Port Townsend, WA Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit type
- Temporary use / event permit
- Issuing authority
- Police chief + PCD director
- Who may apply
- Any person, for right-of-way use
- Max duration
- 180 days (shorter for events)
- Review track
- Type I administrative permit
Summary
Closing a Port Townsend street for a block party requires a temporary use/event permit under PTMC 17.60, with the police chief setting street-closure conditions.
No temporary use shall be permitted within the city except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. A temporary use permit is required for temporary uses... Any person may apply for a temporary use permit within a public right-of-way. ... The chief could grant a permit holder the right to use portions of streets or sidewalks (subject to conditions to maintain public access and ensure safety).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
PTMC 17.60.020 requires a temporary use permit for any use of a public right-of-way, and any person may apply for one covering a street. Under PTMC 17.60.055, the police chief (with planning and public works) sets conditions when issuing an event or temporary use permit for right-of-way use, including granting the permit holder exclusive use of a street or sidewalk segment while keeping minimum public-access standards. Permits run through the planning and community development department as Type I administrative approvals and are valid up to 180 days, though a one-day block party would be conditioned for its actual dates.
Violations & Fines
Closing a street or blocking public right-of-way without an approved permit is unpermitted right-of-way use; the city can deny, condition, or abate the encroachment and the applicant covers abatement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any resident apply for a Port Townsend block party permit?
Who decides how much of the street can be closed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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