2012 near Roy/Broadway (Image: CHS)

Capitol Hill will soon be home to one of the first parklets in the city setting aside street parking to create a public space for sitting, eating and watching the world go by. You can be part of the annual celebration of public space that helped pave the way for parklets and turn a stretch of street of your own choosing into a temporary park on September 20th — Park(ing) Day 2013:

2011 on Melrose (Image: CHS)

Create your own park on September 20, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.! PARK(ing) Day happens once a year, on the third Friday in September, and is an opportunity for any Seattleite to temporarily make parking spaces into parks. The event raises awareness about important issues like creating a walkable, livable, healthy city. The original PARK(ing) Day concept was developed by Rebar in San Francisco.

The deadline for park applications is August 30, and instructions for submitting are below. It’s easy to join the fun!

Here’s a look at some of the Park(ing) Day efforts on Capitol Hill in recent years: 2010 | 2011 | 2012

2010 in the People’s Parking Lot on E Pine (Image: CHS)

The deadline to apply for this year’s Day is coming up quickly — you have until Friday, August 30th. Directions for signing up are below. And, of course, there are alternative methods for proceeding.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I create a park?

You can partner with SDOT under one street use permit, or you can apply for your own permit. Everything you need to know for either option is explained in detail in our guidelines. But here’s a snapshot to get you started if you’re partnering with SDOT (recommended!):

Partnering with SDOT (recommended!):

• Choose two mid-block parking spaces on an arterial street, or one mid-block space on a residential street.
• Notify nearby businesses and residents about what you are planning to do.
• Contact [email protected] by August 30:
  • Provide a location description and the parking space numbers found on the round metal plates bolted to the sidewalk.
  • Provide a copy of your site plan. Use the PARK(ing) Day Standard Layout Plan to prepare it.
  • Rent and place temporary No Parking signs 72 hours in advance of PARK(ing) Day. Search the Internet for “barricades Seattle” or look in the telephone yellow pages under “barricades.” The No Parking signs are mandatory, and SDOT does not provide them.

If you are not partnering with SDOT you’ll need to get your own Street Use Permit at a cost of $251. You can contact [email protected] for more information about this option.

 

How large can my park be?

Your park should be a minimum of two parallel parking spaces on arterial streets or one space on residential streets.

Are there restrictions on how tall items can be?

Any items over three feet in height must be placed within four feet of the curb, not next to the travel lane.

How can I protect or enclose my spot?

It is mandatory that you place orange traffic cones or posts that are a minimum of 36 inches tall along the edges of your park. On arterial streets you’ll need at least seven cones or posts, and on residential streets you should have at least five. These will help to define the edges of your park and provide separation from moving traffic. Refer to the PARK(ing) Day Standard Layout Plan for more details.

Where can I rent traffic cones and temporary No Parking signs?

You can find a business by searching the Internet for “barricades Seattle” or looking in the phone book yellow pages under the heading “barricades.”

Are there time restrictions?

Yes, on-street parking spaces can only be used between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. All set-up and tear-down must occur between these hours.

What kinds of activities are allowed within my park?

Have fun and be creative! You could make the space comfortable by putting out tables and chairs or invite people to play games or set up a table with arts and crafts. Feel free to test the limits of your creativity, but please refrain from putting out banners, charcoal grills, canopies, and amplified sound. More information on what may or may not be allowed can be found in our guidelines.

 

For more ideas, check out some photos of past PARK(ing) Day parks.

Who else is involved in PARK(ing) day?

PARK(ing) Day has become a global event. Take a peek at other PARK(ing) Day parks around the world and add yourself to the map!

Stay tuned for a map of Seattle PARK(ing) Day parks.

How can I let people know what I’m doing?

Share your plans with family and friends and encourage them to create their own park! On the day of the event, show off your park with updates to Facebook or Twitter. You can print out this poster and put it up in your park to let people know that your park is part of a global event.

Is my park considered a “parklet?”

No, but the park you create for PARK(ing) Day is a great way to test out an idea for a parklet. Technically, “parklets” are mini-parks inspired by PARK(ing) Day pop-up parks. While PARK(ing) Day parks only last for a few hours, parklets are designed as a longer-term (a year or two, for example) re-use of a parking space. Seattle has just launched a Pilot Parklet Program, and you can learn a lot more on our website.