zoneoptics
Alexandria, Virginia · General provision

Article III, Sections 3-701 to 3-706

Multi FamilyAll Alexandria districts0

Dimensional standards

lot requirementsSTREETbuildable areaFront 20 ftRear 8 ftSide 8 ftMin width 50 ftMIN FRONTAGE50 ftMAX HEIGHT45 ftMAX FAR0.75MAX DENSITY22 du/acMIN OPEN SPACE35%
Plan view of the district’s stated lot requirements. Solid line: the property line. Dashed: the setback lines the ordinance imposes; a building must stay inside the tinted envelope. Drawn from the figures extracted below — illustrative, not a survey.

Lot

Minimum lot widthLot widthHow wide a lot must be, usually measured at the front setback line.
50 ft
Minimum frontageFrontageThe length of a lot line that touches a public street.
50 ft

Density

Maximum density
22 du/acredu/acreDwelling units per acre — the number of homes allowed on each acre of land.
Lot area per dwelling unitLot area per dwelling unitLand required for each home — the same limit as du/acre, expressed per unit instead of per acre.
1,980 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.

SetbacksSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.

FrontSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
20 ft
RearSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
8 ft
SideSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line.
8 ft

Height & bulk

Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.
45 ft
Maximum floor area ratioFloor area ratio (FAR)Total floor area divided by lot area — an FAR of 2.0 permits 20,000 sq ft of floor on a 10,000 sq ft lot.
0.75
Minimum open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.
35%

Servicing

Applies near
Old and HistoricHistoric districtAn area where exterior changes need design review to protect its character. Alexandria and Parker-Gray Districts
Geographic extent
Within the Old and HistoricHistoric districtAn area where exterior changes need design review to protect its character. Alexandria and Parker-Gray Districts, density may not exceed 30 du/acredu/acreDwelling units per acre — the number of homes allowed on each acre of land., FARFloor area ratio (FAR)Total floor area divided by lot area — an FAR of 2.0 permits 20,000 sq ft of floor on a 10,000 sq ft lot. may not exceed 1.50, and front building line shall be the same as the front lot line or such other line consistent with the character of the districtZoning districtA mapped area with one set of rules, identified by a code like R-1 or B-2. that the board of architectural review approves.

Uses

Permitted by right10

Conditional / special use10

Prohibited1

From the ordinance

The RB zone is established to provide and maintain land areas for medium density residential neighborhoods in which single-unit, two-unit, and townhouse dwellings are permitted.
Article III, Sections 3-701 to 3-706