The Town of Frisco is once again making parklets available to businesses on Main Street and on the adjacent avenues from June 10 – October 21, 2025, which includes one additional week compared to last year’s program. In 2020, Frisco’s parklets were constructed using funding from the Colorado Department of Transportation’s “Revitalizing Main Streets” grant program. The goals of this grant opportunity included:
- Encourage active transportation and healthy lifestyles through improvements to the vitality of downtowns, mixed-use centers, and community gathering spaces.
- Support economic development and increase opportunities for businesses to thrive.
- Imagine innovative, community connecting uses of public spaces.
Parklet Program Details
Businesses located on Main Street and the adjacent avenues may apply to have parklets placed in front of their business. Parklets are 10 ft. x 10 ft. and may only be placed in the parking spaces directly in front of a business. There are 30+ parklets available, and they will be assigned on a “first apply, first approved” basis. Parklets are scheduled to be installed by the Frisco Public Works Department on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 and will be removed on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
Through discussions with Town Council and Town staff, there are some changes to the parklet program, which include an increase in parklet fees from $300 to $500 to cover some of the Town expenses, including labor, maintenance, and improvement of parklets. This year, businesses will be charged $500 per 10 ft. x 10 ft. parklet for the full season from June 10 – October 21, 2025 (for example- if a business has two parklets then they will be charged $1000 for the season). Bistro string lighting is available at an additional cost of $75 per 10 ft. x 10 ft. parklet. And Frisco Sanitation District, which is a separate district governed by a Sanitation District board will also be implementing a $40 sanitation fee per parklet.
If businesses are approved for a parklet, they will be required to sign a Town of Frisco license agreement and provide a certificate of insurance listing the Town of Frisco as additionally insured for up to 1 million dollars in general liability. If businesses wish to extend their existing liquor license onto their parklets, then they will need to apply for a liquor license extension through the Frisco Town Clerk’s Office and be prepared to pay a fee of $300 to the State of Colorado for this application. Anyone who indicates that they wish to extend their liquor license will be put in touch with the Town Clerk’s office once their parklet request is approved.
Use of Sidewalks for Seating and Displays Not Permitted
Per Frisco Town Code, obstructions or improvements on Town property are not allowed unless permitted through a revocable license agreement or a right-of-way permit (ROW). Right-of-way permits are typically used for temporary, construction-related uses of the right-of-way, while revocable license agreements are used for more permanent improvements, landscaping, or temporary commercial uses such as parklets. While the Town has required license agreements for parklets, there have been many smaller commercial uses in the ROW, such as restaurant seating and signage encroaching in the Main Street ROW.
During the January 14, 2025 Town Council work session, it was determined that business activities may not spill onto the sidewalks. This decision was made due to an ongoing and heightened concern about the accessibility and safety of Frisco’s sidewalks, with business activities more regularly encroaching onto public property and sidewalks, and potentially obstructing pedestrian access, especially for community members with mobility issues.
This use of public property/sidewalks for business uses is not permissible under Town code, and it was determined that in the interests of safety and access, this prohibition on the use of sidewalks for seating, merchandise displays, or any other type of commerce during any time of year will be enforced starting May 1, 2025. Council subsequently decided to continue to make public property available for business use through the parklet program, which results in businesses having the opportunity to expand during the summer months while still preserving access to public sidewalks, free of obstructions.
Sandwich Boards on Sidewalks
Sandwich boards are allowed in front of the businesses they are advertising with some restrictions:
- Maximum Size: Thirty inches (30”) in width and three feet (3’) in height.
- Maximum Number: One per business, shall only be displayed during business hours.
- Location: Not permitted on public rights-of-way or sidewalks
- Main Street Exception: Main Street businesses are the exception and are allowed to place a sandwich board on public property, specifically the brick paver portion of the sidewalk adjacent to the street. Sandwich boards on Main Street may not be placed on any other area of the street or sidewalk- just on the brick pavers. Main Street businesses are still limited to one sandwich board only per business and can either display that sandwich board on their own property or on the paver portion of the sidewalk.
- Businesses Not on Main Street: Sandwich boards in areas other than Main Street may only be located on the business’ property and not on public property, including sidewalks, parking lots, or streets.
Parklet Request Deadline
Businesses will have until Monday, May 19 to fill out the parklet request form located below. For more information or questions, contact Jessica Dastous, Communications Coordinator at JessicaD@townoffrisco.com or 860-230-4569.