Complete Streets Initiative Releases Guide to Creating 'Parklets'

On the heels of the recent
City Council vote [5] to allow the construction of a series of micro-parks in Los
Angeles, researchers from UCLA Luskin's Complete Streets Initiative [6] are releasing a comprehensive guidebook
to planning, building and maintaining “parklets,”—small parks created in urban
areas from the conversion of parking spots, alleyways and other underutilized spaces
for cars into places for people.

The report, “Reclaiming the
Right-of-Way [7],” compiles best practices from cities in the U.S and Canada that
have implemented parklet projects in their communities. These projects, which enhance
neighborhoods through low-cost, small-scale inventions, were pioneered in San
Francisco but have also appeared in New York, Philadelphia, and Vancouver, B.C.,
among other cities.

“These community-driven
projects allow for citizens to be engaged in improving their communities in a
new way,” said Madeline Brozen, program manager of UCLA Luskin’s Complete
Streets Initiative.

“More and more cities are
allowing parklets, partly because of this growing demand,” she continued. “However,
there are a lot of considerations that both designers and cities must take into
account—everything from the landscaping and construction materials to guidelines
for ensuring safety and security. We hope to be able to provide a resource to
help answer these questions and make implementing parklets easier.”

The toolkit contains parklet
program case studies from around the country, but encourages users to adapt
their plans to their own community. It explores a range of designs: Some
parklets consist of simple tables and chairs, whereas others feature creative
landscaping. It introduces the concept of “active parklets,” which include
simple exercise equipment to provide an opportunity for active recreation
within the parklet. The toolkit is meant to provide helpful guidance to
planners and property owners while encouraging creative implementations that
fit the spirit of a space.

“There’s definitely an increase in interest in walking, biking and exercising in the city,” said UCLA Luskin Urban
Planning professor Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris [8]. “People realize the value of
living active lives. And cities no longer have the resources to purchase acres
of land for public open space. That’s why the idea for an active-recreation
parklet has become more powerful.”

This toolkit is the first of a
three-phase effort, made possible by a $75,000 grant from The Rosalinde and
Arthur Gilbert Foundation. During the second phase, the UCLA team in
partnership with the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council will install an active
parklet on Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles this fall. This parklet will
be evaluated during the third phase, and these data will be provided to the LA
City Planning Department for reporting to the City Council. Brozen will give a
presentation on the toolkit at the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference in Long Beach on Sept. 12.

“Reclaiming the Right-of-Way” can
be accessed here [7].