The Arlington County Board this weekend approved a framework for development in Clarendon over the next 15 to 20 years.
The plan includes recommendations for mixed-used development and sets limits for building heights.
“This brings us an important step closer to fulfilling the vision of Clarendon as a walkable, livable urban community,” Chris Zimmerman, Arlington County Board chairman, said Saturday morning. “This was a very challenging process for everyone involved. It’s not over yet, but we clearly have turned a major corner.”
Arlington’s strategic development vision is to concentrate development of businesses, office space and high-density residences in areas in a 1/4-mile radius around Metro stations. Areas outside of this radius would contain more traditional suburban neighborhoods.
Clarendon is one of five Metro stations — Ballston, Virginia Square, Courthouse and Rosslyn are the other four — along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor in Arlington. Development around these stations has been heavy in recent years, with the construction of new high-rise condominiums and retail spaces.
The board only adopted Part 1 of the plan, which does not include recommendations for how to improve transportation as the region’s population grows. Part 2 of the sector plan will address these concerns, according to the county manager’s May 2006 report recommending adoption of the plan.
Under the Clarendon Sector Plan, the tallest buildings must be near Metro stations and structures must taper off in height from there. The height of the building is dependent on its density.
The plan also includes preservation measures that protect historic buildings near new developments. Any new development that includes the preservation of a historic building must incorporate the historic character of the preserved building.
