Park Planning in a Pandemic

In pursuit of a grant for park development, Los Angeles County engages community members virtually to gather input and design a new park.

2 minute read

October 6, 2020, 11:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Even before COVID-19, it was difficult to secure grants through California's Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program funded by Proposition 68. The process was extremely competitive and there were simply not enough funds to satisfy all of the requests from cities and counties across the vast Golden State.

Things are even more challenging this year as the pandemic and associated public health orders have made it very difficult for park agencies to conduct any in-person engagement activities. Community engagement factors heavily in the evaluation and scoring of grant applications, because the state wants to ensure that park proposals reflect community input and a rigorous and comprehensive planning processes.

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) was able to secure Prop. 68 grant funds for four park projects in underserved communities last year. Building on that success and seeking to address the need of more communities, DPR is again working on grant applications for various projects, including the proposed Primmer Park in the unincorporated community of Littlerock in the Antelope Valley.

As Julie Drake reports in this article, DPR, with the assistance of consultants from MIG, recently held an on-line meeting to gather public input and design the new 3.5-acre park. While using Zoom to engage residents might be less than ideal, the meeting went well, with productive discussions and general agreement among participants on a design that incorporates a variety of amenities to meet the needs of all segments of the community.

Sunday, September 27, 2020 in Antelope Valley Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA