Setting a few tables and chairs atop Astroturf on a small stretch of street where cars used to be doesn’t strike us as particularly park-like, but that’s what passed for a "parklet" in at least one U.S. city. The urban aesthetic generating interest in Honolulu and throughout the United States is more accurately described as sidewalk widening, commonly achieved by installing pleasant outdoor seating areas along commercial corridors, especially near restaurants.

Such pedestrian-friendly additions are welcome in appropriate neighborhoods, even if it means losing a few parking spots on the adjacent street. But parklets should never be considered a substitute for high-quality green space, especially in areas that are being completely overhauled and therefore present more substantial, permanent opportunities to transform the urban core.

It’s important to make that distinction, and to take an unvarnished view of parklets based on other cities’ experiences, as Honolulu’s City Council moves forward with a resolution encouraging their construction on Oahu. The Transportation Committee has approved Resolution 13-290 asking the city to facilitate three, yearlong demonstration projects; Kaimuki, Kapahulu, Kakaako, Moiliili, Kailua and Kalihi were named as prime test sites. The full Council considers the resolution next week.

Since the first parklet popped up in San Francisco, enough cities have followed suit that urban planners have numerous case studies to examine. In the best-case scenario, a community association or nearby business takes on the expense of designing, installing and maintaining a safe, attractive seating area where a parking spot or two used to be; the parklet makes it easier for pedestrians to traverse the area, adds to the neighborhood’s charm and attracts customers to nearby businesses. In the worst-case scenario, a poorly-sited parklet is not maintained and becomes a magnet for homeless people.

These conflicting realities are apparent in "Reclaiming the Right of Way: A Toolkit for Creating and Implementing Parklets," which the University of California at Los Angeles’ Luskin School of Affairs published in 2012 based on research in seven cities. The report makes important policy recommendations that Honolulu should follow, even during demonstration projects. Among them:

» Pick the right site. Parklets work well on streets that have residual parking and where vehicle traffic is not too heavy. The speed limit should be 25 mph or slower. They should be in a commercial, high-density residential or mixed-used area where foot traffic already is healthy.

» Pick the right partner. Successful parklet sponsors include adjacent business owners, who are responsible for funding construction and maintaining the space, which is open to the general public. Sponsors should carry $1 million in liability insurance.

» Streamline the permitting process. Part of the appeal is that parklets are relatively easy to design and install.

The community value of this concept rests in the execution. Neighborhoods that want parklets should give them a try, and be ready to rip them out if what was envisioned as an asset turns out to be an eyesore.