Guadalupe business group seeks downtown parking lot for weekly farmers market; council gives location consensus

Stephanie (GBA Farmers Market committee) asked the City Council on Feb. 25 to designate the downtown city parking lot on the 800 block of Guadalupe Street as the site for a weekly farmers market and to waive or reduce event fees, provide limited police supervision, allow use of city trash receptacles and offer storage at City Hall for vendor equipment.

The market organizers asked to run the market Sundays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., with vendor setup at 11 a.m. and breakdown by 4 p.m. They said the market would include fresh produce, cottage foods, arts-and-crafts booths, portable toilets with warm-water wash stations required for vendors, a Market Match/EBT redemption mechanism, and a small performance space around an existing gazebo. Stephanie said the group has identified a market manager willing to serve initially and that the Dune Center received a grant that can be used only for marketing; the group still needs funds for health- and ag-department permits, market-manager pay and equipment such as pop-up tents and weights.

The request prompted questions from council members about parking, timing and costs. Council members and staff said they preferred the downtown city parking lot because it places the market in the central business district and may benefit downtown merchants, but they also noted conflicts: churches and other community groups already use the lot on Sundays. Council members asked organizers to consult those groups and for staff to examine parking overflow options, including use of the old Far Western/Dune Center lot as overflow parking subject to liability/cleanup arrangements.

City Administrator Todd said the council could not formally approve the market on the application until the council took action at a future meeting, but he and other staff agreed to work with the GBA and the farmers market committee to put the logistics in place. Council members expressed a consensus to pursue the downtown parking lot as the preferred location and directed staff to return with more information and an agreement or memorandum of understanding covering city responsibilities — including police supervision, trash disposal, portable toilets, electrical needs and storage — so council can take formal action at a later meeting.

Representatives from Fresa and the Guadalupe Business Association (GBA) said they had done outreach and community surveys indicating Sunday afternoons were the preferred time for many families and that the market would prioritize CalFresh/EBT and Market Match to improve food access. Maria (Fresa) told the council the Dune Center grant that supports planning is about $26,000 but cannot be used for permitting or operations; organizers will need additional funds and requested the city’s help identifying fee waivers or reduced costs.

Council members and staff flagged next steps: the GBA should provide a vendor application, operating procedures, the proposed market manager’s name and an estimate of city costs for services; staff will review permitting requirements, public-safety needs, parking/traffic implications and possible MOU language. The council did not adopt any ordinance or motion on Feb. 25; staff will bring a formal agenda item for council action once the application packet and staff review are complete.

Organizers and community groups said they hope the market will become self-sustaining and help local residents use CalFresh/EBT benefits. Several council members praised the effort and asked staff to prioritize a follow-up report to address liability, parking, security and public-works needs.