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    Planning History and the Development of the General Land Use Plan

     

    The first community planning efforts began in Arlington County as residential and commercial development intensified following World War I.  In 1927, the Arlington County Board adopted an ordinance providing for limited control of land use by allowing plats to be recorded only upon the approval of the Directing Engineer.  A Zoning Ordinance, implemented by a Zoning Administrator, was adopted in 1930 to encourage orderly development and prevent conflicting uses on the land within the County.  In 1937, the County Board established a five-member Planning Commission which was charged with preparing and recommending a Master Plan for the physical development of the County.

    Arlington's first General Land Use Plan was adopted by the County Board on August 12, 1961 as one element of the County's Comprehensive Plan.  The General Land Use Plan may be amended through two processes:  1) as part of a long-range planning process for a designated area, or 2) as a result of an individual request for a specific change (see Reviewing the Comprehensive Plan and Amending the General Land Use Plan).  Through these two processes, the General Land Use Plan has been updated andperiodically amended to more clearly reflect the intended use for a particular area.  These amendments have been incorporated into a published document eleven times:   

    Below is a description of how the General Land Use Plan has changed since its adoption over 50 years ago:

    1960s
    The 1961 Plan used a color keyed system of 13 land use categories.  The original Plan designated several large areas requiring further study as "Undetermined Use."  Changes in the 1964 and 1966 Plans primarily involved the adoption of land use designations for those areas which were previously shown as "Undetermined Uses."

    1970s
    In the 1970's, the planning focus in Arlington shifted to the future development of the Metrorail transit corridors.  On February 21, 1973, the County Board adopted a new legend for the General Land Use Plan.  The legend expanded the number of residential categories from three to six, decreased the number of commercial and industrial categories from five to three, added the new heading of "Office-Apartment-Hotel" and significantly revised the designations for "Public" and "Semi-Public."  At the same time, the County Board amended the Plan for areas of the County outside the Rosslyn-Ballston and Jefferson Davis Metro Corridors.  After further public discussion, the County Board adopted major land use changes for the Jefferson Davis Metro Corridor (2/9/74) and the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro Corridor (12/7/74).  All of the changes adopted between 1966 and 1975 to the legend and the transit corridors were incorporated in the 1975 Plan.  The 1979 General Land Use Plan differs from the 1975 Plan in that it reflects amendments in the Rosslyn-Ballston and Jefferson Davis Metro Corridors.

    1980s
    Between 1979 and 1983, policy recommendations and land use changes were adopted for all of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor Metro Station Areas.  Several amendments to the legend, including the addition of the categories "Medium Density Mixed-Use" and "High-Medium Residential Mixed-Use," were also adopted.  These changes and others were incorporated into the 1983 Plan.  In 1986, the County Board adopted a new format for the General Land Use Plan, amending the legend and adding extensive text on planning policy, processes and special programs.  These changes were incorporated in the 1987 plan.  Between 1986 and 1990, land use changes were adopted for different areas throughout the County including the designation of the “Columbia Pike Special Revitalization District."  These changes were incorporated into the 1990 Plan.  

    1990s
    The 1996 General Land Use Plan incorporated policy recommendations and land use changes adopted by the County Board between July 1990 and June 1996, including the establishment of special districts such as the "Special Affordable Housing Protection District," the "Clarendon Revitalization District," the "Coordinated Multiple-Family Conservation and Development District," the "Lee Highway/Cherrydale Special Revitalization District," and the "North Quincy Street Coordinated Mixed-Use District."

    2000s
    The 2004 General Land Use Plan incorporated land use changes adopted by the County Board between June 30, 1996 and April 27, 2004, including the establishment of special districts such as the "Radnor Heights East Special District," additional "Special Affordable Housing Protection Districts," a "Special Coordinated Mixed-Use District" for the East End area of Virginia Square, an expanded "Columbia Pike Special Revitalization District," and a "North Tract Special Planning District."   The 2004 General Land Use Plan was presented in a new booklet format with an attached Map.  Additional updates to the General Land Use Plan occurred with the County Board adoption of the “Fort Myer Heights North District” in 2005 (with revisions in 2008) and amendments to the “Clarendon Revitalization District” in 2006.  In 2007, a web version of the GLUP was developed and updated on a quarterly basis.  In 2008, The County Board adopted the “Policy for Consideration of General Land Use Plan Amendments Unanticipated by Previous Planning Efforts.”

    2010s
    The 2011 General Land Use Plan incorporates land use changes adopted by the County Board between April 27, 2004 and December 10, 2011, including the establishment of the “Crystal City Coordinated Redevelopment District” in 2010 and the “East Falls Church Neighborhood Center District” in 2011.  The web version continues to incorporate updates on a quarterly basis.

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    Last Modified: January 26, 2012
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