City May OK Move by Farmers’ Market

It has faced resistance every step of the way.

But many in the community have spoken out in support of the move, and on Monday night, the Saturday morning farmers’ market could get final approval to relocate two blocks west.

The City Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 501 Poli St.

When the move was proposed, Don Goolesby of Attic Treasures in the 300 block of Main Street filed an appeal, saying the market would eat up valuable Saturday morning parking.

But last month, over the protests of Goolesby and some other downtown merchants, the Ventura Planning Commission unanimously approved the market’s move to a city parking lot at the corner of Santa Clara and Palm streets.

The battle heated up when Sharyn Taylor, owner of Antique Accents in the 300 block, filed a second appeal, demanding that the market reduce its current hours of 8:30 to 12 by one hour. The appeal also asked that the city require a review of the coastal development permit--which allows use of the new lot--after 18 months.

This time the farmers’ market fought back, launching a campaign of its own. For the last two Saturdays, Karen Wetzel Schott, operations manager of the nonprofit cooperative that runs the market, handed out hundreds of preprinted cards--meant to be mailed to City Hall--supporting the market’s present hours.

Since then, a deluge of letters has flooded into City Hall. About 550 of them--mostly preprinted forms, some with letters attached--expressed support for the market’s present hours, according to the city manager’s office. Another 100 opposed them.

Construction of a four-story parking structure at the market’s current location near the corner of California and Santa Clara streets is forcing the move.