Plans for Glendale’s first parklet nixed due to design issues
Plans to build Glendale’s first parklet have been scrapped.
Although the city has a $20,000 grant to build the small public space that was originally going to take over four downtown parking spaces in the 200 block of North Brand Boulevard, a street design issue has halted the project.
Rather than try and build the parklet elsewhere, city officials have opted to work with a team of community members to select another project for the grant money provided by Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit organization that works to improve public spaces.
The 300-square-foot parklet was originally pitched to the City Council last July. While some officials worried taking parking spaces away from the downtown street would negatively impact businesses on the block, others saw the potential of the parklet, which was designed to feature open space surrounded by drought-tolerant plants and seating areas to attract people who can gather and engage in community activities.
The council approved the project, but then it hit snag after snag.
There was initially a technical glitch that prevented the grant money from entering the city’s coffers.
When that was fixed, officials faced another hurdle. The street design around the proposed parklet would result in a slope too steep for federal guidelines protecting people with disabilities, said Tim Foy, deputy director of planning and neighborhood services.
Several other cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, have already built parklets.
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