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Policy Overview
The Program draws on Arlington’s high property values and low zoning density, which ensure that most commercial and
multifamily residential projects exceed zoning limits and must go through a special site plan process. This way, the County
maintains a large degree of control over development. In its current form, the Program has two levels: the basic site plan
and the bonus density program.
The County asks developers to meet a set of green building site plan conditions. While not mandatory, developers know
they must commit to a minimum of 40 LEED credits to receive project approval. Some credits, such as underground park-
ing and access to public transit, are almost automatic in Arlington. Others require advanced planning between DES officials
and the project team, including at least one LEED Accredited Professional on staff. Together, they create a plan to reach
the minimum goal, with give-and-take on both sides. The County also requests that projects that do not achieve official
LEED certification donate to the Green Building Fund for education and outreach.
For more ambitious projects, the innovative bonus density program takes this process one step further by offering addi-
tional density in exchange for LEED certification. DES determines the amount of extra square footage granted (usually 4-
5% of the original) based on a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) calculation that accounts for the size and type of the building and the
LEED certification level. Unlike the basic site plan, the bonus density program has an explicit enforcement mechanism: the
County requires the developer to post a bond that the County can claim if the building fails to receive the promised certifi-
cation.
Conclusion
The Green Building Incentive Program continues to achieve results. In the five years following the 2003 revision, DES ap-
proved 54 building site plans, with over half of the office space and almost a quarter of the residential units scheduled to
achieve LEED certification. Moreover, DES is now measuring energy use in existing buildings as part of Arlington’s Fresh
AIRE climate change initiative. To learn more about Arlington County’s green building policies, please contact Joan Kelsch,
Environmental Planner for the Department of Environmental Services.
All information for this resource was collected by Eric Plunkett during telephone interviews with Joan Kelsch and her colleagues in May-August of
2009 and using city, state, and national online resources.
BCAP Council (NRDC), and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
1850 M St. NW Suite 1050 | Washington, DC | www.bcap-ocean.org