San Francisco is a city set in the midst of immense beauty, with
ocean and waterscapes and large parklands nearby (such as Point
Reyes National Seashore, and Golden Gate National Park). Yet,
nature within the dense, highly urbanized neighborhoods of this
city is much more limited. The city is an international leader
in sustainability, aspiring to produce all the energy it needs
from renewable sources and to become “zero-waste” by 2030, but
increasingly recognizes the need to ensure San Franciscans have
more nature nearby and closer to home. Partly in response to
this need the City has become a pioneer in promoting the
creation of small urban spaces, from street parks to the
pavements to parks program to the creation of so-called
“parklets”. San Francisco’s Ongoing Open Space Efforts Pavement
to Parks Program Analysis (SFSU Urban Studies and Planning
Senior Seminar Students Selina Weiss and Lindsey Sonnen)