Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ev Charging topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Arlington staff outline zoning fixes to ease EV charger roll‑out, commissioners press on safety and enforcement
Summary
DES staff presented proposed zoning changes to make it easier to add EV chargers in Arlington, including counting EV‑only spaces toward parking minimums, allowing Level 1/2 chargers at property lines and limited setback relief for DC fast chargers; commissioners and public pressed for fire‑safety review, enforcement clarity and attention to equity in multifamily housing.
Emily Knockbar, a planner in Arlington County’s Department of Environmental Services, told the Transportation Commission on March 26 that the county is proposing zoning changes to remove barriers to installing electric vehicle chargers on public and private property.
The department’s zoning study identifies three main obstacles: current rules treat chargers as “structures” that cannot sit in required setbacks; spaces labeled for EV charging are not always counted toward parking minimums; and the 2024 Virginia building code adds accessibility requirements that can complicate charger placement at new developments. “One of those mandates is to support clear processes for deploying EV chargers at residences and businesses,” Knockbar said, describing options to allow Level 1 and 2 chargers up to the property line and to permit DC fast chargers up to 8 feet into setbacks.
Why it matters: County staff showed that most Arlington residents (73%) live in multifamily housing, but 81% of EV registrations are tied to single‑family homes, a distribution the study links to retrofit and setback constraints. Staff argued the proposed changes would make chargers easier to site and enforce on county property by allowing clearer signage and by adopting state code language that makes parking in reserved EV spaces a traffic infraction on county land.
Commissioners and members of the public focused questions on enforcement and safety. Several commissioners asked whether county enforcement staff would be able to tell if a vehicle is actively charging before issuing a citation; Knockbar said enforcement would check that a vehicle is plugged in and noted the county already uses dwell fees and charging fees on county chargers. Commissioner comments also urged staff to consult fire and EMS about Level‑3 (DC fast) charging near property lines and to ensure required accessible (ADA) charging spaces are accounted for when sites add chargers later.
A public commenter, who had been announced as Vinton Flatt, disputed part of the study, saying EV ownership correlates with wealth and arguing against counting EV stalls toward minimum parking requirements because it could reduce spaces for non‑EV drivers at high‑demand locations such as the Central Library. Staff replied that multifamily households without cars and enforcement challenges both contribute to current registration disparities, and that the county’s updated green‑building incentives already require a mix of EV‑installed and EV‑ready spaces on new construction.
Next steps: Staff said it will refine ordinance language, coordinate fire/public‑safety input and include commission feedback in a board report expected in May, with a recommendation to the Board in June. Curbside charging remains outside the current zoning study but is planned as a follow‑on effort.
