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Identify Location

What are the potentials in your surroundings?

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Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under CC BY SA.

Guidelines

It's your responsibility to better your city

protection

When it’s not possible to obtain a permit, guerrilla designers should consider the following suggestions before acting

Do no harm

This doesn’t mean that everyone has to be happy, but designers should be secure that they are acting in the best interest of the public not themselves.

Involve the public

The most successful actions involve and engage the public, designers that wish for their actions to continue beyond their initial installation would be well served by planting the seeds of possibility in the public consciousness. 

Create reasons to return

Spaces that create a reason to return have the most potential to grow and change over time as the public engages and adds to them.  Making a lasting impact on your cultural surroundings

Contact Neighbors

This will be required by the city’s permitting process but it’s good practice regardless to identify stakeholders and involve them in some way.  Involving residents, landowners, & surrounding businesses can create a hub of related activity around your installation.

Be a Steward

The best projects aren’t just an single installation, they are an actively growing and evolving design experiment.  Don’t be afraid to update and improve the design based on observation.

Securing Permits

Working With City Hall

certificate
Temporary use in Seattle can be split between two different categories based on ownership of the installation location. Private property installations are handled via the City’s Building Department (DPD) & generally receive approval quicker than activities on public land, which must be permitted via SDOT in a process that can take up to three months.  Depending on your design you may wish to seek out a private host as these permits can also be more open ended while permits for public property are limited to what the City has dealt with in the past; festivals, parades, cafes, intersection painting, etc.

Use on private property

  • Temporary non-destructive installation of 4 weeks or less (type I) or under 6 months (type II)  
  • Cost:  Type I - Min. $272   Type II - Min. $363
  • Review Time: Varies based on scale (Same day up to 1 Month)
  • More info: CAM 206

Use on public property

  • Block Parties and Street Closures - Special Activities Event Permit

    • More Info about Block Parties: CAM 2500
    Cost: base fee of $232. Increases when review by other departments is required. (Ex. the fee for the Seattle Design Festival was $1200)
    Review Time: Must submit plans/application 30 days in advance of event

  • Festival Street - Reoccurring street closure with less than 300 attendees and no vendors. 

    • More info about Festival Streets: CAM 2504
    Cost: Based on size and number of events. base fee of $232.
    Review Time: submit plans/application 30 days prior to initial event.

  • Intersection Painting

    • More info about Intersection Painting: CAM 2506
    Cost: $232
    Review Time: Requires approval of 60% of neighbor ing homeowners. 10 business days

Parklets

Coming to Seattle in 2013

no-parking
The City of Seattle is exploring the potential of adding parklets to its downtown streets.  
Currently there are no firmly established guidelines and the public space management group has been directing interested parties to follow guidelines set forth by San Francisco’s Planning and Urban Research Association.

For the most up to date information designers should contact with SDOT’s Public Space Management Group.     http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/
Based on a year of touring parklets around the world here are a few pieces of advice:

Keep it public

Treating the parklet as private property has been a major failing among some of San Francisco’s Parklets.  While the parklets are maintained by private entities they are meant to be an extension of public space not an extension of private enterprise.  It’s important for a parklet design to be open and inviting to all or it simply becomes an inanimate object taking up space.

Consider permanent seating

In a similar vein, consider making seating integral to the design rather than adding temporary (and removable chairs).  Parks that had moveable seating were completely lifeless (and pointless) outside of business hours. 

Not all parklets are created equal

It’s not enough to simply turn a parking space into open space, consider what function your space is adding to the neighborhood and be true to your own goals, copying a neighbor benefits no one.  Parklets also work best when paired with a unique urban situation, the best were nearly always placed in neighborhoods or with businesses where they had an ample opportunity to succeed.

Contacts

Public and Private Contacts that can assist you.

Public Use

SDOT Special Events

Special events such as fairs, arts, art-centered performances, festivals, concerts, sporting activities and others. http://www.seattle.gov/specialevents/default.htm

Parklets

Jennifer Wieland

SDOT Public Space Management jennifer.wieland@seattle.gov

Private Use

DPD

www.seattle.gov/dpd/   -  206.684.8850

(Park)ing Day

Dawn Schellenberg

 http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/seattleparkingday.htm dawn.schellenberg@seattle.gov

Essentials For Events

Some useful items that may or may not be required based upon your scope of work.

Insurance

Permits on public property (& some on private property) require an insurance policy with a minimum of $1 Million in liability. 
More Info: CAM 2102
Cost: Event insurance varies based on scale but a policy that meets the city’s requirements can be obtained for as little as $150

Security

Security isn’t required but can be very helpful for multi-day events on public land.
Cost: Hourly costs can range from $28/hour for a private service to $58/hour for off- duty Seattle Police Dept. officers.

Other Essentials

  • Barricades

    • SDOT will provide you with explicit req.s for this category.  Barricades for a single block closure can be rented for approx. $160

  • Tents

    • Tents can range in cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.  The city requires that tents or enclosures over 500sf undergo review by DPD. However several vendors offer pre-permitted tents that have already been reviewed.  It’s simpler to layout your event with multiple structures under 500sf rather than enclosing under one shelter.

  • Generators

    • Generators over 5kw need an additional permit.  If you need more power than 5kw seek out a vendor like Hollywood Lights which will have permitted equipment. 

  • Fencing
    Fencing for beer gardens must be a min. of 42in tall.  Event services like Honey Bucket can provide you with city approved fencing.

Resources

A list of valuable contacts and resources when considering a temporary design

Design Guides/Manuals

Useful Rental Services

Shipping Containers

Honey Bucket

We were able to find containers in 10', 20' and 40' lengths. Coordination can be difficult as the containers are shipped one by one from Southern King County. 800.444.2371

Toilets

Honey Bucket

It's a good idea to have an estimate of foot traffic as that will determine your quantity and how often they should be serviced. 800.444.2371

Garbage

Cleanscapes

206.250.7500

Barricades

National Barricade

 You'll need your traffic plan from SDOT, which you'll receive after your special events permit is secured, in order to get an accurate estimate. 206.525.2402

Precedents

Examples from Around The World