The Malibu Farmers Market is in its 18th year and, as a Cornucopia Board Member and regular customer to the market, I am very concerned that LA County has not yet renewed their lease. The clock is ticking and despite verbal assurances from the county that the construction project for Santa Monica College will not impact the Sunday Farmers Market, they have spent the past six months stalling with no commitment regarding the Farmers Market remaining in its current location during the construction. We need the Malibu City Council to get involved and help work out a win-win solution for everyone.
The Malibu Farmers Market is a beloved institution within the Malibu community. Debra Bianco has hired a very experienced consultant and an expert witness in the construction field, both of whom have deemed that there is absolutely no reason why the construction equipment and the market vendors cannot coexist on Sundays. There is room in the parking lot to accommodate both the market and the construction equipment.
Another noteworthy consideration is that when City Hall was remodeled, they had all the construction equipment come around to the back at the upper parking lot. There are solutions, but the city council and city attorney will need to conduct meetings with the SM College construction representatives to determine a positive outcome. Otherwise, we will lose our wonderful farmers market.
Not only is the market at risk, but all the small business owners who make up the approximately 70 vendors that are part of the market will be greatly impacted if the market has to close. On top of this, the citizens of Malibu and all the visitors from the surrounding areas who regularly travel to Malibu on Sundays to shop, eat and socialize at the market will be robbed of a very valuable community amenity.
Please help find a solution to the above and work towards a win-win solution for everyone.
Lee LaPlante