Achieving Equitable Distribution of Urban Park Green Spaces: A Case Study of Zibo City, China

Rapid urbanization has intensified inequalities in the distribution of urban green resources, making green equity a critical concern within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This study examines Zhangdian District in Zibo City, China, a representative “Whole-Area Park City” pilot area. This study integrates 1 km population density grid data with GIS network analysis, space syntax, population-weighted service pressure assessment, and a location–allocation model. Using these methods, it evaluates four categories of urban parks from the perspectives of spatial distribution, road connectivity, and social equity. The results reveal that vehicle and cycling modes achieved nearly complete 15 min coverage, whereas pedestrian accessibility remained insufficient. Walking accessibility for comprehensive parks reached 77.69%, whereas that of community parks and petty street gardens was below 33%. Population-weighted analysis further suggests that more than 78% of residents, concentrated in dense central–western neighborhoods, are served by only 21% of total park area. The Gini coefficient of per capita park area reached 0.4765, indicating substantial inequality in park green space allocation. After optimization through the addition of 76 new parks, improvements in road connectivity, and construction of a slow-traffic system, the Gini coefficient decreased to 0.4053, representing a 14.9% reduction. Meanwhile, the population below the national standard declined from 78.09% to 40.64%. These findings reflect spatial accessibility and area-based equity, while actual park service value also depends on park quality, facilities, and user behavior. This study provides quantitative evidence for equity-oriented park planning and a replicable framework for sustainable urban green space planning.