Wilmington, NC Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)

Section 11-9 gives the city manager broad, standing authority to block off, or have blocked off, any street or sidewalk, or any portion of one, whenever in the manager's judgment the occasion warrants it, and to allow obstructions on the closed street or sidewalk for as long as reasonably necessary. That authority covers everything from utility work to neighborhood block parties, and the manager can delegate it to department heads as needed for their duties, rather than personally signing off on every closure. Once a street or portion of it is blocked off, the code requires that appropriate traffic-control devices be placed at or near the approaches to the closed area, warning drivers that the street is blocked and that vehicles may not pass those devices into the closed section.

There is no separate published fee schedule or written application form set out in Sec. 11-9 itself; the authority is administrative and discretionary, running through the city manager's office rather than a board hearing. A related provision, Sec. 11-11, requires a written permit from the city engineer before anyone moves a structure or building over a city street, bridge, or paved sidewalk, with its own application, appeal, and bonding requirements, showing the code treats different kinds of street use separately rather than under one blanket event permit.