Catoosa County, GA Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)

Unincorporated Catoosa County folds neighborhood block parties into its general special events framework rather than issuing a distinct block party permit. A gathering that closes a street or sidewalk qualifies as a 'special event' under Section 10-176 if it takes place on a public right-of-way or otherwise affects government services or public safety, which brings it under the permit requirement in Section 10-177 and the application and fee process in Section 10-178. Once an event is permitted, Section 10-193 separately requires that any complete or partial closure of a street, sidewalk, or other public way be approved by the director, defined as the county manager or a designee, in consultation with the sheriff, whose department also handles the traffic and crowd control for the closure under Section 10-188.

If the block party will include tents, arbors, stages, or grandstands, Section 10-192 requires those temporary structures to be approved separately by the director of the Catoosa County Building Inspection Department. Overhead banners marking a start or finish line, or other small decorations that do not interfere with traffic or damage trees or public structures, need that same Building Inspection Department approval under Section 10-194, and the producer must take them down within 48 hours after the event ends. Because the sheriff and building inspection director sign off through the special event review process rather than through a stand-alone closure application, a resident planning a block party should build in the same advance lead time and administrative review window that any other special event requires before assuming a street will actually be closed.