Organizers secure full Frost Shop lot, outline vendor rules and parking hurdles

Organizers of the Frost Shop activation said they have secured a lease for the entire dirt lot bordering Mercy Hospital and are preparing the site for vendors, seasonal markets and community activities.

The project lead, Zav DuBois, told the committee that a neighbor, Richard Donovich, agreed to let the organizers lease the full lot, rather than only the half closest to the hospital. DuBois said a conditional use permit (CUP) dating to 2012 already exists on the property, which reduces the need for a new permit but requires the organizers’ plan to align with the 2012 conditions.

Why it matters: the extra space gives organizers more room for vendors, beverage and food services and programming they say will help activate downtown. But county and state rules about parking and site improvements are still being resolved, and organizers estimate operating costs will exceed vendor fees for at least the first season.

DuBois described a recent county action that helped reduce up‑front costs: he said the Board of Supervisors voted three Tuesdays earlier to waive a $3,800 permitting fee that would otherwise have applied. DuBois also said county planners flagged a 2012 condition…