Kent, WA Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)

KCC 6.07.090 states the city may permit closure of a portion of a street or road within Kent, but no closure of any duration or length may occur except under a director-issued permit. The director may grant the permit only when the closure is consistent with general public health, safety, and welfare, and may condition issuance on a written agreement regulating emergency vehicle and local resident access during the closure, procurement and posting of a bond, cash, or proof of insurance sufficient to cover damages and cleanup costs, an indemnity agreement or deposit under KCC 6.07.140 and 6.07.150, and use of city-approved signs and barricades.

A neighborhood block party that closes even one block falls under this same street closure permitting authority, since the chapter applies to closure of any street or road of any duration. Permits for street closures tied to special occurrences expire on the date the director sets as the event's ending date (KCC 6.07.160(C)). Applicants seeking to combine a block party with other public-place uses may instead request a master use permit under KCC 6.07.100, letting the director consolidate insurance and conditions for multiple uses under one approval rather than separate permits for each activity.