County staff are gearing up to start public outreach on potentially tighter regulations for impermeable surfaces in Arlington’s low-density residential neighborhoods.
Arlington County currently regulates lot coverage in these neighborhoods, but incremental changes to properties — such as adding patios and walkways — can cover more and more of a parcel with surfaces that don’t absorb water. This can increase the risk of flooding and more intense heat in surrounding areas.
“Although the Zoning Ordinance regulates lot coverage, not all paved surfaces are defined as lot coverage,” a county webpage says. “With average home sizes increasing over the past few decades, many lots are reaching their maximum lot coverage limit based only on the size of the home and driveway.”
County Board members have “established a goal of adopting a maximum impervious area requirement” in Arlington’s residential areas. Before they do that, however, staff plan to host a series of outreach events, seeking to learn more about issues and trends related to this topic.
The first round of engagement events is expected to kick off early next month.
“During Phase 1, staff will hear questions from the community about the study and may seek feedback on what community members view as the important factors for evaluating options for impervious area limits,” stormwater communications manager Aileen Winquist told ARLnow.
The following events are currently scheduled.
- Virtual Q&A sessions on Sept. 5 and 19 at noon with the project leads, Winquist and Nick Rogers
- A pop-up at the Green Community Tour event on Sept. 14
- A pop-up at Westover Day on Oct. 4
Phase 2 of the public engagement is scheduled to happen next spring and summer. That’s when the county will propose options on impervious area limits, as well as minimums for “plantable areas,” Winquist said.
The final phase of the study is scheduled for fall and winter of 2026. That’s when county staff will develop proposed zoning amendments for the County Board to consider.
Overall, the project seeks to improve Arlington’s stormwater system and expand the amount of the county that is covered by trees.
“Addressing the decades-long rise in impervious area will boost Arlington’s ability to meet these critical climate resilience goals,” the county page says.
Lauren Rodriguez, a communications specialist for the Department of Environmental Services, encouraged people to keep an eye on the project page or subscribe to Planning and Building eNews and/or Stormwater Utility Updates to keep track of the study.
