Nonprofit proposes Saturday farmers market in Beaver; council asks staff to review church lease and logistics

Heather Harder, owner and manager of Festival City Farmers Market and founder of the Local Roots Foundation, told the Beaver City Council she wants to start a farmers market in Beaver on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., proposing a run from July 12 through Oct. 4 and the city park as the primary location.

Harder said the Local Roots Foundation would sponsor the market and subsidize vendor fees so farmers would not pay booth costs. “The proposed dates are July 12 through October 4, on Saturdays from 9 to 1 p.m.,” she said. She described the foundation’s vendor standards as “homemade, handmade, home‑grown,” excluding resale merchandise and multilevel‑marketing products, and said ready‑to‑eat vendors and food trucks would be regulated through the health department while the market would seek a permit from the Department of Agriculture.

The proposal drew practical questions from city staff and council members about site control and logistics. Council members and staff noted that a portion of the parkland is leased from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints and that the lease may restrict for‑profit uses. City staff said they would read the lease and confirm whether nonprofit sponsorship satisfies the lease terms. The council asked staff to check fishery and park facilities around the proposed parcels, parking capacity, and whether the creamery parcel the proposer initially considered remains available.

City Manager Jason Brown and other staff discussed logistics the market would require: weekly reservations of the park from roughly 7 a.m. to about 2:30 p.m. to allow setup and teardown; vendor canopies and tables provided by vendors; insurance naming the city as additional insured; trash and recycling plans; and street signage. Harder said the foundation carries liability insurance (she reported a policy of either $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 naming the city as additional insured) and that vendors would bring canopies and pack up each Saturday.

On fees and permits, the council suggested several options the city could use short term: a small reservation fee (examples discussed included $25) or a simplified seasonal business license for vendors rather than a full annual license. Council members asked staff to draft a recommendation and fee schedule and to shepherd the special‑events permitting process the city already uses for street closures and downtown events.

Council members raised signage and banner questions (pole strength and cross‑street banners were flagged as needing separate approval) and asked staff to confirm whether live music or amplified sound would require additional permits or noise approvals. Harder said the market typically includes live local musicians and information booths and would provide waste containers and seating.

The council did not take a formal vote. Instead members expressed general support and directed staff to work with Harder and city departments to: review the LDS church lease for the park parcel, confirm any leasing restrictions; compare alternative downtown parcels (including the creamery site and the open lawn adjacent to Main Street); draft a reservation/fee approach; and return with a recommended location and an events‑permit checklist. A council member summarized the outcome by saying staff should “work with Jason and walk it forward.”

If the council supports the final plan, the next steps described during the meeting include finalizing a site, completing the city’s special‑events form, confirming required permits with the Department of Agriculture and the health department, approving any temporary signage or banners, and documenting insurance requirements. Harder said the foundation’s goal is to reduce barriers for farmers and backyard producers by covering vendor fees through sponsorships and grants.

The city did not adopt any ordinance or change existing code at the meeting. Staff will return to the council with lease findings, a recommended location, and suggested permit/fee language for formal approval if needed.