MLU-3.5aUpdate the Placemaking Ordinance to better support mode shift, to increase accessibility, walkability, and activate public spaces

Placemaking allows residents to reimagine and reinvent spaces in their neighborhoods to cultivate a sense of community. Resident-driven placemaking projects create gathering places, showcase public art, illuminate landscapes, beautify forgotten parcels or illustrate the area's cultural vibe. Placemaking projects are temporary, small-scale developments in the public right-of-way or on private property. The City's Placemaking Ordinance was introduced and passed by City Council in 2018.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spaces as Places program was established as an emergency ordinance to allow businesses to continue operating outdoors while protecting public health. The unprecedented success of activating public spaces led the Planning department to propose permanent regulations and design standards to City Council in 2021.

Spaces as Places transforms the public right-of-way and private property into flexible pedestrian and recreation spaces through the use of Streetaries, Active Sidewalks, Outdoor Dining on Private Property, and Promenades. The program offers numerous benefits:

• Enhances active transportation and supports the City’s climate goals
• Increases mobility and accessibility
• Strengthens community relationships
• Supports businesses and creates economic opportunities in underserved communities
• Promotes equitable distribution of sustainable development

Spaces as Places executes the mission of the Placemaking Ordinance through regulations, zoning, permitting, and fee collections to activate public spaces while increasing mobility for all users.