Arlington controls big-box store developments

By Patricia Sullivan,

In a unanimous vote, the Arlington County Board decided Saturday to require big-box retail stores to go through special scrutiny before they can be built on any of the few remaining sites in the county large enough to accommodate them.

Prompted by reports that Wal-Mart was interested in putting a 50,000-square-foot store along Interstate 395 in Shirlington, the board altered its zoning ordinances to require any developments of that size or larger, or ones that require more than 200 parking spaces, to go through its special-exemption-use process.

“The ordinance does not ban big-box retail . . . it also doesn’t encourage it,” said Chris Zimmerman (D), the board’s chairman. “The way we’ve made Arlington is through this [process] . . . so that the community has the opportunity to review it, so staff can make sure it fits in and doesn’t overwhelm existing streets.”

Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun counties and Alexandria require similar zoning processes for big-box retailers, said senior planner Richard Tucker, although Alexandria starts scrutiny at stores of 20,000 square feet. The other Northern Virginia counties require a special process for stores of 75,000 to 80,000 square feet.

Board members noted that 99 percent of development in Arlington County has been approved through the special-use process and said they were breaking no new ground. But they said they had to make the change to allow neighbors and planners a voice.

“If we don’t do this ordinance, we have no capacity to influence large developments,” said board member Mary H. Hynes (D). “But putting this in place, we at least create for ourselves the ability to enter the conversation.”