The CR zone covers regional-scale retail centers serving the city and surrounding area. It is applied to a small number of large shopping center sites. Significant parking is required. Mixed-use redevelopment of CR-zoned sites is an emerging planning priority under the city's small area plans.
Development standards in CR
Maximum height
Other principal uses: At most 77 ft
4-705(B)
Not computed here: the ordinance makes it depend on facts about the site
4-705(B)
Maximum FAR
Other principal uses: At most 1
4-705(A)
Minimum lot size
The ordinance sets no figure for this case
4-706
Each row above is the ordinance’s own rule, written out in words and cited to its section. Where a figure depends on what you build (the kind of building, a conventional or cluster subdivision, an interior or corner lot, or the building’s height), each case is its own line; where it depends on the building height, the cited table says how that height is measured.
Sec. 4-705(A): the maximum permitted floor area ratio is 1.0.
Sec. 4-706(B): 77 feet by right; may be increased to not more than 150 feet with a special use permit.
Read from City of Alexandria Zoning Ordinance, effective through 2026-01-24. We last checked with the publisher on 2026-09-24 and found nothing newer -- a check on that date, not a promise about today.
How complete is this market? Across 24,956 parcels we answer 69.7% of the 6 questions this site is built to answer, each with a source you can check. The rest are shown as “not recorded” rather than filled in — we would rather be short than wrong.
Permitted uses in CR
AllowedChurch Sec. 4-702(A)
AllowedDay care center Sec. 4-702(A.1)
AllowedHealth and athletic club or fitness studio Sec. 4-702(B)
AllowedLight auto repair or drive through (freestanding building, not part of integrated complex) Sec. 4-702(C)
AllowedMotor vehicle parking or storage Sec. 4-702(D)
AllowedPersonal service establishment Sec. 4-702(E)
AllowedOutdoor dining at commercial complex Sec. 4-702(E.1)
AllowedPrivate school, commercial Sec. 4-702(E.2)
AllowedPublic school Sec. 4-702(E.3)
AllowedRecreation and entertainment use, indoor and outdoor Sec. 4-702(A.1)
AllowedRestaurant Sec. 4-702(F)
AllowedRetail shopping establishment Sec. 4-702(G)
AllowedUtilities (Sec. 7-1200) Sec. 4-702(H)
AllowedAccessory uses (Sec. 7-100) Sec. 4-702(I)
ConditionalAnimal care facility with overnight accommodation (in commercial complex) Admin approval required (Sec. 11-513); Sec. 4-702.1(A)
ConditionalOutdoor garden center Admin approval required (Sec. 11-513); Sec. 4-702.1(C)
ConditionalOutdoor market Admin approval required (Sec. 11-513); Sec. 4-702.1(D)
ConditionalOutdoor dining on private property Admin approval required (Sec. 11-513); Sec. 4-702.1(E)
ConditionalValet parking Admin approval required (Sec. 11-513); Sec. 4-702.1(F)
ConditionalAutomobile service station Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(A)
ConditionalAnimal care facility with overnight accommodation (other) Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(A.1)
ConditionalFood and beverage production exceeding 5,000 sf with retail component Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(A.2)
ConditionalBus shelter on private property Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(B)
ConditionalAny use with live entertainment Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(C)
ConditionalDrive through facility Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(E)
ConditionalHotel Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(F)
ConditionalInterstate bus station Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(G)
ConditionalLight automobile repair (other than permitted) Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(H)
ConditionalMedical care facility Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(I)
ConditionalOutdoor dining (other than permitted or admin special) Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(J)
ConditionalOutdoor market (other than admin special) Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(K)
ConditionalOutdoor garden center (other than admin special) Special Use Permit required; Sec. 4-703(L)
Not AllowedSTR - Short-Term Rentals CR zone has no residential use component; STR not applicable; Sec. 7-1403
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
Zone rules are the starting point — the answer for a specific property also depends on lot
size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.