Substandard Lots and Outlots

Staff is evaluating whether the existing rules and processes governing substandard lots and outlots in the City remain the best approaches for regulating their development.
Page updated on April 16, 2026 at 4:03 PM
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Overview

Alexandria’s Zoning Ordnance regulates the development and redevelopment of substandard lots – residential lots that do not meet the minimum size, width, and/or street frontage requirements for their zone. The Zoning Ordinance also regulates outlots – lots that do not face a public street. In most cases, building a new home on a vacant outlout requires Special Use Permit (SUP) approval. Similarly, building a new home – or demolishing and rebuilding –  on a substandard lot also requires SUP approval. This page explains why staff is reviewing these regulations, what substandard lots and outlots are, how the regulations governing them have evolved, and how they are regulated today. 

Why review these regulations?

The SUP requirement for substandard lots and outlots has been in place in some form since at least 1974. Given staff’s experience in implementing these regulations and changes to the housing market, staff is evaluating whether the existing process remains the best approach for regulating development of substandard lots and outlots. 

Several questions are driving this review:  

  • Many substandard lots differ only marginally from the zone’s minimum requirements. In some cases, the difference is so slight that the lot's substandard status may not justify the additional scrutiny imposed by the SUP requirements.  
  • It is also worth asking whether the current zoning regulations governing height, bulk, and setbacks that apply to all residential development address many of the concerns the SUP process was designed to manage.  
  • Staff is also examining whether the SUP requirement affects the cost of development on substandard lots and, if so, whether those costs are passed on to buyers.  
  • Finally, staff is revisiting whether smaller homes on narrower lots necessarily affect surrounding property values and whether a range of housing sizes might further the City’s goals to provide a broader range of price points.

Engagement

Community Meeting

Tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m.

Location: Patrick Henry Recreation Center, 4653 Taney Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22304

Join us for a community meeting on to learn more about this process. Staff will provide background on the current regulations, explain what prompted this effort, and discuss potential policy changes with attendees. We encourage you to attend, ask questions, and share your perspectives.

More opportunities for engagement with this process will be posted on this page.

What is a Substandard Lot?

Many of Alexandria’s residential lots were subdivided and recorded before the City’s Zoning Ordinance established the minimum lot size, width, and street frontage requirements that apply today. When these regulations were introduced, lots that had already been recorded at smaller dimensions became substandard – not because anything about the lots themselves changed, but because the new rules set new standards. 

Substandard lots are found throughout the city and are most common in older neighborhoods that were subdivided and developed prior to 1951. Most of these lots already have homes on them and are unaffected by the rules described below unless the owner wants to make significant changes to their property. These restrictions apply only in the R-2-5, R-5, R-8, R-12, and R-20 zones. Substandard lots in other zones – including the City’s oldest and most established neighborhoods like Old Town – are generally permitted to be developed or redeveloped without these additional restrictions. 
 

What is an Outlot?

An outlot is a property that does not have any public street frontage. It may be accessed by a private or public alley, through an access easement across another private property, or by a private street.

Policy Evolution

1931 - Minimum lot size and frontage requirements first established

Alexandria first establishes minimum lot size and frontage requirements. Lots for single-unit dwellings were required to be at least 5,000 square feet and have 50 feet of street frontage. Lots recorded prior to 1931 with at least 40 feet of frontage could also be used for single-unit dwellings and were subject to reduced side yard requirements. Lots below these minimums could only be developed with special permission. At the time, most residential lots in the City met these requirements.

1951 - Lot requirements increase after comprehensive zoning rewrite

A comprehensive zoning rewrite expanded the number of residential zones and significantly increased minimum lot requirements, particularly in the new R-8, R-12, and R-20 zones. Lots that had been recorded before 1951 became substandard when this new Zoning Ordinance was adopted. From 1951 to 1974, owners of these lots could still build on them by-right (an SUP was not required), if the proposed house met setback, height, and (Floor Area Ratio) FAR requirements.

1969 - Outlot requirements adopted

SUP requirement for development of outlots adopted.

1974 - Vacant substandard lot development regulations established

Concern over two new houses built on narrow lots in an established neighborhood prompted the City to end by-right development of substandard lots. The City instituted an SUP requirement for development of vacant substandard lots in the R-2-5, R-5, R-8, R-12, and R-20 zones. Substandard lots outside of these zones retained the ability to develop by-right. 

1987-1989 - Vacant substandard lot development eligibility rules relaxed

A series of text amendments refined the SUP eligibility rules, making the policy somewhat more permissive. These changes allowed substandard lots to qualify for SUP consideration if they were similar in size to surrounding lots or met at least 90% of the zone’s minimum lot requirements.

2008 - Developed substandard lot redevelopment regulations established

The City began requiring SUP approval for teardown and rebuild projects on developed substandard lots. Before this date, redevelopment of a substandard lot with an existing house could proceed administratively.

Current Regulations

Vacant Substandard Lots

Zoning Ordinance Section 12-400

  • A vacant substandard lot created on or before December 28, 1951, may only be developed with SUP approval if it has not been held in common ownership  (the applicant has not owned it and an adjacent property) after May 14, 1974 
  • A vacant substandard lot, regardless of creation date, may only be developed with SUP approval if: 
    • It was not held in common ownership with any adjacent lot after September 16, 1988 and 
    • The lot nearly complies with the zone requirements (90%) or 
    • The lot is similar in shape/size to surrounding lots 
  •  In either case, City Council must find that the proposed house: 
    • Does not unreasonably impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent property 
    • Does not diminish or impair established property values in the surrounding area and 
    • Will be compatible with existing neighborhood character 

Developed Substandard Lots

Zoning Ordinance Section 12-900

  • Additions can be constructed with administrative approval provided that the first floor of the existing house is generally maintained 
  • A new house with generally the same size/height as the existing house can also be constructed with administrative approval 
  • Tear down and rebuild can only be done with SUP approval if City Council finds that the new house would be compatible with the neighborhood in terms of bulk, height, and design  

Outlots

Zoning Ordinance Section 7-1007

  • Generally, an outlot may be developed with a use or building that requires street frontage only with SUP approval.  

Next Steps

Tuesday, May 5, 7 p.m. — Staff will brief the Planning Commission at their May public hearing on feedback received to date and discuss policy direction. This is a discussion item only, no formal recommendations will be made.

Stay tuned for additional engagement opportunities as the process develops. Updates will also be posted to this website and distributed through the City's eNews service.

Anticipated Public Hearing Dates

Staff is currently targeting the following hearing dates:

Tuesday, June 23 — Planning Commission public hearing

Tuesday, July 1 — City Council public hearing

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