May 2025 Arlington County Board Wrap-up

The Arlington County Board considered and acted on dozens of items at its May 2025 Regular and Recessed County Board Meetings. These include the following:

Saturday, May 10, 2025 – Regular County Board Meeting  

Items 43 A&B – Clarendon Square Items  

The Arlington County Board adopted several items related to the Clarendon Square Site Plan (SP #479) located at 3033 Wilson Blvd. to facilitate the redevelopment of an office building to a new eight (8) story multi-family residential building with up to 309 units and ground floor commercial space.  

These items include the following (Item 43A):  

A General Land Use Plan (GLUP) amendment to alter the boundary of the “Clarendon Revitalization District” and from “Low” Residential to “Medium Density Mixed-Use” GLUP designations for the property to coincide with the site’s existing “C-3” zoning district designation;  

A text amendment to the Clarendon Revitalization District regulations in the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO) (Section 9.2) to permit a maximum building height of 85 feet (as opposed to 75 feet); to reduce maximum height from 75 feet to 65 feet for the northeast corner of the site, and to remove required step-backs on Wilson Boulevard and North Highland Street for the property. 

A Rezoning of a portion of the site from “R-5” to “C-3” to consolidate the entire site’s zoning district designation as “C-3”; and related update to ACZO Map 13-1 to amend Line A to encompass a portion of the property located at 1418 N. Garfield Street, and  

A new site plan for a new eight (8) story multifamily residential building with up to 309 dwelling units and approximately 6,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space that will be built on top of a below grade parking structure that will be retained following demolition of the existing office building on the site.  

To further facilitate this redevelopment, the Board also approved the vacation of two easements (Item 43B) for (i) public street and utilities purposes and (ii) public sidewalk and utilities purposes, respectively.  

The adoption of Items 43A&B advances the goals and intent of adopted County plans and policies, including the Clarendon Sector Plan (2006 and 2022 Updates) and the Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative, and particularly the CMRI’s County Board Policy on the Transformation of Commercial Office Buildings in Arlington. This redevelopment will replace a nearly vacant, outdated office building with new housing units next to a Metro Station, while providing significant environmental benefits from the reuse of the existing underground parking garage, building footings, and building core. 

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 – Recessed County Board Meeting  

Item 44 – Use Permit and Site Plan Amendment Reviews for Clarendon Establishments 

The Board also took several actions related to a two-year review of use permits and site plan amendments for live entertainment, dancing, and outdoor seating for establishments within the Clarendon Live Entertainment Group (CLEG).  

The approval of Item 44 allows live entertainment (with dancing and outdoor seating where applicable) for two use permits (Report Agenda Items 1 & 2); renews 17 use permits for live entertainment (with dancing, outdoor seating, and/or kiosk where applicable); and discontinues two use permits (Report Agenda Items 16 & 19). A table of the establishments in the CLEG, their Use Permit Descriptions, and associated Report Agenda Item numbers can be found on Page 6 of the Board report.  

In response to concerns raised by neighbors and residents, the Board also voted to direct staff to do a review for compliance in several identified areas of Use Permits A, H, K, and N, with a County Board review in 9 months.  

The CLEG currently consists of 18 active live entertainment establishments within the Clarendon neighborhood. The CLEG meets twice a year, which includes members of County staff and community members, to discuss concerns and find solutions to issues related to the concentration of live entertainment and dancing uses within the Clarendon neighborhood. In fall 2024, the County Board authorized the County Manager to allocate additional funds to the Fire Marshal’s Office and Code Enforcement for more nighttime enforcement activities during the hours of live entertainment, which is an ongoing effort that should have a meaningful impact on public safety in Clarendon in relation to CLEG operations. 

Registering to Speak at Future Public Hearings
Registration to speak on an item with a scheduled public hearing opens approximately a week before the meeting, and members of the public can either register online or call in at 703-228-3130. Those wanting to participate in these hearings can do so in person, virtually, or by phone and will receive instructions on these options once they have completed their registration. Members of the public wanting to speak on a Consent Agenda item may do so by notifying the County Board Office before 10 AM at Regular Meetings to request the item be pulled from the agenda. Members of the public may then register to speak on pulled agenda items at the upcoming Tuesday Recessed meeting. Agendas will note which consent agenda items are subject to public hearing requirements and which require Board member consent to be removed.  

Members of the public are also strongly encouraged to subscribe to the County Board's News and Updates service to be alerted when meeting agendas are posted. Board meeting and agenda information can be accessed on the County Board's webpage.  

Visit 2025 County Board Meeting and Procedures on the County website to Learn More.  

Media Contact

David Barrera
Comms & Policy Manager
Arlington County Board
703-228-3121
dbarrera@arlingtonva.us

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