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Urban Street Design Guide Index

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Parklets

Parklets

Parklets are public seating platforms that convert curbside parking spaces into vibrant community spaces. Also known as street seats or curbside seating, parklets are the product of a partnership between the city and local businesses, residents, or neighborhood associations.

Most parklets have a distinctive design that incorporates seating, greenery, and/or bike racks and accommodate unmet demand for public space on thriving neighborhood retail streets or commercial areas.

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Application

Parklets are typically applied where narrow or congested sidewalks prevent the installation of traditional sidewalk cafes, or where local property owners or residents see a need to expand the seating capacity and public space on a given street. To obtain a parklet, property owners enter into an agree­ment with the city, in some cases through a citywide application process, procuring curbside seating in place of one or more parking spaces.

Benefits and Considerations

Parklets are typically administered through partnerships with adjacent businesses and/or surrounding res­idents. Partners maintain and program the parklet, keeping it free of trash and debris. Where no local partners are present, a parklet may be installed and managed by the city as a traditional park or public space.
Parklets can be managed through a competitive application process by a city transportation, planning, or public works agency.1
Cities with frequent snowfall should consider the removal of parklets during the winter to prevent conflicts with plows and street cleaning vehicles.
Costs vary based on the design and size of the parklet. Design and installation costs are generally assumed by the maintenance partner. Standardized parklet designs may be made available by the city to make the program more appealing and affordable.2
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Parklet permit costs range from $1,000–2,000. San Francisco Parklet Manual (San Francisco: San Francisco Planning Department, 2013). Parklet FAQ (San Francisco: San Francisco Planning Department, 2013).
While parklets are foremost intended as assets for the community, their presence has also been shown to increase foot traffic, and in some cases revenues, for adjacent businesses.3
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The Green Line Café in Philadelphia saw a 20% increase in revenue and the Mojo Café in San Francisco experienced a 30% increase. Increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic has been observed in post-analysis at numerous parklet installations. A study by the Great Streets Project in San Francisco indicated increases in foot traffic of up to 37% and increases in the number of people stopping and sitting by 30%.

The Great Streets Project conducted a study in 2011 about the impacts of San Francisco parklets that found generally positive results relating to economics. Liza Pratt, Parklet Impact Study (San Francisco: SF Great Streets Project, 2011).

Critical

1 To ensure visibility to moving traffic and parking cars, parklets must be buffered using a wheel stop at a desired distance of 4 feet from the parklet. This buffer may also serve as a space for adjacent property owners to accommodate curbside trash collection.
2Parklets should have vertical elements that make them visible to traffic, such as flexible posts or bollards.
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3 Parklets have a desired minimum width of 6 feet (or the width of the parking lane). Parklets generally entail the conversion of one or more parallel parking spaces or 3–4 angled parking spaces, but may vary according to the site, context, and desired character of the installation. Where a parklet stretches the length of an entire curb, accessibility and sightlines must be taken into account.
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The design of a parklet should not inhibit the adequate drainage of stormwater runoff. Small channels between the base and the platform facilitate drainage.
4 Parklets should have a flush transition at the sidewalk and curb to permit easy access and avoid tripping hazards.
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Recommended

Parklets should avoid corners and are best placed at least one parking space away from the intersection corner. Where installation of a parklet is under consideration for a site near an intersection, volumes of turning traffic, sightlines, visibility, and daylighting should be taken into account.
Parklets should be heavy enough to make theft impossible or unlikely. Site selection should consider the level of surveillance both during the day and at night.
5 Incorporate seating into the parklet. Seating may be integrated into the design itself or made possible with moving tables and chairs.
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6 Designs for the sub-structure of a parklet vary and depend on the slope of the street and overall design for the structure. The sub-structure must accommodate the crown of the road and provide a level surface for the parklet. “Bison pedestals” spaced under the surface and of different heights are a common application. Another method is to provide steel sub-structure and angled beams.4
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Parklets should use a slip-resistant surface to minimize hazards and should be accessible to wheel­chair users.
Parklet floor load-bearing weight standards vary by agency. At a minimum, design for 100 pounds per square foot.5
7Include an open guardrail to define the space. Railings should be no higher than 3 feet and be capable of withstanding at least 200 feet of horizontal force.6
Parklet siting should avoid obstructing underground utility access and elec­trical transformer vaults.

Optional

The design of any individual parklet may vary according to the wishes of the primary partner or applicant. Designs may include seating, greenery, bicycle racks or other features, but should always strive to become a focal point for the community and a welcoming public gathering place. Cities may opt to have a standard design template to reduce design and construction costs for applicants.
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Bicycle parking may be incorporated into or adjacent to the parklet.

Footnotes

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  1. UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Reclaiming the Right of Way (Los Angeles: University of California Los Angeles, 2012), 148.
  2. Parklet permit costs range from $1,000–2,000. San Francisco Parklet Manual (San Francisco: San Francisco Planning Department, 2013). Parklet FAQ (San Francisco: San Francisco Planning Department, 2013).
  3. The Great Streets Project conducted a study in 2011 about the impacts of San Francisco parklets that found generally positive results relating to economics. Liza Pratt, Parklet Impact Study (San Francisco: SF Great Streets Project, 2011).
  4. Reclaiming the Right of Way (Los Angeles: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California Los Angeles, 2012), 109.
  5. For a comparison of various cities parklet standards, see: Reclaiming the Right of Way (Los Angeles: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California Los Angeles, 2012), 87.
  6. Philadelphia Parklet Program Guidelines (Philadelphia: Mayor’s Office of Transportation & Utilities, 2013).

References

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Adapted from the Urban Street Design Guide, published by Island Press.

References

References for Parklets: 11 found.