The Arlington County Board members unanimously voted to amend the Zoning Ordinance intended to increase eldercare housing in Arlington.
Rendering for the proposed Artis Senior Living site on Lee Highway(via Arlington County)
Eldercare facilities can now be built across 18 zoning districts located near and around Arlington's major planning corridors, with site plan approval. The Board also agreed to improve the parking standards and to definitions for terms like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, independent living facilities, and continuing care retirement in county code, thus allowing more types of elder care facilities to be established.
“It really is good, it’s a need — there are more and more of us in this demographic every day and we need to be thinking about it,” said County Board Vice-Chair Libby Garvey.
According to a staff report, over 35,000 Arlington residents are above the age of 60. “This represents 14% of the County’s population, and this percentage is expected to grow in the coming decades,” the report notes.
These zoning changes come after a year-long study by the Arlington County Zoning Committee that involved hundreds of Arlington residents answer surveys and participate in public forums and meetings. In one community forum in October, participants were asked to place stickers showing where they would like to see future eldercare housing.
“The study provided a community-wide forum for discussing a host of issues about housing for our older residents,” said principal planner Nick Rodgers. “It’s something that touches all of us — everyone has or will have, an older loved one who will likely need this kind of extra help at one time or another.”
The changes notably allow a proposed six-story senior living center along the 4300 block of Lee Highway to begin. The plans were filed by McLean-based developer Artis Senior Living in March to build a 175-unit property but zoning laws at the time did not permit construction in the area.
“I think this is an excellent body of work,” said board chair Katie Cristol. “And it will serve one definitive plan, and I hope with many more to come.”
Currently, there are 12 elderly residential care facilities in Arlington, all built before 2013-- when the county tightened zoning regulations, effectively limiting elder care facilities to a handful of smaller spaces meant for hospitals.
Charity W. is a professional and skilled writer with a diploma in Mass Communication. When she is not glued to her computer screen, Charity spends her time reading, traveling, and watching movies. She is an expert on Arlington Virginia and keeps current with local events and occurrences.
