PORT ANGELES — The Saturday Farmers Market will remain on Laurel Street for another year, but close down in November and December to help downtown merchants during the holiday shopping season.
The Planning Commission approved the compromise by a 4-3 vote early Thursday morning following seven hours of testimony, staff reports and discussion among board members.
Farmers Market Marketing Director Jelorma McClean also will update the Planning Commission in six months on her efforts to find a new permanent site. The update is supposed to include specific timelines for a future relocation.
“We need to compromise to operate through October and meanwhile we can be meeting regularly,” McClean said.
“I’m glad the compromise was helpful.”
Group to form
Efforts to allay merchants’ concerns will be addressed by a group facilitated by Port Angeles Community and Economic Development Director Mark Madsen.
The group will include Port Angeles Downtown Association Executive Director Arla Holzschuh, two or three Farmers Market members and two or three Downtown Association members.
“We will see what we can do to see how to make the Farmers Market work downtown,” Madsen said.
“We can encourage them to look at alternatives now that the permit process is finished.”
The Port Angeles Farmers Market’s conditional use permit to close Laurel Street between Front and First streets on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. was operating under a 90-day extension.
Farmers Market representatives went to the Planning Commission, seeking a three-year extension that would expire in May 2008 at the same time as the permit for the Wednesday Farmers Market.
The compromise permit approved Thursday morning expires Aug. 10, 2006.
Conditional use permits are approved by the Planning Commission without City Council review, although they can be appealed to the council.
