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Parks staff to study Bicentennial Oaks site for new farmer’s market while Public Works study continues for rear parcel
Summary
Parks staff presented a recommendation to pursue preliminary planning for a relocated farmer’s market at Bicentennial Oaks and said the county hopes to begin construction in 2027; the parks commission had voted unanimously to recommend the idea and the committee voted to forward the recommendation to the board.
Parks staff asked the committee to recommend preliminary planning to explore locating a county farmer’s market at the front half of the Bicentennial Oaks property. The parks commission had previously voted unanimously to recommend that county staff study the site; parks staff said commissioners recently passed a separate resolution that allows the county to study the back half of the property for a new Public Works building.
The presenter said the property is roughly 100–105 acres adjacent to the courthouse campus and that staff’s concept would explore using the front half for a market (slightly more active use than the passive recreation initially described in prior actions). Staff described vendor concerns about parking and visibility at the existing market site and said vendors prefer a location visible from Telegraph Road and the county campus.
Staff said the county’s construction target for a relocated market is spring/summer 2027, though that timeline is subject to planning and grant conditions. The presenter said the county expects to use HUD grant funding tied to the project and that a full plan will be needed before funds can be released. Staff acknowledged there are wetlands in parts of the front parcel and that historic orchard uses have left lead contamination in some soils that would require excavation and controlled disposal.
Commissioner Gioia and others asked questions about site access, traffic flow and whether the existing market site might be repurposed (staff said decisions about the existing site would be a separate board decision and noted the existing site has been eyed as a possible location for an emergency operations center). The presenter said the vendor preference and parks commission recommendation justify proceeding with preliminary planning and that a final plan is needed to secure grant funds.
The committee voted to recommend preliminary planning to the full board.
