“Much
of what makes a great market is identical to what makes a great public space.”
David O’Neil, Project for Public Spaces
From the farmers market stakeholders’ perspective, it seems the application to amend the
special use permit for the plaza to be privately controlled and operated is not in the best
interests of the farmers market. One, the amendment goes against the original conditions that
gave the design the winning edge in the design competition. Second, a privately owned and
controlled plaza no longer meets many of the criteria determined to be necessary for successful
markets. Three, a non-public space is not democratically controlled and goes against the grain
of our history and concept of markets as public spaces. Finally, the process that led to the
request for the special use amendment did not involve any market stakeholders. The Vendor
Advisory Board, customers or advocates were not part of negotiations to hold the market on a
private space and no vision or plans for the future have been shared except to say there will be
a 99 year lease to continue the market on Saturdays. Without the vision, mission or plans for
the future market, it is difficult to interpret the SUP amendment as beneficial for the market.
The 2011 City Market task force recommended that the farmers market, a public market since
its inception, should be the anchor of a public/private mixed use development as a way to
achieve a permanent home for the market. During the ensuing design competition, the market
community was assured that the market space would be a public space on two of the designs,
the Market Plaza and the WVS design. The two public space designs were stronger because
they met several criteria determined by the Market Task Force and market consultant Market
Ventures to contribute to a markets’ success:
Permanence
Minimal user conflicts
Could Flexibility in public use
build on the success of the weekly outdoor market
Could accommodate phased growth of City Market
Create a dynamic downtown place that attracts the region’s residents and visitors
The amendment for the market space to become a private space eliminates and does not
advance the above criteria that gave Market Plaza the winning edge. The design is no longer an
enhancement for the City Market. The plan to have the market just the way it is, one day per
week for 99 years, with no plans for building on the success of the current market or plans to
accommodate phased growth misses the point of a permanent home for the market altogether.
A privately controlled space will be too restrictive on the market’s ability to grow and evolve to
meet future opportunities and needs.
On a publicly controlled space, if stakeholders have issues with market development, use of
space or changes in venue, development or direction, they can solve problems democratically.
Once the city gives up any rights to the space outside of 8 hours a week, as the Planning
Commission discussed, it will likely be difficult to negotiate future market enhancements
because private interests do not have to consider public good or make the market’s interests a
priority. During the search for a permanent home for City Market, the city turned down
relocating to the Ix property because it would be on a private space. The farmers market
cannot compete with private interests.
Decisions about our public market should be transparent and serve the interests of all the
stakeholders who have a wealth of backgrounds, experience, knowledge, resources, ideas, and,
most of all, a strong commitment to the success of the local market. A way to put all this talent
together and guide the future market would be to create a new market board that will work on
the vision to achieve the multitude of benefits public markets bring to communities that will
not happen if left to private interests, a vision that incorporates the new opportunities
presented in the original public space design. With the proposed amendment, there is no
mention of going year round, expanding days of operation or types of markets (as suggested by
the consultants), even though the Saturday market is overcrowded both with vendors and
customers. The public benefit of markets is significant job creation, agricultural preservation,
positive health impacts and bringing people into the city who spend money at other businesses,
restaurants, etc. And perhaps the biggest impact of all is the creation of value in the
surrounding area and the positive perception of downtown as a vibrant place to live, work,
invest and spend quality time. With the public investment in the space, markets can be
sustainably run.
Deciding to put the market on a rented lot for 99 years, no matter how pretty the lot, is not
serving the best interests of the market for the future.
Currently the market provides services under several organizations. Parks and Recreation
handles the logistical set up and management of vendor spaces, vendor mix, and rules and
regulations. Market Central offers the SNAP and debit token system, a yearly farm tour, food
education, market demos and market advocacy. In 2015, the non-profit Green Blue, began a
recycling and composting project, in collaboration with the City Parks and Recreation, the Black
Bear Composting Company, and many volunteers. Furthermore the Tom Tom Founders Festival
has continued to increase activities at the market, this year sponsoring an iron chef competition
and other food-related activities. Non-profit organizations also have access to the public at the
market. For these important functions to continue, the new market should consider a unified
management that would coordinate functions, collaborating on mission and goals, providing
services in a more economical fashion under shared leadership.