Micro-ParksA guide to turning under-utilized areas into enjoyable spaces.

Leadership Fort Worth

Presented: May 2016

VISION OF MICRO-PARKS – “WE WANT CONVENIENT, OUTDOOR SPACES”

A movement has begun in forward-thinking cities around the U.S., The

birth of micro-parks. We are introducing to the city of Fort Worth a vision - a vision of turning underutilized strips of land… often along a concrete

jungle or a characterless urban street into an inviting, pedestrian-friendly micro-park.”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS   INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………4-5 SECTION 1: OVERVIEW OF THE APPROACH…………………………………………….…6-7 SECTION 2: PLANNING STEPS………………………………………………………………8-12 SECTION 3: MOVING FORWARD………………………………………..…………………13-14 SECTION 4: CELEBRATE………………………………………………….………………....15-16 APPENDIX A: SAMPLE OF INPUT REQUEST FLYER...……………….….……………………18 APPENDIX B: SAMPLE FUNDING REQUEST LETTER……………….……………………… 19 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………….…….… 20  

Introduction

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Vision of Micro-Parks - “We want convenient, outdoor spaces” Leadership Fort Worth in collaboration with Fort Worth Near South, Inc. and TBG architects created the first micro-park in Fort Worth, TX as part of the Leadership Fort Worth Class 2015-2016 project initiatives. In the following sections we detail the steps we took to accomplish this task. A micro-park is a small outdoor public place designed for the enjoyment of local residents, workers, and visitors. Design elements might include interactive artworks, casual seating areas, pocket gardens and landscaping, and other engaging features. Micro-parks benefit neighborhoods by providing attractive, enjoyable family-friendly places to gather. In addition, they facilitate informal community interaction and connections. Residents, workers and visitors enjoy the open space environment. Micro-parks beautify property, with improvements designed by experts in urban place-making. Micro-parks are popping up in major US cities such as New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Fort Worth, along urban streets on underutilized empty lots, parking spaces and traffic triangles. The micro parks provide “green” space for areas of the cities which are mostly made up of asphalt and concrete and public recreation areas are becoming more and more scarce and expensive to develop and maintain. The micro-parks vary as much as the cities in which they exist, from simple tables and chairs to entertainment areas for children and adults alike to relax and play.

Introduction

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Micro-parks typically cost approximately $20,000 to create, are often temporarily established on publicly owned land and sponsored by private landowners and or investors who are willing to “lend their land temporarily as well as provide needed liability insurance[1]”. Notably, most micro-parks are temporary and cannot be used as extensions of the property owners’ or surrounding properties’ businesses. Micro-parks are ideal in high density, residential areas as they provide relaxing venues for neighbors to meet and gather. Now, what is a micro park? There is no rule book - micro parks are an organic result of micro planning efforts among engaged citizens, a neighborhood, sometimes local businesses - to create usable, outdoor space. Some are designed for all ages, some more for children - but they share some common features … They are small - often not more than XXX in size. They are green - an attempt at introducing more than concrete to a blank size. They are often artsy - reflecting a community, organic process with bright colors and locally made features. They are usually mobile - so when the land owner needs the space back, one can roll up one’s turf and cart of your bricks to a new, urban space.  

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Section 1: Overview of the Approach

Overview of Approach

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Micro-parks have been shown to create and or enhance access for neighbors and patrons alike to relax, enjoy and intermingle. As more communities develop highly dense living spaces with fewer and fewer public green spaces moveable micro-parks are answering the need. Micro-parks provide opportunities to those who would not otherwise have a “green” meeting place for meeting and relaxing in the neighborhood. Importantly, existing temporarily “vacant” or “dormant” lots may provide the opportunity to facilitate a common gathering space for residents and visitors. Micro-parks promote play, relaxation, and the opportunity to connect with others. There are a variety of term sued to refer to these types of strategic initiatives: “micro-park”, “parklets”, “tactical urbanism”, “reclaimed urban space”, and “pocket-parks”. This guide provides guidance on building a temporary micro-park. The information is not intended as legal advice, nor is it intended to substitute for legal or other competent counsel. [3] Urban citizens want a place to just “be” and recreate outside in the convenience of their neighborhood. However, urban areas like Fort Worth face the practical reality that developing multi-acre parks in dense, urban areas is no longer feasible. And, people want local - a local space only a short walk from where they live, work and eat.  

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Section 2: Planning Steps

Planning Steps

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1. Create the team Create a team. Specialized team member roles should include a project manager, meeting scheduler, scribe, photographer, partner-experts, and general team members.

The project manager plans and leads meetings, oversees the project work plan and schedule, coordinates team assignments, and reviews team deliverables. The meeting scheduler schedules team meetings, sends reminders, schedule times for ad hoc meetings to ensure good attendance. The scribe takes detailed notes for each meeting, creates other documents as needed and distributes all documents to all other team members.

2. Define the primary goal of your micro-park Define your desired functions of the micro-park. This includes the size of the park, seating, shade, green space (make sure you include needed continued maintenance), lighting, security. Determine if your park is movable or permanent. Our goal was to “identify, investigate, and ultimately transform a variety of underutilized spaces into active and engaging attractions that bring interest and fun to urban village residents, workers, and visitors”.

Planning Steps

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3. Conduct background research to better understand the concept and find examples Identify proven projects of small, engaging public spaces in other U.S. and international cities. Assemble a portfolio of examples that serve as excellent models for your park. 4. Identify available assets, resources, skills and experience held by your team members First, establish a team and identify the assets and resources each individual within the team possesses by conducting an asset-based community mapping exercise. Have each team member assess resources, skills and experience which they possess and how each may contribute to the building of the micro-park . 5. Build community buy in and identify potential micro-park locations and establish criteria for final selection Develop relationships with key community trustees and build community buy-in for the project. Identify lead agency and key community partners. Look to your neighborhood associations, the neighborhood property and business owners. These key stakeholders benefit by the micro-park by enjoying unique and engaging spaces and promotion of neighborhood revitalization and business growth. (Continued next page)

Planning Steps

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Survey the desired neighborhood for vacant lots, for lots to be developed in the future, for pockets of unused space on existing properties currently not developed yet with enough exposure and traffic by the neighborhood and thus considered as potential micro-park potentials. Identify land owners. Key steps to include: •  Approach the owners of the identified properties. Contact landowners of potential

locations to inform, educate, and ask permission to use their location for a micro-park development.

•  Engage city government officials to determine approvals needed. Met with city officials to determine the variances and or permits needed to build a temporary micro park.

•  Engage the neighborhood by asking for input on the design and use (see Appendix A for a sample input request flyer to send out to neighborhood leaders).

•  Identify a project sponsor (e.g. neighborhood association, community group). •  Draw up needed legal agreements between property owners and your group. The

legal agreements should also include any insurance needs, and limitations or restrictions of the use of the land.

•  Choose and rank three top locations, present the idea to each property owner. Based on the response and buy-in from the property owners, choose one site.

Planning Steps

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6. Draw up plans Working with your key design partners, draw up potential plans which fit on the chosen site. Make sure that the plans include: •  A win-win solution for the neighborhood and property

owners

•  Incorporates input from the neighborhood

•  Is in step with your desired goals (create space which offers, relaxation, fun, )

•  Estimate costs of micro-park

•  Establish fund raising plan (see Appendix for a sample fund raising letter)

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Section 3: Moving Forward

Moving Forward

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7. Raise micro-park funding, continue to build community support Identify key resources for funding. Potential funding opportunities are local business owners, community organizations. Attend neighborhood festivals and other opportunities to promote and engage the community. 8. Collaborate with stakeholders to refine your micropark design and install Revise your plans based on funding raising 9. Develop construction schedule Work with the property owners, the install team to develop a construction schedule. Make sure your team is involved in the construction process. 10. Promote the park to keep residents engaged and encourage micro-park use Attend neighborhood association meetings, community leader meetings to promote the not only the use of the park, and importantly the development of other parks in other neighborhoods of the city.

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Section 4: Celebrate

Celebrate

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Once construction is complete, organize a kick-off ribbon cutting event and ongoing promotional activities to further encourage micro-park use. Make sure to include city government leaders, local neighborhood contacts, business owners, and neighbors. Invite local media to promote the ribbon cutting and micro-park opening.  

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Appendix

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Appendix B: Sample funding request letter Date Mr. Community Contributor ABC Company 123 Main Street Your Town, State Dear Members of the [name partners here] have partnered to enhance the community experience of residents, business owners and consumers through the development of a model program to promote the establishment of Micro-Parks in undeveloped areas of the city that offer opportunities for community enjoyment and socialization. A Micro-Park is an area that encourages people to gather, visit, and connect by introducing elements that may include seating, art, or some type of engaging interactive games to promote community in a public place, usually beautifying a vacant area to make it attractive to those that live, work, or visit in the area. As we develop this model program we are also actively putting it to use by establishing the city’s first Micro-Park along [name location here]. We have attached copies of design ideas and invite you to join us by contributing to our efforts to successfully establish of [name of park here] Micro Park. We are hoping to raise at least $20,000 for this initial project. Donations will be escrowed and managed by [name trustee here]. Please consider any level of monetary participation that will give your company an opportunity to be part this community project. Our hope is that the success of our model program will allow other communities throughout the city to duplicate our success. For more information on this community project, please contact [team member in charge of funding]. Sincerely, Team signatures

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Appendix C: References: References [1] http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/micro-parks-for-a-mini-workout-233750 [2] http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/micro-parks-for-a-mini-workout-233750 [3] Photo obtained from: http://www.psfk.com/2014/01/diy-street-design-kit-la.html [4] http://business.fortworthchamber.com/list/member/leadership-fort-worth-10684 [5] http://www.fortworthsouth.org/about-fws/origins-mission-2/ [6] http://www.tbgpartners.com/about/services/ [7] http://www.tbgpartners.com/about/profile/ Leadership Fort Worth Micro-Park team: Claire Brunner Joan Jordan Stacy Marshall Patti McClean Ann McFadyen Melissa Opheim Jeff Salavarria Kara Waddell

Thank you.

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