Hot potato still up in the air at council

By Marge Ann Jameson

Despite testimony from former Mayor Dan Cort and Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado – who is on the board of Farmer’s Market operator Everyone’s Harvest – plus two former councilmembers (Scott Miller and Ron Shenk) the Pacific Grove City Council could not find a majority to approve support of a change of location for the market.

Instead, they will continue deliberating at the May 19, 2010 meeting.

Many members of the public also spoke, the majority of whom urged the Council to put the matter to rest no matter which location they chose. Speakers agreed that the matter has gone on long enough.

The agenda item called for the council to direct the Planning Commission, next to receive the hot potato, to hold public hearings at the time Everyone’s Harvest applies for an amendment to its use permit to allow it to move to a location on Central Avenue at Grand, in the area of Jewell Park and the Museum.

It should have been simple, as the Planning Commission technically has the first role as regulator while the City, as landowner, is in second position.

The discussion bogged down around questions of public input from the surrounding neighbors on the location choice, and on the question of whether the Market should be allowed to open its doors to vendors outside of Pacific Grove. The council also requested clarification on requests by Everyone’s Harvest to respond to certain other needs they have before they actually apply for the amended Use Permit.

City Attorney Dave Laredo pointed out to the Council that it is not within their purview to conduct the public hearings, that it is the function of the Planning Commission. Everyone’s Harvest had requested that the city council hold the hearings to provide public input.

Community Development Department has the function of arranging for input from Public Works, Police and Fire regarding questions fire and safety clearance requirements, Laredo said. Preliminary individual input from each of those departments has been gathered and mitigating measures which prevented the Market from using that Central Avenue location in the first place can be put into effect, making the Central and Grand location viable in the future.

Everyone’s Harvest has also requested signage, which, according to City Manager Tom Frutchey, was approved two years ago and never put in place.

A two-week delay will allow time for public input from neighbors living within the prescribed distance from the Market. One neighbor, the Museum, has already weighed in and is enthusiastic about the move. Museum Director Lori Mannel, according to testimony, will ask her board to consider opening the Museum on Mondays when – and if – the Farmers Market moves in.

The council lined up with Deborah Lindsay, Lisa Bennett and Bill Kampe voting no, and Ken Cuneo, Alan Cohen and Mayor Carmelita Garcia voting for the agenda item. Councilmember Robert Huitt was on an excused absence from the meeting.

“If the city really does want to make this work it still needs the requirement that the Farmer’s Market has to initiate the amendment and we have not made it attractive for them to do so. I think we need to do that first,” said Bill Kampe.