De Pere, WI Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)

Section 22-8(b) is De Pere's mechanism for a neighborhood block party. Residents of the city may request to close a street for a period of time not to exceed 24 hours for the purpose of a neighborhood gathering, with the request forwarded to the director of public works and the police chief for review. Those two officials weigh five factors before deciding: the specific location of the street to be closed, the duration requested, access for emergency purposes, any public works projects already affecting the area, and any other factor bearing on whether closing that stretch of right-of-way serves public health, safety and welfare.

Once the director of public works and the police chief both approve, the ordinance states plainly that no further action will be necessary to permit such temporary street closure, so a resident does not need a separate common council vote or a formal special-event permit to hold a one-day block party once those two officials sign off. If the request is denied instead, the applicant is entitled to be heard before the common council at its next regular session, giving a rejected applicant a direct path to appeal the denial to the full council rather than simply losing the request.

The same section 22-8 also requires a permit for placing goods, merchandise or displays in a street or on a sidewalk, and separately cross-references sidewalk cafe permits under section 106-6(a)(2), but the 24-hour neighborhood street closure in subsection (b) is a distinct, simpler process aimed specifically at resident-organized block parties rather than commercial or organized public events.