Above are two good examples of PARK(ING) Day spaces!

PARK(ING) Day happens once a year, on the third Friday in September. This year, the event takes place on Friday, Sept. 15. It is an opportunity for people to temporarily turn on-street parking spaces into public places. This international event raises awareness about the importance of a walkable, livable, healthy city and helps people re-think how our streets can be used. This document explains the City of Coral Gables’ requirements for this event.

This year, the city is accepting a limited number of applicants. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Any use of the right-of-way, including the use of on-street parking spaces for PARK(ING) Day, requires a permit. But don’t worry, we’ve created a special type of free permit to make it easy for you to participate, in partnership with the City of Coral Gables. Your temporary park will need to meet all the requirements outlined below, and you must submit your application no later than Sept. 1, 2023, to the Sustainability and Resiliency Supervisor, Diego J Cancel at dcancel@coralgables.com.

The Park(ing) Day Application can be found here. Listed below are pertinent information and guidelines to keep in mind.

Parking Space Reservations

There are four steps you need to take to reserve your parking spaces:

1. Identify the space(s) you want to use.  You’ll need to provide this information in your application. The parking space number is identified on the meter pole.  If the parking space does not have a meter, describe as accurately as possible, the location of the space, including the closest address.
2. Talk to adjacent property/business owners and let them know what you are planning.  Let them know how many spaces you will use, when you will use them, and what they can expect to see in the space.
3. The City’s Parking Department will reserve the space for you by placing bags or barricades in the space.
4. Verify that your space has been reserved by September 1st.

Designing Your Park

Location of Parking Spaces

Choose your PARK(ING) spaces carefully! Do not choose:

• Commercial loading zones

• Disabled parking zones

• A space that only allows pick-up and drop-off parking

All parks should be located away from the end of a block with a “buffer” of at least two parking spaces on either side. This means that you cannot build your park in the first two or last two parking spaces closest to the end of the block, please see figure below for reference.

Separation from Traffic

Barriers are required to mark the boundaries of your park and clearly identify the edge of the traffic lane and adjacent parking spaces. The barriers must be at least 36” tall. Large planters will be considered. Your park must stay within its approved parking space(s). See examples below:

Hours of Operation

Your park can be open between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15. All set-up and tear down must happen within these hours, however, upon review of application, Public Works may further restrict set-up and tear down times based on rush hour traffic.

Maintaining Mobility

As you’re setting up and taking down your park, remember to keep the sidewalk and the travel lanes clear. All loading and unloading activities must ensure pedestrian and vehicle mobility. Throughout the day, remember that the pedestrian walkway must be kept clear. Activities in your park shouldn’t distract motorists, either.

Additionally, to make sure that your park doesn’t impede sight lines, keep anything taller than 3 feet, within 4 feet of the curb. That means umbrellas, tall plants, etc. need to stay closer to the curb than to the travel lane. Nothing taller than 3 feet can be on the edge of the traffic lane. See PARK(ING) Day Application for more information.

Park Items & Activities

Allowed

We encourage you to try out some of these items and activities to help make your park a comfortable and inviting space. (Height and setback requirements are listed in the application.):

• Sod material (over tarp) and potted plants

• Tables, chairs, or benches

• Arts and crafts, games, or other cultural activities

• Art displays or easels

• Rugs, carpets, blankets, or similar surface coverings

• Freestanding umbrellas adjacent to the curb

• Informative signs or displays

Restricted (This is not an exhaustive list)

We want you to have fun in your park, but we want to keep everyone safe, too. This list isn’t intended to be discouraging. If you have questions about why you can’t do or use anything listed below, feel free to contact us via email at dcancel@coralgables.com.

Anything that may pose a distraction to drivers, be a nuisance, or pose a safety hazard to neighboring businesses or residents is prohibited, including but not limited to:

• Banners

• Balloons, flashing lights, or other similar objects

• Canopies or free-standing tents

• Sidewalk storage or overflow of activities onto sidewalk

• Charcoal grills

• Vending or merchandise display

• Amplified sound

• Alcoholic beverages or food service

Application

A site plan must be submitted for your park so that we know what you’re planning. This doesn’t need to be fancy and it’s okay if you’re not an engineer, architect, or artist. The site plan should follow the instructions outlined in the PARK(ING) Day Application and must include:

1. Location description of parking space(s).
2. Description of parking space(s) location.
3. Height of items and setback dimensions from curb.
4. Barrier (e.g., planters or barricade) placement.