Novi, MI Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)

The City of Novi treats a block party the same as any other temporary street closure: under City Code § 31-9, it is unlawful to close a City of Novi street, highway or alley, or any portion of one, without a permit issued by the director of public services in the Department of Public Works. There's no exemption for a one-day residential block party; a request goes through the same review as a contractor's excavation or utility closure. The application has to state the time and date the street will close and the time and date it will reopen, plus whatever additional information the director requires, such as which block is affected and how traffic will be handled.

The director will not issue the permit until satisfied that adequate arrangements have been made for handling traffic during the closure, which in practice means organizers need a plan for detours, barricades and access for police and fire apparatus along the closed block. Chapter 31 sits under Public Works because the same office issues right-of-way, culvert and driveway permits, so a block party application is filed alongside routine infrastructure work rather than through Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. Because § 31-9 does not carve out neighborhood social events, organizers should apply well before the date they want, since the code gives the director open-ended discretion to withhold approval until the traffic plan is adequate. Closing a street without first securing the permit triggers enforcement under § 31-10.