Raw Inspiration cites its experience in operating more than a dozen markets in the Los Angeles area, while Cornucopia Foundation, which ran the last market in Malibu years ago, calls itself a mom and pop shop that serves the communities’ environmental learning needs.
By Sherene Tagharobi / Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu residents looking for fresh, local produce may soon be able to find it at a farmers’ market right in their hometown. But contention over who can operate a market in Malibu means it could be a while before that is possible.
There are currently two organizations vying for the city’s approval to run a farmers’ market on property owned by the County of Los Angeles on Civic Center Way, in the parking lot in front of the courthouse and Malibu Library.
Both the Cornucopia Foundation, a local nonprofit that ran a market in Malibu years back until improper permitting was discovered, and Raw Inspiration, a nonprofit that runs a number of markets in the Los Angeles area, have applied to the city for conditional use permits, or CUPs.
As this paper went to press Tuesday night, the Planning Commission voted to postpone its decision on whether to grant Cornucopia’s permit. Raw Inspiration has yet to secure a hearing date.
If and when they are granted CUPs, both Cornucopia and Raw Inspiration will need to obtain license agreements from the Los Angeles County Real Estate division, Ha Ly, associate planner for the city, said, because the proposed site for the farmers’ market is county property. Until they do so, their CUPs will be invalid, she said.
John Edwards, consultant for Raw Inspiration, said he is “rather perplexed by the city of Malibu.
“How do you pick one and not the other?” Edwards asked. “It doesn’t seem fair.”
However, Mayor Andy Stern said Cornucopia applied for the permit before Raw Inspiration did.
Still, there is a great deal of confusion over what would happen if both Cornucopia and Raw Inspiration were to obtain the necessary permits, or if that is even possible.
“It’s an interesting dilemma,” said Christopher Montana, manager of property management for Los Angeles County. “We’ve never really been faced with a situation where two applicants are looking for the same use of one property.”
Raw Inspiration hosted a “Meet and Greet” at Bluffs park last Friday. A handful of Malibu residents in attendance showed their support for the organization.
Cameron Losey, director of the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe program in Malibu, said Raw Inspiration has his support because its existing farmers’ markets are well received in other communities. Losey added that Raw Inspiration has the overwhelming experience and vendor contacts.
Debra Bianco, president of Cornucopia, likened her foundation to a mom and pop shop, and Raw Inspiration to a chain restaurant.
“Does it make the service, the quality of food better just because it’s a chain? I don’t think so,” Bianco said.
But Raw Inspiration supporters and employees maintain that their experience running more than a dozen farmers’ markets in the Los Angeles area is valuable.
Raw Inspiration already has a large pool of farmers and vendors it can bring to Malibu, Edwards said. And he said he’s confident their market would be successful in Malibu because the clientele is comparable to that of Pacific Palisades and Calabasas, where they already run markets.
Malibu resident Sandy Mitchell said she stopped going to Cornucopia’s farmers’ market after the first year it opened in 2000 because it started to go down hill. It wasn’t worth waiting in beach traffic, she said.
Bianco defended Cornucopia’s market, saying it was indeed a success.
“If people didn’t want one thing, we’d drop it and figure out what they did want,” she said.
Bianco also said that Cornucopia has been serving the Malibu community for many years, which makes it a more viable candidate than Raw Inspiration.
“The revenue from our farmer’s market will go toward our environmental center,” Bianco said, “and it’s really important that people link it together as one. The money not only stays in the community but it goes toward educating our kids and adults on environmental education.”
Raw Inspiration is also willing to work with Malibu community organizations, Edwards said. “I think it’s great to have a choice,” said Georgianna McBurney, a Malibu resident. “Both [Cornucopia and Raw Inspiration] look good. Malibu needs a farmers’ market.”
The details of Tuesday night’s Planning Commission meeting can be viewed online Wednesday afternoon at www.malibutimes.com