Council weighs new street-closing fees for block parties and commercial events

Fair Haven councilors discussed a proposed ordinance to add fees for street closings during the April 13 meeting, focusing on whether to charge a nominal fee for residential block parties and a higher fee for for-profit events.

Administrator/parks staff described current park-field fees (a $50-per-use rate or a greater-of-10%-of-registration) and said the borough presently assesses no fee for street closures. The draft approach discussed would charge a modest fee for block parties (suggested $50) and a larger fee for commercial or profit-making closures (suggested in the meeting as $300, with councilors proposing alternatives of $100 or $150). Council members expressed differing views: some favored consistency and a small charge to offset staff time and barricade logistics; others worried about penalizing neighborhoods or small nonprofits and suggested waivers or lower application fees.

Council asked staff and legal counsel whether the borough can legally differentiate fees for nonprofit versus for-profit applicants and whether an application fee rather than a per-use fee would be more equitable. The mayor said approvals already granted for 2026 would be grandfathered and council directed staff to draft fee options and return with a proposed ordinance after additional analysis and administrator input. A member of the public recommended an analysis of fees across borough facilities to avoid punitive outcomes for volunteers.

No ordinance vote was taken; staff will prepare a recommended fee schedule and legal guidance for the council to review.