developers looking to redevelop those properties.
New streets recommended in the proposal wouldn’t be the responsibility of the city.
The city council is expected to make final adjustments and approve form-based code for implementation by April. It’s still looking for input from stakeholders, with more meetings coming.
The planning and zoning committee is slated to hold a public hearing on form-based code on March 4, followed by votes from the city council on April 7 and April 21.
Got a tip? Email James Hartley at jhartley@kera.org. You can follow James on X @ByJamesHartley.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
