Board approves 2025 pilot to close multiple blocks of North Morris Boulevard for Halloween trick‑or‑treating

The Village Board approved a one‑year pilot program on Sept. 15 to permit multi‑block closures on North Morris Boulevard for Halloween trick‑or‑treating under the village block‑party permit process. The pilot requires a neighborhood volunteer to serve as block‑party captain, placement of heavy vehicles or barricades at specified closure points, on‑site keys for heavy vehicles, signatures of impacted residents as with standard block‑party permits, and a safety meeting between the captain and the police chief prior to any closure. Staff requested completed permits by Oct. 1 to allow coordination. Trustees said the pilot is intended to allow residents to test a pedestrianized Halloween corridor while preserving public‑safety review and resident notification; the recommendation follows Public Works and committee discussions and included a map of heavy‑vehicle placement for closures. The motion to approve the pilot passed by voice vote, 4–0. Trustees said the pilot will be re‑evaluated and that staff will consider equipment upgrades (such as modular vehicle barricades) and notification steps if similar events are requested in future years. Ending: If residents secure the required signatures and the captain completes the permit and safety review by the Oct. 1 requested deadline, staff will process the closure under the pilot procedures; otherwise the pilot can be revisited next year.