The Planning & Zoning Board on Nov. 4 approved a variance to the city's minimum off‑street parking requirement to allow a Sunday farmers market at 3560 N. Ponce de Leon Boulevard, the property that houses Spooner Seafood House.

Applicant Jeremy Butcher told the board the market would operate on Sundays in the restaurant's back lot and that the restaurant is closed on Sundays. "We're just trying to run a farmer's market on the day that our we have a existing business there now, Spooner Seafood House. And we're closed on Sundays," Butcher said during the hearing.

Staff had advised the board that the variance standard requires identification of a "singular disadvantage" and noted the code uses 1 space per 100 square feet for outdoor market display area. Board members pressed staff and the applicant for numbers: staff estimated roughly 25 to 30 on‑site parking stalls shown on the submitted site plan and said parking needs depend on stall size and count. Board member Paul Pappas said the ordinance allows "joint contractual use of off‑street parking facilities for two or more structures or uses" and questioned whether parking must be met for all uses simultaneously.

After discussion about limits on variances running with the land, the board approved the variance but tied the approval to the specific facts of the application. The motion granted the variance "only for this specific application and this applicant; it does not run with the land," and the board recorded the requirement that Schooners not operate on Sundays and that the market operate on Sundays only. Christina Tucker made the motion; the roll call vote recorded Tucker, Ashley Barnes, Carl Blow, Paul Pappas and Susan Johns voting yes.

Neighbor comment included a concern about trees and a possible eagle nest near the site. Resident Barbara Douglas asked the board to confirm that marked pine trees would not be removed; the applicant said survey flags were placed by surveyors and that the flags were used for the site plan.

The board's approval explicitly limited relief to the four corners of the current application; staff advised that wording was the typical means to ensure the granted variance does not automatically transfer to future owners.

Action: Motion to approve variance PZB2025‑0075 to eliminate minimum off‑street parking for the proposed farmers market at 3560 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd., granted for this applicant and this application only; market limited to Sundays and Schooners not to operate on Sundays. Vote: 5–0.

Why it matters: The decision allows a neighborhood‑oriented farmers market to operate in an existing commercial parking area while attempting to preserve the board's ability to limit long‑term, land‑running variances.