RIYADH — The Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing intends to permit a number of commercial activities within public parks overlooking residential streets. Under the new move, permitted activities will be classified according to the size of the park. Parks with an area of 5,000 square meters or more may accommodate gyms and sports centers for men and women, entertainment centers, childcare facilities, non-residential senior citizen centers, and daycare centers for people with disabilities. The new initiative is aimed to support economic activities in residential neighborhoods and enhancing quality of life, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, particularly those related to fostering a vibrant society.The ministry has published the proposal on the Istilaa Public Survey platform. According to the move, the ministry plans to allows the retail sale of fresh and preserved fruits and vegetables, as well as hydroponic vegetable production, in parks with an area of 1,500 square meters or more.For parks spreading over 1,200 square meters or more, the decision permits the establishment of cafes, ice cream shops, outlets serving fresh juices and cold beverages, and retail flower and rose shops.The decision requires municipalities and local authorities to incorporate, within investment contracts for commercial activities in public parks, a commitment to comply with municipal licensing procedures and their executive regulations. Buildings must not exceed 25 percent of the total park area, in accordance with the regulations governing the disposal of municipal real estate, and must not compromise the park’s status as a public facility or alter its approved use.The ministry further stipulated that the park must be overlooking a street with a minimum width of 15 meters, and that newly developed commercial activities must not directly overlook residential streets. Building heights must comply with the approved regulations, with structures limited to a maximum of two stories.The proposed decision also specifies that, where the land is designated for an undeveloped park, the investor will be responsible for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of the entire park in accordance with approved technical requirements and guidelines. For parks that are already developed, the investor will be responsible for their operation and maintenance in line with the regulatory guidelines governing the operation and maintenance of parks and landscaping projects.The new move emphasized the importance of adhering to public park design standards set out in the Public Domain for Parks and Urban Interventions handbook and the Saudi Architecture Design Guidelines, in addition to complying with noise regulations pursuant to Article 48 of the Environmental Law.With respect to parks exceeding 5,000 square meters in area, the move requires the relevant municipality to conduct a comprehensive traffic study and implement its recommendations before authorizing commercial activities within such parks.Furthermore, a committee comprising representatives from the Ministry's Agency for Privatization and Financial Sustainability, the Ministry's Agency for Urban Planning and Lands, and the Ministry's Agency for Licensing and Project Coordination has been established to oversee the implementation of the decision and to examine proposals for adding, removing, or amending the activities permitted within parks located along residential streets.
