Three is a crowd

0
254

In response to the Times article last week on the three applications for the Farmers Market, and to all the calls and e-mails wondering when our Cornucopia Farmers Market was re-opening, we would like to clarify some facts. For the five seasons we held the City’s CUP for the Sunday Farmers Market, we thought the City only issued one CUP, especially since others had tried to be the market operator. Having struggled through three years of finding solutions to the City’s zoning glitch, a City/County glitch, and having put our application in for the CUP last year, we were stunned to find out, as of February, that the city was processing two more applications.

In questioning Gail Sumpter of the City of Malibu, we were told that the City had no choice but to issue a permit to everyone and anyone, so long as their applications met the requirements. Just several days later, Ms. Sumpter contradicts it. “She did not know if the commission (Planning Commission) would be able to approve permits for more than one applicant.” Again, a turnaround of what we were told as to why the City was processing another two applications.

As for as John Edwards, of Raw Inspiration, the out-of town market applicant, saying he had not received any letter from us, we find that disingenuous. We have faxed to the Times a signed receipt dated Feb 22, 1907, for that same letter sent certified mail to John Edwards. Mr. Edwards statement that Raw Inspiration is “gradually separating” from the controversial California Certified Farmers Market, is both an admission and an indictment of the “joined at the hip” relationship with that organization. So closely linked are they that even the mailing addresses, suite numbers and phone numbers are the same.

Of the third applicants, Jeannie Yamamoto and Cameron Losey, we have left phone messages in order to speak with them, but to no avail. To everyone in Malibu, please be patient. Hopefully our Farmers Market will be up and running in the near future. One could never have imagined that a simple idea for a Farmers Market in Malibu would require the negotiating skills of a Kissinger.

Debra Bianco, president

Cornucopia