Time To Start Planning Your Summer Block Parties
Yes, we realize that talking about summer block parties when temperatures are only forecast to reach the low 40s is cruel, but Thursday is the first day of spring, dagnabbit, and if you don’t get those applications in soon, you might miss your ideal party window.
Community Board 7 and the 72nd Precinct recently released their updated block party guidelines for 2014, and there are a few key points you’ll want to keep in mind:
The person applying for the block party permit must live on the block. If a church or other community organization is planning a party, but has no representative living on the block, they must have a co-sponsor who does live there.
Prior to submitting your block party request, you must obtain signatures from 51% of your block, showing support for the shindig. If there is a house of worship on the block, you must also provide a letter from the person in charge, ensuring that the event will not disrupt any religious services.
With regard to the signatures, only one person per household is allowed to sign, and they must be 18 years or older.
You may apply for two block party permits each year, but only one of those days may be on a Saturday.
No block party permits will be approved for the Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day weekends.
If the folks on 14th Street (between 4th and 5th Avenues) already have a party scheduled for Saturday, June 14, their neighbors on 14th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues) will not have an application approved for the same day.
The complete list of regulations, and the form required to submit your application, can be found here.
The Street Activity Permit Office requires a minimum of 90 days between the time you submit your application to the community board, to the date of the event. There is a non-refundable $25.75 fee to rock your block, and details on where to submit that money will be given once your application is approved by the community board.
Questions? Call Community Board 7 at 718-854-0003.