• Planning & Zoning's Outdoor Dining Design Guidelines have been updated. The updated and approved document can be found here.

• The permanent parklet program begins October 1! To participate, first contact Max Devilliers (max.devilliers@alexandriava.gov; 703.746.4245).

• Parklet Permit Fees were approved by the City Council on March 8, 2022 and will be effective starting October 1, 2022.  Permit fees for the first year will be 50% of the approved fee. The final resolution on parklet permit fees can be found here .  

Parklets are an extension of the sidewalk into the parking lane to be used for extra space associated with a business, such as a restaurant or a retail establishment, or simply as open space and public seating. Parklets can be public (open to the public at all times) or commercial (used for a private business). Typical parklets use one or two parking spaces, but they may occupy more than that. The City of Alexandria currently permits three kinds of parklets:

Permanent Commercial Parklet:

• Can be in place permanently but must be removed as needed
• Annual cost relative to parklet length and location
• Anything that the business is permitted to sell can be sold in the parklet
• Must meet the Parklet Requirements

Short-Term Commercial Parklet:

• Cannot be in place for longer than 6 days
• Initial cost is $100 plus $30-40 daily per occupied parking space
• Anything that the business is permitted to sell can be sold in the parklet
• Does not require a full build-out of a platform

Permanent Public Parklet:

• Can be in place permanently but must be removed as needed
• Annual cost relative to parklet length but more affordable than a commercial parklet
• Nothing can be sold in the parklet
• Must advertise it as open to the public at all times
• Must meet the Parklet Requirements

Parklets are authorized as permitted encroachments into public space. Per the City Code Section 5-2-29(j), parklets must comply with the City’s Parklet Requirements , approved by the Traffic and Parking Board in November 2021, and the Outdoor Dining Design Guidelines. This document includes details about:

• Location requirements
• Design requirements
• Maintenance requirements
• Insurance requirements
• Required outreach and approvals process
• Fees  

The Parklet Requirements also apply to short-term parklets (parklets in place for less than 7 days).  Short-term parklets will accommodate short events such as sidewalk sales without requiring a full build-out of a parklet. Specific design requirements may not apply for short-term parklets and are noted in the Design Requirements.

You can be approved for a parklet by applying for an annual Right-of-Way (ROW) - Parklet Permit through the City’s APEX Permit Portal (please note this permit is still under development and will be available soon). This annual permit will include a fee specific to the parklet's length and the location of the parklet within the City, as well as additional processing fees. Applications will be evaluated based on the date received, application completeness, adherence to the parklet requirements, and quality of design. All parklet locations and designs must comply with the Parklet Requirements  and the Outdoor Dining Design Guidelines.

To apply, you must complete the following steps (further details are included in the full Parklet Requirements document):

Step 1: Pre-Submittal Meeting

• Contact T&ES - Mobility Services staff to discuss proposed location and design concept (max.devilliers@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4245)

Step 2: Outreach

• Garner the required approvals from the property owner (if not the applicant) and/or adjacent businesses (if parklet is proposed in front of another business)
• Provide notification to all businesses, neighborhood organizations (click here for list of email addresses ), and residents on the block where they are applying to host a parklet.
• The City will post a sign for 14 days at the proposed parklet location indicating a parklet is under consideration and inviting public comment

Step 3: Submit Permit Application(s) Documents into APEX

Application requirements:

• Site Plan showing the location of the parklet

• Design Plan showing the design of the parklet and how it will be constructed (including Maintenance of Traffic [MOT] plans)

• Proof of Outreach and Notice as required in Step 2

  • For a Letter of Support template to use, click here

• Certificate of Insurance 

• Maintenance Agreement

• Commercial Use Details – Supplemental Application (only applicable for businesses using the parklet for sales)

Step 4: Approval and Installation

• After all reviewers have approved, fees have been paid, and the maintenance agreement is signed by all parties, T&ES Permit Office issues the permit
• The applicant installs the parklet and calls for an inspection (parklet to be inspected by T&ES, P&Z, and Fire Department)

Step 5: Annual Renewal

• The City will send a reminder about permit renewals 30 days prior to the permit expiring. The reminder will note that, if the permit is not renewed, the parklet must be removed by the date the permit expires. 
• Permits will be approved for one year and can be renewed annually.  If there are no changes to the design and location, the permit will be renewed upon payment of fees and submission of updated documents (insurance, maintenance agreement, etc.)

In the fall of 2019, staff began to evaluate the feasibility of a potential parklet program for the City. The Parks and Recreation Commission and Traffic and Parking Board endorsed a two-year pilot program in February 2020. 

Parklets as part of this initial pilot program were only for public use—commercial use (sales, etc.) in parklets was prohibited until indoor restrictions related to COVID-19 precipitated the need for businesses to have outdoor seating. The state of emergency in the City allowed businesses to use all kinds of materials and set up on-street seating and vending spaces with relative ease and freedom as well as at no cost.

In October 2021, the City Council approved a permanent parklet program, which allows for both public and commercial parklets.

Check out these parklet designs from other cities’ parklet programs for inspiration.

Many local landscape architecture and design firms have expressed interest in designing these creative new public spaces. View a list of these firms and their contact information.

For more information or comments regarding the Parklet Program, contact Max Devilliers at max.devilliers@alexandriava.gov or by phone at 703.746.4245.

If you intend on hosting a Short-Term Parklet at some point between now and September 30, 2023, you will need to apply and pay for the Master Approval Permit (called a ‘Right of Way – Parklet Permit’ in our online permits system, APEX) in addition to applying and paying for Temporary Reserved Parking permits for each individual time that you want to host a Short-Term Parklet.

The permit application is pretty simple for the Short-Term Parklet Master Approval Permit and costs a one-time $100 fee (per year). You will need to submit a:

• Site Plan (very simple handmade drawing showing the parklet from an aerial view)
• Design Plan (very simple handmade drawing showing the parklet from a pedestrian’s point of view)
• Parklet Notice (signed; template attached)
• Maintenance Agreement (filled out and signed; template attached)
• Supplemental Application (filled out; template attached)
• Certificate of Insurance (details of mandatory coverage included under ‘Insurance Requirements’ in Parklet Requirements doc attached)

The Temporary Reserved Parking permits will still be obtainable in the same way and cost the same ($40 per metered parking space per day) as before.

Below are the conditions associated with the Master Approval Permit:

• This Master Approval Permit does not allow you to setup a Short-Term Parklet at any time—you must apply for and obtain separate Temporary Reserved Parking permits for the specific dates desired
• A business is limited to only 2 Temporary Reserved Parking permits per month, and a maximum of only 12 days total per month
• Short-Term Parklets shall not exceed location or sizing allowance; they shall not obstruct travel lanes, obstruct visibility, or impede pedestrian walkability, at any time.
• Access shall be maintained to crosswalks, bus stops, loading zones, and ADA ramps or access points.
• All Emergency Access Easements (EVE) must remain unobstructed at all times.
• The Parklet Host shall create a safe environment for patrons and the public.
• Parklets are permitted to have electrical services, but there shall not be any items (extension cords, underground feeds) crossing the public sidewalk that could cause a tripping hazard. The Parklet Host must obtain Fire Prevention Permits for any flame/gas items.
• The expiration date of the permit shall not exceed the expiration date of the Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI). The Parklet Host must provide an updated COI to Mobility Services and request an extension to the active Short-Term Parklet Master Approval Permit. All permits shall not exceed the program allowance dates.
• The Parklet Requirements also apply to Short-Term Parklets (parklets in place for less than 7 days). Specific design requirements may not apply for Short-Term Parklets and are noted in the Design Requirements section.
• Short-Term Parklets must ensure any barriers or furnishings are outside of the gutter pan (2-foot-wide space on the roadway along the curb) to allow water and debris to flow freely.
• If the Parklet Host intends to exceed the frontage of the Parklet Host’s business, the Parklet Host must obtain Letters of Support from any other properties to be fronted by the Short-Term Parklet.
• Short-Term Parklets are prohibited from being setup and in operation during event days (such as the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade) unless cosponsoring the event in question.
• This permit does not allow the Parklet Host to setup a Short-Term Parklet at any time. The Parklet Host must apply for and obtain separate permits for Temporary Reserved Parking for the specific dates requested. The Short-Term Master Parklet Approval Permit number must be included within the Description of each Temporary Reserved Parking request, and a copy of the approved Design Plan shall also be provided with each request as a supporting document.