Council renews farmers market depot lease as Maritime Plaza area expands

Anacortes City Council authorized a renewal of the depot lease with the Anacortes Farmers Market on May 12, updating exhibits to reflect an expanded lease area tied to the Maritime Plaza project.

City staff said the farmers market had an existing lease signed in 2020 that had not been renewed and that the renewal corrects maps and exhibits to show the lease area rather than an easement area. The new exhibit reflects the extended plaza area and the depot location near Market Street and R Avenue. Staff said the lease sets conditions for rent, facility use and shared office space arrangements and that the city will provide a corrected Exhibit B before finalization.

"We have had a lease with the farmers market that was signed in 2020, and then it was not renewed," the staff presenter said. He described the current action as largely a housekeeping renewal to reflect the Maritime Plaza expansion.

Councilmembers discussed the market's economic role and connectivity with downtown. Councilmember Young suggested exploring ways to better link the market and downtown to boost both, and Councilmember McDougal asked whether the market could provide aggregate annual revenue figures; staff said those figures were included in a county grant presentation and can be provided to council.

A motion by Councilmember Walters, seconded by Councilmember McDougal, authorized the renewed depot lease with the replacement Exhibit B. The clerk recorded affirmative votes from Walters, Cleland McGrath, Moulton, McDougal, Hubick, Fantini and Young; the motion carried.

Staff said the lease term and renewal mechanics are set in the agreement and that the city will deliver the corrected exhibit showing lease boundaries prior to execution. The council did not set a new future termination date at the meeting; staff said the lease document runs through the end of the year unless renewed and will be updated in the final document if needed.