Arlington County, VA · Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO)
C-2 is a service commercial district providing expanded commercial uses, greater density and height than C-1 (ACZO §7.17). Height 45ft, FAR 1.5 for all other uses. Found along major corridors such as Columbia Pike and Lee Highway.
Development standards in C-2
We don't hold published dimensional standards for this zone yet — see the ordinance link below for the authoritative table.
Permitted uses in C-2
AllowedRetail Sales By-right (ACZO §7.1.2)
AllowedRestaurant / Food Establishment Zonescore groups the restaurant with the wider food establishment, and the ACZO answers them on four rows that do not all agree. §7.1.2 row 'Restaurants' (p88) reads P for C-2 and row 'Food catering establishment, small-scale' (p88) reads P for C-2 -- both by right. The OUTDOOR seating is a separate, accessory question: the §7.1.3 accessory use table row 'Outdoor cafés associated with a food establishment on private property or within a public sidewalk, street and/or utilities easement' (p91) reads P/U for C-2, and row 'Outdoor cafés associated with a food establishment within privately owned public space.' (p91) reads U for C-2 -- a use permit. The restaurant is by right; its outdoor café may not be.
AllowedGrocery / Convenience Store By-right (ACZO §7.1.2)
AllowedPersonal Services Barber, dry-cleaning, tailor, etc. (ACZO §7.1.2)
AllowedAnimal Care / Veterinary Clinic By-right (ACZO §7.1.2)
AllowedResidential (Mixed-Use) Dwelling above commercial; lot area per RA8-18 (ACZO §7.17.B)
ConditionalMembership Club or Lodge Use permit (ACZO §7.1.2)
ConditionalLarge-Format Retail Use permit (ACZO §7.1.2)
ConditionalOpen-Air Market Use permit (ACZO §7.1.2)
ConditionalIndoor/Outdoor Recreation Zonescore groups indoor and outdoor recreation under one label. The ACZO does not, and its two answers differ: the §7.1.2 use table row 'All other indoor recreation' (p88) reads P for C-2 -- by right -- while row 'All other outdoor recreation' (p88) reads U for C-2, a use permit. Which of the two you are proposing decides your answer. Both are shown; neither is chosen for you.
AllowedSTR - Short-Term Rentals By-right (P) in the ACZO accessory use tables, subject to an accessory homestay permit issued by the zoning administrator (ACZO §12.9.12). The permit application requires proof that the property is the applicant's permanent residence (ACZO §12.9.12.B.2).
"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.
Standards as recorded by Zonescore: Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO), Effective June 13, 2026
Values are read from the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO). Where a district allows more density through site plan approval than by right, both are shown -- they are very different entitlement paths.