The City of West Hollywood is launching a parklet program and it is inviting proposals with up to seven $25,000 grants being awarded for these new public gathering spaces.
Parklets are extensions of the sidewalk, repurposing on-street “parking spaces” for the creation of new publicly accessible gathering spaces. Parklets can incorporate elements of seating, greenery, and bike racks, among other features. The spaces are meant to support commercial districts, contribute to the vibrancy of neighborhoods, and provide additional open areas. The City Council of the City of West Hollywood approved the creation of the program in January 2018.
“The City’s overall goal is to enhance the quality of life in West Hollywood by establishing and supporting new public spaces in partnership with our local organizations,” City of West Hollywood Councilmember Lindsey P. Horvath stated in a press release.
The City of West Hollywood invites proposals from businesses, property owners, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and others. Up to seven grants may be awarded. Each grant is in the amount of $25,000. The proposal submission period is currently open and the deadline for proposals is Monday, April 23, 2018.
The City of West Hollywood will distribute parklets as follows:
- Two parklets on the Eastside.
- Two parklets on the Sunset Strip.
- Three parklets to be located elsewhere in the City.
Other cities that currently have parklet programs include City of San Francisco Parklet Projects, City of Seattle Parklet Program, Long Beach Parklets and City of Los Angeles Parklet Program.
“This is another sensational opportunity for design teams to engage with the City of West Hollywood, its residents, and visitors,” Councilmember John D’Amico stated. “These parklets will be the talk of the town — from the Russian-language eastside to the Rock and Roll of the Sunset Strip — and they will serve as exciting spots for community gatherings.”
Eligible streets must have posted speed limits of 35 mph or less. The only locations that are eligible to become parklets are non-restricted, on-street parking spaces and adjacent sidewalk spaces in commercial areas. (No blue, green, red, yellow, or white zones are eligible).
Full details regarding eligibility, requirements, and the application process are available at www.weho.org/parklets. Interested applicants must contact the City of West Hollywood’s Planning and Development Services Department to obtain pre-approval of a proposed location to ensure site feasibility. Site proposals, inquiries, and questions may be submitted to [email protected].
