The Board of Public Works and Safety voted June 26 to rescind a prior approval for a full-street closure on the 6900 block of Jackson for July 4 and denied the closure request after neighbors presented competing petitions.

Tara Wilkerson, who said she lives at 6931 Jackson, told the board that she learned about the planned closure only on Friday and that "no one was notified until Friday. I come up here Friday to find out what was going on." She said many residents and guests have plans for the holiday and that several neighbors include older adults or residents with limited mobility for whom long walks to parked cars would be difficult.

Why this matters: the decision affects local residents’ access on a major holiday and underscores the board’s practice of preferring documented neighborhood consent for street closures.

The board reviewed two competing lists of signatures — petitions both supporting and opposing the closure — and staff reported that some addresses appeared on both lists. A staff member acknowledged initially not requiring signatures for the handful of closure requests received that week and said staff had attempted to gather signatures after a dispute arose.

After hearing public commentary and noting the conflicting petitions, a board member moved to amend a prior approval and deny the block-party street-closure request; the motion carried on voice vote. The board cited the presence of multiple senior residents and the lack of clear neighborhood consensus as the basis for denial. The applicant and neighbors were encouraged to work informally to reach a compromise for access and safety on July 4, but the formal city permit for a full-street closure was denied.

The board left the meeting open to additional public comment and answered questions about permit procedures, noting that signatures are "preferred" but not strictly required; staff said signatures help the city determine consensus and plan for emergency access.