Grand Forks, ND Special Events & Permits: Parklets (2026)
Key Facts
- Installation season
- May 1 to November 1 only
- Construction bond
- $5,000
- Maintenance bond
- $1,000
- Annual renewal fee
- $25
- Late fine after 24-hour cure period
- $100 per day
Summary
In the City of Grand Forks, a business in the B-4 central business district can install a parklet in an on-street parking space only from May 1 through November 1, and must post a $5,000 construction bond plus a $1,000 maintenance bond before the planning department issues an encroachment permit.
(E)Parklet. A parklet reimagines part of the street into a public space. Parklets are intended as aesthetic enhancements to the streetscape as extension of the sidewalk, providing an economical solution to the need for increased public open space. Parklets provide amenities like seating, planting, bike parking, and art. ... (F)Parklets may be placed from May 1 to November 1. Approved Parklets shall be permitted for installation from May 1 to November 1 due to street maintenance needs and must be designed for easy deinstallation. All approved parklets are temporary installations and are subject to removal per the encroachment permit. ... (C)Required maintenance and construction bond. Applicants shall be required to present construction bond, surety, or letter of credit to be approved by the city for the purpose of ensuring the costs of maintaining and/or removing the parklet are covered. The amounts to be covered shall include five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for construction and one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for maintenance.
Full Breakdown
City Code Section 18-0312 governs use of the public right-of-way in the B-4 central business district, defining a parklet as reimagining part of the street into a public space, an extension of the sidewalk offering seating, planting, bike parking and art as an economical way to add public open space. Section 18-0312(3)(F) limits the parklet season: approved parklets may be installed only from May 1 to November 1 because of street maintenance needs, must be designed for easy deinstallation, and remain temporary installations subject to removal under the encroachment permit.
Applicants need a design professional, a licensed architect, contractor or engineer, to seal the plans and supervise installation under Section 18-0312(6)(A), and Section 18-0312(6)(C) requires a construction bond, surety or letter of credit covering $5,000 for construction and $1,000 for maintenance before approval. Site selection rules in Section 18-0312(6)(F) require a posted speed limit of 25 mph or less, bar parklets along DeMers Avenue and North 5th Street due to state DOT control, require the site sit at least one parking space (about twenty feet) from an intersection, and prohibit parklets in bus zones or in front of fire connections, hydrants, manholes or catch basins. Permits run for the calendar year issued and require annual renewal for $25, and unauthorized encroachments are subject to removal by the city.
Violations & Fines
Section 18-0312(13) sets no fine for a violation remedied within twenty-four hours of a notice of violation, provided the permittee had no notice of violation in the prior twelve months; otherwise a fine of $100 per day accrues until the violation is remedied, with each day and each item of noncompliance treated as a separate violation, and the city can also remove the encroachment, seek an injunction, or suspend other permits at the permittee's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time of year can a Grand Forks business install a parklet?
How much does a parklet bond cost in Grand Forks?
Can a Grand Forks business put a parklet on DeMers Avenue?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Forks
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