The Dillon Town Council is interested in exploring the possibility of creating a policy and permitting process for allowing neighborhood block parties.

Dillon Town Council member John Woods at the Town Council meeting Tuesday, July 23, said the Corinthian Hill neighborhood where he lives has been planning a block party but recently learned that a special use permit would be required.

“Nobody has ever done this before so clearly we don’t have a policy for neighborhoods or (homeowners associations) or communities within the community to have a block party,” Woods said.

Woods noted that the Corinthian Hill block party has applied for a special use permit from the town but he said Dillon Town Manager Nathan Johnson told him, “he wasn’t sure whether the Council would go for it.” He said the neighborhood has already set a date and made other arrangements for the block party.

Mayor Carolyn Skowyra said the Town Council could instruct town staff to look into what other communities allow block parties and how they implement policies to allow the community celebrations.

Council member Dana Christiansen said he thinks that creating a permitting process for block parties is “a great idea,” and noted that he used to have block parties regularly at the first home he and his wife bought in California.

“We had block parties for the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day,” Christiansen said. “It was a great way for the neighbors to get to know each other, for the kids to play together. We put up a volleyball net. Friendly competition. It was really good for the neighborhood.”

Town Manager Nathan Johnson said one hurdle for the town is that there isn’t currently a fee schedule for how much it would cost to rent out town equipment, staff or vehicles to help with a block party. 

“We don’t have a policy either,” Johnson said. “So we’ll do some research and try to bring something back.”

Council member Rachel Tuyn asked whether Corinthian Hill could just do an “informal” block party.

But Woods said that to have a block party, the community would have to close the street.

Public Works Director Scott O’Brien noted that a liquor license would also be required for a block party that wanted to allow for alcohol consumption on the street.

Woods said that the event organizers at Corinthian Hill are prepared to cancel the block party if they can’t get the required approvals from the town.

Skowyra noted, however, that if the street wasn’t closed and the party stayed on people’s lawns, there would be no issue.

“Seems like the answer is, if you don’t use the street, you don’t really have a problem,” she said.