SIDE STREETS: Neighborhood street parties threatened by red tape

Back in the old days, Colorado Springs residents could call the parks department, pay $25 and get a couple barricades delivered to stop traffic on their street for a few hours so neighbors could get acquainted, grill a brat and dance in the street.

It was called a block party.

Today, it's known as "community building."

Whatever you call it, the idea is as valid as ever: If you make friends with your neighbors, your life is enriched and you are more likely to pay attention to strangers coming or going. This gives everyone greater security. It's good stuff.

Typically there were 25 to 30 city-sanctioned block parties a year.

But that was the old days.

Now, due to dramatic budget cuts and staff reductions in the parks agency, it can no longer afford a block party program and coordinator to process permit applications, underwrite the insurance for street parties, alert emergency agencies of closures, schedule delivery and removal of barricades and subsidize the cost of these activities.

Since 2008, these duties have fallen to the police department. The process is no longer a simple one.

Neighborhoods are complaining about demands for a dozen pages of information, names and phone numbers, traffic studies, insurance policies and unreasonable advance notice.

So, many have stopped asking permission and started holding rogue parties.

They put out trash cans and lawn chairs to block their streets and eat, drink and dance. No permits. No fees. No ridiculous red tape.

But no coordination with emergency services, either.

The police recognize this is a problem and recently asked the City Council to adopt an ordinance defining how parties should be handled.

The ensuing discussion offered an interesting glimpse of our new council.

Bernie Herpin, Jan Martin, Brandy Williams and Lisa Czelatdko want to encourage block parties.

"To me, it's a matter of informing the city that we would like to have a block party," Herpin said. "Here's the time, date and location. I'd rather see this as an informal thing, not asking permission. I think it got blown out of proportion."

Then there's Councilwoman Angela Dougan, who says city streets are for cars only.

"I'd rather see an ordinance that we do not allow blocking off our streets," she said. "If you do, we treat it like blocking a fire hydrant; we might just put a hose right through your car because it wasn't supposed to be there."

And call out the Gestapo?

Anyway, the council told police to rethink its ordinance and, more importantly, meet with the Council of Neighbors & Organizations to get input for the folks actually trying to build community. What a concept!

Just maybe, before the summer block-party-season is over, neighborhoods will finally know whether they can legally eat, drink and dance in the streets.

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Author: BILL VOGRIN