City’s Department of Planning and Zoning Releases Recommendations to Address Housing Crisis

Page updated on September 5, 2023 at 9:36 PM
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Alexandria, Va.- On Tuesday, September 5, City of Alexandria’s Department of Planning and Zoning presented to City Council and the community a comprehensive proposal to address the affordable housing crisis Alexandria is experiencing.  

The Zoning for Housing/Housing for All initiative has two main objectives: Zoning for Housing is to expand housing production of market-rate and affordable housing through proposed zoning reforms; Housing for All is the equity lens through which past discriminatory policies or practices that created barriers to housing are researched.  

At its 2019 launch, Zoning for Housing/Housing for All had 12 initiatives. Prior to 2023, the City Council adopted three of those reforms, with community input, including text amendments related to accessory dwelling units, co-living and auxiliary dwellings units. The nine remaining reforms are included in the comprehensive package of Zoning for Housing/Housing for All. 

The anticipated outcomes of this proposal are increased accessibility, affordability and availability for housing across the city of Alexandria.   

Recommendations are listed below.  

  1. Bonus Height Text Amendment  

What we explored: Allowing additional density and height in exchange for affordable housing is one of Alexandria’s major affordable housing tools. This initiative explored allowing bonus height (up to 25 feet) in neighborhoods with lower height limits (45-50 feet). 

What we found: Bonus height is not a valuable tool for redevelopment of Alexandria parcels with height limits between 45 and 50 feet because other provisions of the zoning ordinance (limits on overall square footage, requirements for setbacks and open space, etc.) would nearly always prevent a developer from using it. 

Recommendation: Do not pursue this initiative. 

 

  1. Historic Development Patterns 

Recommendations: 

  • Remove dwelling units per acre limitations in multifamily zones to allow smaller unit sizes within the same development envelope. This will allow the option of smaller, and therefore less expensive units to be built and could increase unit production by an estimated 1.5 to 2.5 units in some projects. 

  • Remove requirements for additional setbacks when commercial buildings are proposed on land adjacent to residentially zoned parcels; and 

  • Implement the Zoning for Housing townhouse zone recommendations. 

 

  1. Residential Multi-family (RMF) Zone Analysis 

Recommendations: 

  • Amend the Housing Master Plan to set a policy supporting RMF re-zonings in areas planned for medium to high densities. 

  • Amend the RMF zone to expand the uses permitted by right on the ground floor of RMF buildings, consistent with other zones. 

 

  1. Industrial Zone Analysis 

Recommendation: 

  • Require new industrial buildings to meet some of the same requirements as mixed-use buildings to be compatible with the future residential, pedestrian-scale development. 

 

  1. Coordinated Development Districts (CDDs) and Affordable Housing 

Recommendation: 

  • When the City approves density above that provided by small area plan through a CDD, one-third of that additional density should be committed affordable units. This policy would also clarify that the City’s affordable housing bonus density program applies to CDDs. 

 

  1. Expansion of Transit Oriented Development 

Specific challenges of transit-oriented development: 

  • Land is more costly (+/- 25 percent higher than other comparable areas). 

  • Higher-density construction types (steel and/or concrete) are also more costly 

  • Urban blocks are more constrained and more challenging to develop. 

  • While bonus density and/or height are an option, there are often some market limitations.  

  • Parking (underground or structured) can be a limit to additional units both because of cost and space limitations.  

  • The planned priority transit corridors in Alexandria West and the Duke Street corridor present an opportunity to add more market rate and affordable housing. 

  1. Office to Residential Conversions 

Recommendation:  

  • Continue to support conversions of older, obsolete buildings. Prioritize for retention office buildings that are competitive or where City policies or plans call for non-residential development in that area. Establish a City Council policy, possibly memorialized in the Housing Master Plan, affirming that conversions should use Section 7-700 to increase the residential density on the site, in exchange for affordable housing. 

  1. Townhouse Zoning Analysis 

Recommendations:  

  • Establish lot requirements based on location and similarity of lot size/pattern/configuration instead of housing type. (Apply RM townhouse standards to all properties in Old Town where townhouses are permitted, including when reviewing single and two-unit dwellings on narrow lots). 

  • Establish contextual front setback requirements for townhouse zones and for residential development in commercial zones citywide. 

  • Eliminate side yard setback requirements for lots 25 feet in width or less 

  • Establish 35 percent open space requirement across all townhouse zones and for residential uses in commercial zones 

  • Apply the same parking approach that is recommended in the single-family zoning recommendation (Eliminate off-street parking requirements for single-unit, two-unit or townhouse dwellings within the Enhanced Transit District and require one space per dwelling unit for dwellings outside the Enhanced Transit District). 

  1. Expanding Housing Options in Single Family Zones 

Recommendations:  

Staff developed two options for the number of housing units to be permitted in single family zones (Option 2 is recommended): 

  • Option 1: 

Add the opportunity to construct two-unit dwellings in the R20, R12, R8, and R5 zones and three to four multi-unit dwellings in R2 R2-5 zone. An estimated 66 new residential buildings would be developed over a 10-year period containing an estimated 150 units. 

OR 

  • Option 2: 

Add the opportunity to construct two-unit and three to four four-unit dwellings in the R20, R12, R8, R5, and R2 R2-5 zones. An estimated 66 new residential buildings would be developed over a 10-year period containing an estimated 178 units. 

Staff has developed two options for parking requirements for single family zones (Option 3 is recommended): 

  • Option 3: 

  • No minimum parking requirements for dwelling units within the enhanced transit area.  

  • Minimum 0.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit beyond the enhanced transit area. 

OR

  • Option 4: 

  • Minimum 0.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit within the enhanced transit area.  

  • Minimum 1.0 parking spaces per dwelling unit beyond the enhanced transit area. 

 

Read the full comprehensive package for Zoning for Housing/Housing for All here. 

 

See the full list of upcoming engagement opportunities and information sessions below. 

  • September 14: Community meeting, Location coming soon. 

  • September 23: City Council Public Hearing, City Hall (opportunity to comment) 

  • September 24: City Council Town Hall (opportunity to comment) Location coming soon. 

  • October 5: Community meeting, Location coming soon. 

  • October 12: Community meeting, Location coming soon. 

  • October 14: City Council Public Hearing, City Hall (opportunity to comment) 

  • October 21: City Council Town Hall (opportunity to comment) Location coming soon. 

  • November 1: Planning Commission Public Hearing on Zoning for Housing, City Hall (opportunity to comment) 

  • November 14: City Council Public Hearing on Zoning for Housing, City Hall 

  • November 18: City Council Public Hearing on Zoning for Housing continued, City Hall 

  • November 28: City Council Meeting, City Hall (scheduled vote on Zoning for Housing reforms) 

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