Alexandria, VA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Alexandria's residential zones each carry their own height ceiling inside Article III of the Zoning Ordinance. The R-20 zone, covering the city's largest-lot single-unit neighborhoods, limits structures to 30 feet under Section 3-106(C), with a carve-out to 40 feet solely for a place of worship or school. The RT/Townhouse zone permits taller construction, up to 35 feet under Section 3-1306(D), while multi-unit and mixed-use zones run higher still. Height itself is measured under the citywide rules of Article VI: Section 6-401 divides the city into six overlapping height districts, Old and Historic Alexandria, Parker-Gray, Potomac River Vicinity, Old Town North, King Street Metro Station, and a sixth catch-all district, each with its own maximum shown on the Height District Maps, and Section 6-402 requires that "the lowest applicable height limitation shall prevail" whenever a zone's height cap and a height district's map conflict.

Section 6-403(A) layers on a height-to-setback ratio: a building's height at any point cannot exceed twice the distance from the building's face to the centerline of the facing street. Rooftop features like chimneys, elevators, and mechanical penthouses can be built above the stated maximum under Section 6-403(B), and church steeples specifically may rise to 90 feet, or to 150 feet with a special use permit, under Section 6-403(C).