Innovate Arlington Comprehensive Plan

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Innovate Arlington Community Board Gameplay

Innovate Arlington is pleased to host a series of community game events featuring Growing a Better Arlington, an interactive board game that invites participants to explore the city’s future through engaging, thoughtful play.

To learn more about upcoming game days or nights, please click here.

Interested in playing with your neighborhood association, HOA, or civic group? Submit a request, and a member of the Innovate Arlington team will assist you in scheduling a session. Please click here to get started.

To review the Growing a Better Arlington game instructions prior to participating, please visit the “Documents” section located on the right side of this page.


Innovate Arlington Phase I Engagement Summary

Thank you to all the Arlington community members who participated in the Phase 1 community engagement efforts. Below are the common themes we heard online and in-person.

  1. What do you feel are Arlington’s greatest strengths?
    • Location, parks and outdoor rec., sports and entertainment venues, and the community.
  2. What concerns do you have about Arlington’s future?
    • Traffic congestion, public safety and crime, funding for essential services, and community health and wellness.
  3. What types of new places do you want to see in Arlington in the future?
    • Parks and open spaces, walkable shopping and lifestyle areas, mixed-used, more housing choices.
  4. What types of improvements would you like to see?
    • Safer bike and walking routes, reinvestment in parks and neighborhoods, beautification and better urban design.

On June 10, 2025, the Phase I Engagement Summary was presented to the City Council during the work session.

Phase 2 engagement will begin summer 2025 with the Growing a Better Arlington board game with more engagement opportunities later this fall, too. To stay up-to-date with all the upcoming engagements and reports for Innovate Arlington Comprehensive Plan, please signup using the button on the top right.

Be sure to check out the ideas, places, and guestbook tabs at the bottom of this page!


What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Plan serves as one of Arlington’s key policy documents and charts a course for the city's future. The plan is a blueprint for Arlington and focuses on the guidelines for developing attractive and prosperous neighborhoods; coordinating land use and transportation; ensuring responsible growth; stimulating economic development; and encouraging environmental sustainability. These strategies are also reflected in other city plans and regulations, which are the components and implementation tools of the Comprehensive Plan.

Now through October 2026, the city's Comprehensive Plan will undergo a major update. Community members and the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee will help Arlington, and its representatives, understand the goals of residents, business owners, workers, and visitors. The principal role of the Steering Committee is to build consensus and support for the various topics, approaches, and strategies within the plan. This website will be used to engage and listen to all stakeholders and provide a forum for their ideas. Using this site, different engagement methods will be used including: polls, forums, and questionnaires, to fully understand the desires of those who live and work in The American Dream City.

You may use the "Signup Banner" and "Follow Project" buttons to stay informed and participate in this pivotal project. If you would like to contact us, please visit the "Who's Listening" section of this webpage.

Please return to ArlingtonListens periodically for updates, documents, and more news about the Innovate Arlington Comprehensive Plan.

Innovate Arlington Community Board Gameplay

Innovate Arlington is pleased to host a series of community game events featuring Growing a Better Arlington, an interactive board game that invites participants to explore the city’s future through engaging, thoughtful play.

To learn more about upcoming game days or nights, please click here.

Interested in playing with your neighborhood association, HOA, or civic group? Submit a request, and a member of the Innovate Arlington team will assist you in scheduling a session. Please click here to get started.

To review the Growing a Better Arlington game instructions prior to participating, please visit the “Documents” section located on the right side of this page.


Innovate Arlington Phase I Engagement Summary

Thank you to all the Arlington community members who participated in the Phase 1 community engagement efforts. Below are the common themes we heard online and in-person.

  1. What do you feel are Arlington’s greatest strengths?
    • Location, parks and outdoor rec., sports and entertainment venues, and the community.
  2. What concerns do you have about Arlington’s future?
    • Traffic congestion, public safety and crime, funding for essential services, and community health and wellness.
  3. What types of new places do you want to see in Arlington in the future?
    • Parks and open spaces, walkable shopping and lifestyle areas, mixed-used, more housing choices.
  4. What types of improvements would you like to see?
    • Safer bike and walking routes, reinvestment in parks and neighborhoods, beautification and better urban design.

On June 10, 2025, the Phase I Engagement Summary was presented to the City Council during the work session.

Phase 2 engagement will begin summer 2025 with the Growing a Better Arlington board game with more engagement opportunities later this fall, too. To stay up-to-date with all the upcoming engagements and reports for Innovate Arlington Comprehensive Plan, please signup using the button on the top right.

Be sure to check out the ideas, places, and guestbook tabs at the bottom of this page!


What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Plan serves as one of Arlington’s key policy documents and charts a course for the city's future. The plan is a blueprint for Arlington and focuses on the guidelines for developing attractive and prosperous neighborhoods; coordinating land use and transportation; ensuring responsible growth; stimulating economic development; and encouraging environmental sustainability. These strategies are also reflected in other city plans and regulations, which are the components and implementation tools of the Comprehensive Plan.

Now through October 2026, the city's Comprehensive Plan will undergo a major update. Community members and the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee will help Arlington, and its representatives, understand the goals of residents, business owners, workers, and visitors. The principal role of the Steering Committee is to build consensus and support for the various topics, approaches, and strategies within the plan. This website will be used to engage and listen to all stakeholders and provide a forum for their ideas. Using this site, different engagement methods will be used including: polls, forums, and questionnaires, to fully understand the desires of those who live and work in The American Dream City.

You may use the "Signup Banner" and "Follow Project" buttons to stay informed and participate in this pivotal project. If you would like to contact us, please visit the "Who's Listening" section of this webpage.

Please return to ArlingtonListens periodically for updates, documents, and more news about the Innovate Arlington Comprehensive Plan.

Have a Question? Ask it here!

Have a question regarding the Comprehensive Plan update? This is the tool to use! Once your question is received, we will review it and respond in a timely manner. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response. 

You need to be signed in to add your question.

  • Share I’m curious how the updated Comprehensive Plan will address sustainability and environmental resilience in Arlington. Will it include efforts to expand green spaces or strategies to handle climate challenges? on Facebook Share I’m curious how the updated Comprehensive Plan will address sustainability and environmental resilience in Arlington. Will it include efforts to expand green spaces or strategies to handle climate challenges? on Twitter Share I’m curious how the updated Comprehensive Plan will address sustainability and environmental resilience in Arlington. Will it include efforts to expand green spaces or strategies to handle climate challenges? on Linkedin Email I’m curious how the updated Comprehensive Plan will address sustainability and environmental resilience in Arlington. Will it include efforts to expand green spaces or strategies to handle climate challenges? link

    I’m curious how the updated Comprehensive Plan will address sustainability and environmental resilience in Arlington. Will it include efforts to expand green spaces or strategies to handle climate challenges?

    OA asked 8 months ago

    Great question, thank you! Yes, the scope of the Comprehensive Plan includes an element currently titled “Healthy City – the Active Environment.” This element will highlight the need to nurture and sustain our health and environmental resources for long-term livability and endurability. The intention of this focus is to provide policy direction to help accommodate growth and change, while promoting and protecting public health and the environmental systems on which we depend, including the quality of our air, water, and land. Components within this element may include:

    • Environmental Quality – Air, Water, Land, Trees;
    • Energy & Sustainability;
    • Food Systems; and
    • Health and Activity (healthy communities).
  • Share Why did the city recently terminate the Stream Team water testing program? Water testing in various watersheds within the city was performed monthly by volunteers. on Facebook Share Why did the city recently terminate the Stream Team water testing program? Water testing in various watersheds within the city was performed monthly by volunteers. on Twitter Share Why did the city recently terminate the Stream Team water testing program? Water testing in various watersheds within the city was performed monthly by volunteers. on Linkedin Email Why did the city recently terminate the Stream Team water testing program? Water testing in various watersheds within the city was performed monthly by volunteers. link

    Why did the city recently terminate the Stream Team water testing program? Water testing in various watersheds within the city was performed monthly by volunteers.

    Betty asked about 1 year ago

    Thank you for your question Betty. This question can be answered by the Stormwater Management team at 817-459-6550. You may also click here to view the Stormwater Management webpage.

    We did reach out to Public Works regarding this question, please see their response below:

    "Stream Team was not terminated; it was put on hiatus due to staff turnover.  Stream Team requires that one individual on staff be a certified trainer.  Our certified trainer departed the city in March.  As such, there is now currently no one who can coordinate Stream Team and/or manage volunteers.  The goal is to reinstate Stream Team once we are fully staffed and have a certified trainer."

    Thank you, 

    Tabitha Dye

  • Share What can be done about all used car lot within 10 mile radius of downtown Arlington ? on Facebook Share What can be done about all used car lot within 10 mile radius of downtown Arlington ? on Twitter Share What can be done about all used car lot within 10 mile radius of downtown Arlington ? on Linkedin Email What can be done about all used car lot within 10 mile radius of downtown Arlington ? link

    What can be done about all used car lot within 10 mile radius of downtown Arlington ?

    Joe asked about 1 year ago

    Joe:

    The number of used auto dealers in Arlington is a concern for City Council. I have linked the last informal staff report on auto dealers in Arlington I prepared for City Council. 

    Patricia

  • Share Previous question regarding numerous used car dealerships : As long as they pay for "CO" certificate occupancy they can stay as long as they want ? on Facebook Share Previous question regarding numerous used car dealerships : As long as they pay for "CO" certificate occupancy they can stay as long as they want ? on Twitter Share Previous question regarding numerous used car dealerships : As long as they pay for "CO" certificate occupancy they can stay as long as they want ? on Linkedin Email Previous question regarding numerous used car dealerships : As long as they pay for "CO" certificate occupancy they can stay as long as they want ? link

    Previous question regarding numerous used car dealerships : As long as they pay for "CO" certificate occupancy they can stay as long as they want ?

    Joe asked about 1 year ago

    Joe:

    In 2014, the City of Arlington adopted a new Unified Development Code (UDC) that only allowed used auto dealers to be in the Industrial and Manufacturing (IM) zoning district by right. If they want to locate in the General Commercial (GC) and Light Industrial (LI) zoning districts, used auto dealers need to get a Specific Use Permit (SUP), or other zoning change only approved by City Council. However, any used auto dealer who was operating legally and prior to the 2014 UDC adoption can continue to operate as a "legal non-conforming" use. This is sometimes called "grandfathering". What they cannot do is expand the use or structure. Once the non-conforming used auto dealer use stops for 180 days or suffers 50% in damage or loss of market value, the used auto dealer use cannot be re-established. Most of the used auto dealers on Division were established prior to 2014, with some being in existence since the 1990s. Some are in the IM district and some have SUPs to operate.

    A certificate of occupancy (CO) is a document that certifies a building is safe, passed inspection, and is ready to be used, by verifying the structure complies with local building codes, zoning regulations, and any other requirements of the City. Arlington does not require used auto dealers (or any business for that matter) to get a new CO every year. A new CO is required upon change of ownership or business name.

    There are many factors in place allowing existing used auto dealers to continue, including property rights, and paying for a CO is not one of them. No "new" used auto dealers can be on Division unless they are in the IM zoning district or have a zoning change approved by City Council. The existing dealers in good standing, legally permitted prior to 2014, can continue to operate as long as they do not expand their business.

    I hope this helps,

    Patricia

Page last updated: 01 Aug 2025, 01:38 PM