What is required to host a Play Streets event?

• Community-led and supported event
• It must be free and open to the general public
• Be on a block that is not part of a bus or transit route
• Take place between 9 a.m. and dusk, but no longer than 8 hours. This includes time reserved for set-up and clean-up time. 

Who can apply to host a Play Streets event?

Any Charlotte resident may apply to use their street for Play Street activities up to 8 hours on any given day. A Block Party permit is required to host any activity on public streets. Permits are reviewed and approved by the city’s special events program. 

Information about the City of Charlotte’s Block Party Regulations and Petition can be found at this site, or by reading below.  

The City welcomes such activities and Charlotte Department of Transportation is prepared to assist. If interested, take the following steps: 

1. Please submit a completed petition at least 30 DAYS prior to your event to ensure time for proper review. Petitions submitted with less than 30 DAYS before your event may not leave time for all agencies to review and may result in denial of your event.
2. Read the Block Party Regulations. 
3. Print & Complete the Block Party Request and Petition. 
4. Complete the petition form by acquiring signatures from 75% of the residents on the affected portion of the street being closed and return it to CDOT. Fax the form and petition to CDOT at 704-632-8140 or mail to:
   • Department of Transportation
     Engineering & Operations Division
     600 E. Fourth Street
     Charlotte, NC 28202

A representative from the Public Service & Communications Division will contact you when your permit is approved and will help guide you as to where to close your street and what equipment to use. 

Important Note: The City does not provide barricades to block streets. Residents are required to provide their own barricades.

Remember that streets must be closed from block (cross street) to block (cross street). For instance, you cannot block off a portion of a street in front of only a few homes.

Live in a town in Mecklenburg that is not Charlotte? Not a problem. Send us an email (PlayStreets@OpenStreets704.com) so we can assist you with getting the proper paperwork and approvals completed.  

What are the permit requirements?

• Play Street events cannot span more than 1 block. Make note the closure of multiple blocks requires additional time to complete planning, permitting, and securing traffic control for cross traffic at the intersections. 
• Event organizers must have a neighbor notification plan at the time of permit request. We encourage organizers to talk to their neighbors first BEFORE applying for a permit. This will help with scheduling and ensure you’re not conflicting with any construction, personal event, or any other event that might be severely impacted by street closures. All neighbors must be notified at least 5 days before the scheduled event day. For assistance with flyer generation or notification materials, please contact the Play Streets program manager at PlayStreets@OpenStreets704.com
• Event organizers must provide a detailed traffic control plan to be approved by local law enforcement and special events staff. This plan must include information about the location of street closure, placement of barricades, type of barricades, and special instructions for garbage bins. 
• Additional requirements might be made once the event request has been submitted for review. 

Need Help Securing activities for your event?

Our Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation partners are pleased to offer access to their Meck Rec and Roll van for use during a Play Streets event. The Meck Rec and Roll van features games including cornhole, Jenga, and Connect Four, as well as, athletic opportunities such as soccer, pickleball, and other ways to play! 

Park and Recreation staff will be on-site throughout the event and will bring the van to you. If your organization is planning a community gathering and would like to request the Meck Rec and Roll van, please complete a request form. Please submit this form at least 30 days prior to your event. All services are based on availability. We will consider events occurring in less than 30 days on a case-by-case basis. If you need assistance filling out this form, or for this form to be provided in an alternative format, please contact Jason Tryon – jason.tryon@mecknc.gov

Why we need Play Streets

Did you know that over 18% of all Mecklenburg County residents were physically inactive in 2019? While there are many reasons why people are inactive, having an opportunity to move around your neighborhood should not be one of them! Bringing people of all ages together to enjoy their neighborhoods, improves wellbeing for youth and older adults alike. Intergenerational play may increase physical activity, reduce feelings of isolation, and build community, which can reduce chronic disease

Play Streets is intended to benefit all types of neighborhoods, but particularly those that lack proximity to recreation spaces and connecting bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.  Access to recreation is a social determinant of health, meaning it is an external factor that has a heavy influence on individual health. Play Streets 704 aims to reduce disparity of access to recreation spaces by bringing opportunities for play directly into the neighborhood.