Planning and Zoning Committee

COMMITTEE CHARGE

It shall be the duty of this committee to study, report, and make recommendations to the Federation on all applications for rezoning, site plans, and variances (as appropriate) in Arlington County. The committee shall also study, report, and make recommendations to the Federation on all changes to the zoning ordinances and land use plans so that appropriate and timely action may be taken by the Federation. It shall further study, report, and make recommendations to the Federation on all matters pertaining to long-range community planning and development, including current programs and new projects. The committee shall serve as liaison for the Federation with official bodies locally and in the surrounding jurisdictions. Because Planning and Zoning policy is closely tied with housing policy, it is expected to work closely with the Housing Committee.

CHAIR

Brian Harner, Co-Chair • email Brian

SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS

Jane Siegel, Comprehensive Plan – Vision and Guiding Principles • email Jane
Bill Richardson, Lot Coverage, Height, and Setbacks • email Bill
Jack Spilsbury, General Land Use Plan [GLUP] Review • email Jack

Next Meeting

• GENERAL LAND USE PLAN [GLUP] AND SITE PLAN SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: Thursday 24 April 2025, 7p. Developing a recommendation on improvements to Arlington’s planning and development process. Register via Zoom here.

Meeting Videos and Presentations

• GLUP Subcommitte Meeting; 5 Febr 2025 ‘Special GLUP, Zoning and Site Plan Experiences’
  • Video [1h 34m 38s].
• Presentations at 12 Nov 2024 General Membership Meeting
  • Comprehensive Plan and General Land Use Plan [GLUP] Principles and Context, Nick Giacobbe Presentation [PDF, 586 KiB]
  • CPHD 2024 Work Plan Highlights, Jackie Snelling Presentation [PDF, 2,4 MiB]
  • Framework for Comprehensive Plan and General Land Use Plan [GLUP] Review, Brian Harner Presentation [PDF, 26,9 MiB]
  • Enhanced Housing Options [EHO] aka ‘Missing Middle’, Bill Fogerty Presentation [PDF, 96 KiB]
  • Enhanced Housing Options [EHO] aka ‘Missing Middle’, Jon Ware Presentation [PDF, 4,1 MiB]
  • Lot Coverage, Bill Richardson Presentation [PDF, 134 KiB]
  • Site Plan Lessons Learned: VHC, Michael Bruce Presentation [PDF, 129 KiB]
  • Site Plan Lessons Learned: Melwood, Stacey Meyer Presentation [PDF, 962 KiB]
  • Site Plan Lessons Learned: Clarendon Presbyterian Church, Jason Harrier Presentation [PDF, 1,2 MiB]
• Meeting; 16 Sept 2024
  • Video [1h 38m 50s].
• Meeting; 27 Jun 2024 ‘Re-Planning Rosslyn’
  • Video [1h 24m 35s].
• Meeting; 23 May 2024 ‘Scoping Subcommittees’
  • Video [2h 06m 52s].
• Meeting; 24 Apr 2024 ‘Planning for Growth, Part Deux: Housing Density, Lot Coverage, Environment and Urban Design’
  • Video [1h 50m 23s].
  • Presentation [49,5 MiB].
• Meeting; 20 Mar 2024 ‘Planning for Growth: From GLUP to Lot Coverage’
  • Video [1h 20m 46s].
  • Presentation [71,1 MiB].
• Meeting; 20 Febr 2024 Video [1h 25m 48s].

Documents

• [Apr 2025] DRAFT Resolution to Improve Planning and Zoning Policy and Processes [PDF, 217 KiB].
• BACKGROUND, ACCF President’s letter to the Arlington County Board regarding the Melwood Special Site Application in light of ACCF’s GLUP Resolution of June 2022 and the ‘Public Confidence’ Resolution of March 2023. [PDF, 79 KiB, 26 Jan 2025].
• BACKGROUND, ACCF President’s letter to the Arlington County Board regarding Green Valley GLUP and the Hotel Pentagon Site. [PDF, 114 KiB, 3 Apr 2025].

• [Apr 2019] 1101 Lee Highway Resolution [PDF, 57 KiB].

• Background on County Short-Term Rentals Ordinance [Nov 2016]
  • ‘AirBnB’ Survey [PDF, 255 KiB]
  • Proposed Regulations [PDF, 604 KiB]

• Lee Highway Visioning Update [PDF, 1,4 MiB] [Jun 2016].
• Open Air Markets Presentation [PDF, 3,0 MiB] [May 2016].
• Presentation at ACCF Meeting [PDF, 481 KiB]. [May 2015]

• Background on County Sign Ordinance Revision [Nov 2011]
  • Planning and Zoning November 1 Program Outline
  • County Staff Presentation on Sign Ordinance
  • May 3, 2011 Civic Federation Review Sign Ordinance Elements
  • Comprehensive Plan – Planning and Zoning Watch List
  • Planning and Zoning Questions for County Staff
  • Resolution Adopted 31-3
• Background on Sign Ordinance Revision [May 2011]
  • Discussion framework
  • Presentation by Deborah Albert explaining the process for revising the Sign Ordinance
  • Sign-related issues presented as a series of straw votes — with vote totals
  • Sign ordinance background and source material
• Changes to parking on narrow streets and background to the withdrawn resolution (see February 1 minutes) on community benefit.
• Background on current topic: Accessory Dwelling Units [2008]
  • Letter asking the County to defer a vote on lot definitions
  • Planning and Zoning Committee on Lot Restrictions
  • Letter to the County Board on Rezoning 1101 Lee Highway
  • Resolution on proposed zoning changes, April 2005
  • Presentations, handouts, and survey results from the 4/23 Civic Federation Public Forum on Lot Coverage from Martha Moore’s server, including a summary in the English language of Arlington’s zoning rules and this note adding some details to that document. The summary won a Thumbs Up from the Arlington Sun Gazette. It is an exceptional piece of work and the first ever attempt to make our zoning regulations understandable.
  • Here is the Federation’s resolution on lot coverage.
  • The County has a database to check the status of your own property or others under the proposed zoning ordinance changes.

Annual Reports:

• 2023