In response to a rapidly evolving post-COVID-19 commercial real estate market, Arlington County, Virginia, recently launched its “Commercial Resiliency Strategy.” The strategy follows up on the office-to-residential conversion administrative guidance Arlington County staff released in December 2020.
The Commercial Resiliency Strategy envisions modernizing land-use regulations to accommodate new and emerging uses not directly addressed in Arlington County’s zoning ordinance. These uses include but are not limited to new ground-floor uses, new upper-story uses, and more broadly allowing uses currently allowed in only a few zoning districts. The strategy also seeks to develop a more streamlined approval process and limit items requiring Arlington County Board review to those with greatest potential impact.
In the short term, the Commercial Resiliency Strategy contemplates potentially developing land-use regulations for the following uses:
- Micro-fulfillment centers
- Education/university
- Urban agriculture
- Distilleries and breweries
- Edge data centers
- Flex research and development lab spaces
- Maker spaces
- Animal boarding
- Food delivery
On July 16, 2022, the Arlington County Board approved a request to authorize advertisement of public hearings to consider zoning ordinance amendments for micro-fulfillment centers with Arlington County Board approval expected in October. The county frames the micro-fulfillment center zoning ordinance amendments as a pilot program and template for future efforts made under the Commercial Resiliency Strategy.
