Arlington County, Va., a Washington, D.C.-area community, is considering proposed legislation that would remove zoning restrictions on multifamily housing up to eight units in size.
The draft proposal, stemming from the county’s Missing Middle Housing Study, is similar to regulations recently passed in Minneapolis and Portland, Ore. The maximum number of units in Arlington’s proposal would depend on lot size, from duplexes on the smallest lots up to a maximum of eight units on larger lots.
This would be a significant change from the county’s current zoning policy that restricts most non-federal land to only single-family homes. Neighborhoods that are predominantly duplexes and townhouses today and other mixed-use areas would not be impacted.
Advocates say the proposal would help alleviate a serious housing shortage. It is likely to generate some contentious opposition, though.
Related Stories
| Apr 26, 2012
Contractors fear that GSA scandal will lead to fewer federal construction contracts
In the wake of the recent scandal at the General Services Administration in which workers spent lavishly at a Las Vegas conference, a spokesman for Associated General Contractors of America said contractors are worried the scandal will result in cuts to GSA's construction and renovation budgets.
| Apr 19, 2012
Michigan legislature tackling controversial rules on electricians
A fight is brewing in the Michigan legislature over how many fully qualified electricians must be present during electrical work when apprentices also are on hand.
| Apr 13, 2012
Congress’s action doesn’t mean Pentagon can’t build LEED gold structures
Though Congress passed a defense budget preventing the Department of Defense from spending money to achieve LEED gold or platinum certification, the Pentagon may still end up constructing buildings to those standards.
| Mar 1, 2012
California bill aims to cut costs for commercial building energy retrofits
A bill in the California Assembly would allow the state to pool together property owners’ energy-retrofit loans.
| Feb 23, 2012
Federal budget cuts put major building projects on hold
A plan to build the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas is among several major building projects in jeopardy after the Obama administration’s 2013 budget was unveiled. The budget would cut all construction spending for the facility.
| Feb 23, 2012
Federal agencies fixed on leasing LEED-certified space
The federal government is especially focused on renting LEED-certified spaces.
| Feb 23, 2012
Regulators investigating construction accident at World Trade Center
The New York Port Authority and the city’s fire and building departments are investigating an accident at the World Trade Center construction site in lower Manhattan after a crane dropped steel beams that fell about 40 stories onto the truck that delivered them.
| Feb 23, 2012
New Virginia statewide building code goes into effect March 1
After March 1, all building plans in Virginia must adhere to the 2009 code that was adopted a year ago.
| Feb 17, 2012
AGC advocates for federal procurement reform
Ensure that small business goals take into consideration actual small business capacity in relevant specialty markets.
| Feb 17, 2012
Codes not to blame for Anchorage roof collapses following heavy snows
Design or construction problems likely contributed to the collapses, according to city officials.
