Arlington County, VA · Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO)
RA8-18 is a medium density apartment district permitting multifamily residential buildings at 40ft/4 stories by-right (ACZO §6.3). Common along Arlington's secondary corridors, it supports a mix of apartments and townhomes while preserving neighborhood scale.
Development standards in RA8-18
Maximum height
40 ft
Maximum stories
4
Rear setback
25 ft
Up to 8 stories / 75 ft by site plan (ACZO §6.3.D)
Read from Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO), effective through 2026-06-13.
AllowedRecovery Residence By-right, subject to §12.3.9
AllowedHome Occupation By-right, subject to §12.9.11
ConditionalIndependent / Assisted Living Site plan (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalNursing / Continuing-Care Home Site plan (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalGroup Home / Dormitory Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalChild Care / Day Care Use permit (ACZO §12.4.1)
ConditionalSchool / College Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalCommunity Center / Library Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalHospital Use permit (ACZO §12.4.2)
ConditionalMedical or Dental Office/Clinic Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalBed & Breakfast Use permit (ACZO §12.5.3)
ConditionalMembership Club or Lodge Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalBoarding / Rooming House Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2; not permitted in RA14-26)
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). Host must be the primary resident and present during the guest stay. Entire-home rentals (host absent) are not permitted.
"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?
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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.