Alexandria Draft ‘Zoning for Housing’ Plan Would End Single-Family Zoning

After laying out a plan for community engagement and teasing the reveal of the “Zoning for Housing/Housing for All” plan in August, Alexandria planners this week published the draft version of the promised plan.

An article by Teo Armus for the Washington Post reports on the details of draft “Zoning for Housing” plan for Alexandria, Virginia. “The proposed change in Alexandria would make it easier to construct buildings with up to four units in neighborhoods long reserved for one house with a yard on each lot,” according to Armus.

“City planners have also recommended rolling back rules that require off-street parking at residential buildings near Metro stations or rapid bus transit,” adds Armus. “Such a rule would apply to single-family-only neighborhoods as well as areas that are largely filled with townhouses, such as the city’s historic Old Town.”

As detailed by a city website, Zoning for Housing is part of a larger initiative, which includes an equity component called “Housing for All.” The website also includes a complete list of the components of the draft Zoning for Housing proposal.

As noted by Planetizen in May 2022, zoning reform is picking up momentum in Northern Virginia, as local governments in the region grapple with rising housing costs. Nearby Arlington County, for example, eliminated single-family zoning by allowing missing middle housing in March 2023.