Host a neighborhood block party

If you are only closing the street and not putting any tables or tents or other objects out on the street, you don’t need a site plan.

Example: “Trick or Treat” closures where the only thing happening is a closed street for people to gather and walk.

Otherwise, create a map – by hand or on a computer - that shows the block and everything you want to place on the street. Remember to keep sidewalks clear and unobstructed. Include:

• Measurements for the street width
• Any features of the street, like traffic islands
• Fire hydrants
• Driveways
• A 14’ wide emergency access lane running the full length of the event
  • We recommend having the lane run down the center of the road, not on the side.
  • People can be in the emergency lane during the event, just not objects like tents, or tables/chairs.
• Where you’ll put everything, like tents, bounce house, tables. Write down the dimensions, including height.
  • For tables and chairs, you can just show the area where they’ll be, rather than each individual item.
  • 10x10 pop-ups are allowed. These are small booths that have a ceiling only, no walls.
• Where you will place barricades (see step 10)

You will upload your site plan as part of your permit application (see step 3).

In the application, we’ll ask you for:

• Contact information
• Event details
• If it’s a repeat event
• Site plan (upload)

Apply

After you submit your application, City staff from several departments will review it. We may need more information or revisions.

When your application is complete, we will email you a link to pay online within five business days.

Let us know if you need to pay with a check or money order, or if a City office is going to pay your application fee.

We can’t refund or transfer fees.

(Fees go up on July 1 each year.)

We approve block party permits at online public hearings with ISCOTT. ISCOTT stands for the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation. It is managed by SFMTA Special Events staff.

We will schedule your event application for a hearing date and notify you at least one week in advance. You can usually request a date that works for your schedule if you apply in advance.

The committee meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of most months. In November, there's only one hearing (2nd Thursday), and in December, hearings are on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays.

We require event organizers post notices about the public hearing when:

• The event is new
• There is a history of issues or concerns

In those cases, we will email you the notice to be posted and instructions 10 to 14 days before the hearing. You must follow the instructions to print and post the notice at the event location at least a week before the hearing.

You will also need to submit a declaration confirming that you posted the notice. Take photos as proof.

You may need to do extra outreach before the hearing. This usually means collecting signatures from the surrounding community to confirm they know about the event and they support it. We will provide a sample form to use to collect signatures.

After the hearing, remove the notices. Submit another declaration to confirm the removal.

Your application will be reviewed at a public hearing of ISCOTT.

• If your event is simple and recurring, we place it on the consent calendar. This means it’s considered routine and there won’t be any discussion of your event. You won’t need to attend the hearing, though you're welcome to join and listen in.
• If your event is complex and/or new, your item will be placed on the regular calendar and you will be expected to participate in the hearing.
  • Hearings typically last 1-1.5 hours, starting at 9am. We schedule block parties to go first in the agenda, and they are almost always done by 9:45am.
  • You’ll give a short (1–3 minute) summary of your event, location, and activities.
  • The committee may ask you questions, followed by public comments.
  • After that, the committee votes on your application.

If approved at the hearing, you’ll get your permit by email.

You’ll need a permit from the Entertainment Commission if you plan to have entertainment or amplified sound. This could be live or recorded music or sound.

If you’ll need any additional permits, we note it in your permit.

City departments may also raise it in the hearing or contact you directly afterwards.

We don’t recommend getting “No Parking” signs from SFMTA for most block parties.

We want to avoid towing your neighbors’ cars.

Instead, plan your event to work without it. Hand out informal flyers a few times the week before and ask neighbors to move their cars.

You may still need “No Parking” signs if your street is narrow or you’re planning something that requires that specific curb space be empty, like a bounce house.

Whether or not you post “No Parking,” you still need to allow some local access. 

During the event:

• If someone needs to move a car parked on the street, help them exit safely through the barricades.
• You must allow access to driveways and garages. If someone needs to drive in or out, walk them through the event to keep everyone safe.
• Don’t let new cars enter to park on the street once it is closed.
• Don’t allow any delivery vehicles access to the block.

Rent A-frame barricades (Type I or II) and cones from a private vendor or SF Public Works. After your permit is approved, email dpweventrequest@sfdpw.org to rent them from SF Public Works.

Equip barricades with flashing lights if your event goes past dark.

Refer to your approved site plan when you set them up, but remember:

• Put the barricades no more than 6-8 feet apart, from curb to curb. Barricades should be on the side of the crosswalk closest to the intersection. Put a “Road Closed” sign on a barricade facing oncoming traffic.
• You are responsible for setting up, monitoring, and removing the barricades.

If your event isn’t closing the full length of a block, put barricades to separate the event from the open part of the block.

Put a regulation “Road Closed to Thru Traffic” sign, at the entrance of the block, against the curb on the right-hand side of the street when facing the entrance to the block.

Place at least one adult at each barricade. Their role is to:

• Make sure barricades aren’t moved
• Help people get to their garages
• Facilitate emergency access

If the block is small, one person can monitor the barricades at both ends.

The monitor needs to be able to move barricades quickly in case of an emergency.

Equip each monitor with:

• Reflective vest
• Flashlight (if after dark)
• Copy of your event permit
• Their photo ID

Monitors can help direct drivers to alternate routes. They will make sure no vehicles enter the event except for emergency responders or official paratransit.