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Neighbor seeks permit for Leroy Street potluck block party; committee advises accessibility steps
Summary
A resident asked the committee to approve a curb closure for a family-focused potluck on Leroy Street; committee members pressed for clear pedestrian access, emergency access lanes and outreach to adjoining commercial tenants.
A Manhattan resident asked the Community Board’s Street Activities and Resilience Committee on Tuesday to approve a neighborhood block party on Leroy Street that would close the street briefly for a potluck-style gathering of neighbors.
The applicant, Megan Bird, said she plans an all-day, family-oriented potluck on the sidewalk and cobblestones of Leroy Street between Greenwich and Hudson on Oct. 4, with setup starting about 10 a.m. and cleanup by 7 p.m. "It has been a grand idea of mine to host a community block party," Bird said, describing "old style traditional potluck" arrangements and saying she would keep the event informal and open to neighbors.
Committee members pressed the applicant on accessibility and safety. The chair, William Banish, reminded Bird that the committee routinely requires a clear five-foot pedestrian path and a 15-foot emergency lane in the roadway. "You have to keep 15 feet in the street…for emergency vehicles," Banish said. Bird agreed to keep a five-foot sidewalk clear and to leave 15 feet open in the street for emergency access; she told the committee she would also seek barricades and cones from the local police or borrow from nearby agencies.
The committee also advised Bird to contact adjacent commercial tenants and nearby block associations. Bird said she had consulted Mary Anne Arisman, who runs a nearby block association, and Greenwich Village preservation advocates, and that the event would be run by the local Libra Street Flourishing Society.
Bird confirmed she would not use amplified sound or commercial vendors and that food would be potluck-style with guests asked to label ingredients. Committee members recommended posting a volunteer on-site and keeping a first-aid kit available; Bird said she would staff the event and supply a basic medical kit.
The board did not take a final vote during the presentation; staff told Bird the SAPO application status would be visible in the permitting system and that the Community Board would not make a formal recommendation until the full board meeting on Sept. 17.
The committee left the applicant with clear conditions to include pedestrian and emergency clearances, outreach to affected neighbors and businesses, and signage and staffing to keep the sidewalk accessible.
Looking ahead, the applicant will receive an update through the SAPO system and was reminded that backup dates require separate applications.
