Outdoor Space Activation

Overview

What is a Parklet?

A parklet repurposes part of the street into a public space for people. Parklets are intended as aesthetic enhancements to the streetscape, providing an economical solution to the need for increased public open space. Parklets provide amenities like seating, planting, bike parking, and art. While parklets are funded and maintained by neighboring businesses, residents, and community organizations, they are intended to provide benefits to all users of the public rights-of-way. 

History of Social Zones

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Grand Rapids created the “Social Zone” program. This program allowed for organizations, such as a business association, to request a temporary repurposing of the public right-of-way to activate the outdoor space for businesses. Typically turning these zones into spaces for outdoor dining and drinking. These zones were provided at no-cost to the business or organization, in an attempt provide economic relief during the pandemic.

Transfer to Parklets

Since the “Social Zone” program was a temporary reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has looked to transition to a long-term solution for repurposing the right-of-way for outdoor space activation. The City has moved to the existing parklet program.

  • Click here for a printable brochure on parklets.

Questions

For all questions about parklets please email us at mobilegr@grcity.us

Approval for a Parklet

Typical Approval Process

Here is the typical process for approval of a Parklet:

  1. Identify a coordinating organization such as a business association to serve as the parklet permit applicant. If the permit is approved, this organization is responsible for ensuring the parklet is regularly cleaned and sanitized, operations adhere to City requirements and permit conditions and facilitates communications among nearby businesses and with the City. The coordinating organization doesn't have to do this alone – responsibilities can be shared or rotated among nearby businesses – but it does need to make sure the work gets done.

  2. Identify the nearby restaurants, bars and any other businesses whose customers may use the parklet, along with an estimate of the number of users for each business during the morning, lunchtime, afternoon, dinnertime and evening. If unsure, an estimate based on 20% of normal customer volume may be appropriate. We recommend compiling this information in a table to identify the maximum number of people anticipated at any one time.

  3. Sketch a draft layout of the area(s) proposed to be included in the parklet, including the boundaries of the parklet, entry/exit points, layout of tables and chairs – with at least 10 feet of separation between seating groups – maximum occupancy, location of barricades and any other important features. We recommend you start with an overhead photo of the area and mark it with the needed information. Be sure to note the location of any nearby building entrances, parking lot entrances, delivery locations, loading zones, etc.

  4. Engage with nearby neighbors and any applicable neighborhood and business associations about the plan. At a minimum, you need to engage with all residents and businesses adjacent to the proposed parklet and any whose access may be impacted by the parklet. You need to provide some documentation of neighbor and association engagement, such as this template.

  5. Any ongoing use of a public street, sidewalk, or dedicated public easement, which includes removable at-grade, overhanging, and buried features will require a Temporary Use Permit. To apply for a Temporary Use Permit with the intent of utilizing public space for a parklet, please visit this page.

  6. As the permit application is reviewed, respond to any requests for additional information or clarification about the plan.

  7. Upon approval, we’ll prepare a parklet permit document. An authorized representative of the coordinating organization needs to review, sign and return it to us with any necessary supplemental information before setup of the parklet can begin.

  8. We’ll set up any traffic control barricading and/or signage and any other City-supplied equipment agreed to as part of the parklet permit. The coordinating organization then may set up the remainder of the parklet equipment and features.

  9. Once operations begin, the coordinating organization must ensure the operations adhere to City requirements and permit conditions. If the permit is approved, this organization must ensure the parklet is cleaned and sanitized regularly and operations adhere to City requirements and permit conditions. It also must facilitate communications among nearby businesses and with the City.

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