Parklets provide an economical solution to the desire and need for wider sidewalks and are intended to provide space for the general public to sit and enjoy the space where existing narrow sidewalks would preclude such occupancy.
Parklets are intended as sidewalk/street furniture, providing aesthetic elements to the overall streetscape.
Public Works Code Article 16, Section 810B governs the installation of sidewalk landscaping. DPW Order 180,921(pdf) provides detailed implementation guidelines for approval and installation consistent with the sidewalk landscaping program along with Appendix A regarding accessibility elements.
Pavement to Parks is a collaborative effort between the San Francisco Planning Department, the Department of Public Works, the Municipal Transportation Agency, and the Mayor's Office. San Francisco's streets and public rights-of-way make up 25% of the city's land area, more space than all the park area combined. Many of our streets are excessively wide and contain large zones of underutilized space, especially at intersections. San Francisco's "Pavement to Parks" program seeks to temporarily reclaim these unused swathes of land and quickly and inexpensively turn them into new public spaces.
Each Pavement to Parks project is intended to be a public laboratory where the City can work with local communities to temporarily test the performance of the newly proposed projects and then permanently reclaim them as public open space. Materials and design interventions are meant to be temporary and easily removable should design changes be desired during the trial-run. Seating, landscaping, and paving treatment are common features of all projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guidelines
Parklet permits will first be evaluated by City Planning, SFMTA and DPW for general compliance to the approved DPW guidelines, and for the posting of a Public Notice of Intent; if no objections are received to the Notice, the application is then routed to DPW for final review of the detailed plans, and approval of the Parklet permit. An overview of the goals, policies, process and procedures is available in the San Francisco Parklets Manual online at City Planning's website. To download the manual, go to www.parklets.org.
Who is eligible to apply for the installation of a Parklet?
- Community Benefit Districts (CBDs)
- Ground floor business owners
- Non-profit and community organizations
- Fronting property owners
- Other applicants may be considered on a case by case basis.
Submittal Requirements
- DPW Parklet Permit Application Form. [Please fill out the form completely].
- A fee payable by cash, check or VISA/MC only to DPW. (See Fee Schedule
- A letter requesting the Parklet
- Parklet Plans: Three (3) sets of plans to scale (see checklist below). Parklet on a street grade greater than 5.0% and in a zone greater than 25-mph shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Parklets may not be installed in front of a fire hydrant, over a manhole or public utility valve/cover and may not be bolted to the roadway. All Parklet designs shall comply with Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).
- Letters of support from adjacent properties/business owners
- Provide a 24/7 contact if there is an emergency and the parklet needs to be removed within 2-hours for access.
- Fill out a Street Improvement permit application for the installation and inspection. The Parklet permit is grants permission for the use of the right-of-way.
- Type(s) of elements being proposed to be placed on the Parklet; (e.g. Tables & Chairs, benches, planters/landscaping, bicycle parking, etc.
- A description of how the proposed Parklet meets each of the criteria set forth in SectionV of this DPW Order
Approved Parklets
- Amandeep Jawa - 937 VALENCIA ST
- Arizmendi Bakery - 1331 09TH AVE
- Arlequin Cafe - 384 HAYES ST
- Blue Fig Cafe - 988 VALENCIA ST
- Brainwash, Inc. - 1122 FOLSOM ST
- Butter - 354 11TH ST
- Cafe Abir - 1300 FULTON ST
- Cafe Seventy8 - 78 29TH ST
- Caffe Greco - 423 COLUMBUS AVE
- Caffe Roma Coffee Roasting Company - 526 COLUMBUS AVE
- Darwin Cafe - 212 RITCH ST
- Devil's Teeth Baking Company - 3876 NORIEGA ST
- Durso's - 236 TOWNSEND ST
- Escape From N.Y. Pizza - 3242 22ND ST
- Excelsior Action Group - 4754 MISSION ST
- Fabric 8 - 3318 22ND ST
- Farley's - 1315 18TH ST
- Farm Table LLC - 754 POST ST
- Four Barrell Coffee LLC - 375 VALENCIA ST
- Freewheel Bike Shop - 914 VALENCIA ST
- Haight Street Market - 1530 HAIGHT ST
- Hotel Whitcomb - 1231 MARKET ST
- Jebena - 994 POLK ST
- Just for You Cafe, Inc. - 732 22ND ST
- Magnolia Pub & Brewery - 1392 HAIGHT ST
- Martin Macks - 1566 HAIGHT ST
- Mercury Cafe - 201 OCTAVIA ST
- Mojo Bicycle Cafe - 639 DIVISADERO ST
- Morrocan Resturant - 533 JONES ST
- Nile Cafe - 544 JONES ST
- Noe Valley Association - 3982 24TH ST
- Outerlands Cafe - 4001 JUDAH ST
- Pizzeria Due, LLC dba: Delfina - 2410 CALIFORNIA ST
- Quetzal Cafe - 1234 POLK ST
- Simple Pleasures Cafe - 3434 BALBOA ST
- Squat & Gooble - 2263 Chestnut St 3600 16TH ST
- Squat & Gobble Cafe #1 & #2 - 3600 16TH ST
- The Crepe House - 1755 POLK ST
- The Crepe House 3 - 1132 VALENCIA ST
- The Dancing Pig - 544 CASTRO ST
- Tonys Pizza Napoletana - 1570 STOCKTON ST
- Trouble Coffee - 4033 JUDAH ST
For additional information, contact:
The Department of Public Works
Bureau of Street Use and Mapping
1155 Market Street, 3rd Floor Map
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 554-5810 or parklets@sfdpw.org
