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Commission approves Sanford Avenue block‑closure for Feb. 22 with 10 p.m. cutoff after merchants’ request
Summary
After merchants requested a street closure to serve customers during Porchfest day, the commission approved a Sanford Avenue block party closure through 10 p.m., with police support to help clear the street and limit outside music. Neighbors had urged limiting noise and duration.
The Sanford City Commission approved a street‑closure request for a Sanford Avenue block party planned for Feb. 22, the same day as the city’s Porchfest, after local business owners asked to close the street to allow outdoor service and to capture foot traffic.
Greg Pacora, owner of Wapsop Spring Company, told commissioners his businesses cannot handle the volume on Porchfest day without a street closure that would allow them to serve customers outdoors; he said the closure would have no outside vendors and — as requested — would end at 10:00 p.m. so businesses and residents could begin to clear the area.
Several commissioners and nearby business owners expressed concern about noise and the impact on residents if the event continued late into the evening. One commissioner said she appreciated that there would be no stage on the street and asked that the closure be enforced so that, after the park’s grand finale, music and street activity wind down. Staff noted that police officers would be on site to assist with closure and to encourage patrons to move inside their businesses at the agreed time.
Outcome: A motion to approve the street closure, with the 10:00 p.m. end time and police assistance, passed unanimously.
What to watch next: The event organizer and city staff will coordinate logistics and police staffing; the commission asked staff to clarify enforcement signals (for example, when bands stop playing and cleanup begins) to ensure a timely shutdown.
