Farmers market to stay at Pier Plaza

Eron Ben-Yehuda

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The City Council agreed Monday to permanently

relocate the farmers market and craft fair to Pier Plaza.

Once held along Downtown streets, the weekly event’s new location by the

beach has worked out well since the trial period began in January, said

David Biggs, the city’s economic development director.

The move has increased attendance and sales at the outdoor booths, which

hawk everything from fruits and flowers to handcrafted merchandise,

according to a city memo dated Monday.

The council voted 4-1 for the permanent relocation, with Councilman Dave

Sullivan objecting. Mayor Dave Garofalo and Councilwoman Pam Julien were

absent.

Sullivan said holding the event at the plaza defeats its original

purpose, which was to create a more family-oriented atmosphere Downtown

and help shed the area’s reputation as a hangout for rowdy youth.

Merchants successfully lobbied for the change in venue because they

complained the old setup hurt their businesses by closing off Main Street

to vehicular traffic from noon to sunset every Friday.

But Sullivan said the merchants are cutting their noses to spite their

faces.

“They don’t seem to realize that in the long run it will help their

business,” he said.

While the previous street location was easy to block off from traffic,

the increased congestion around the plaza during the summer may require

additional supervision by city staff at an annual cost of $5,000, Biggs

said.

The event takes up 73 beach parking spaces near the plaza, which could

mean lost parking revenue during the busy tourist season, Sullivan added.

But with 3,000 spaces in Downtown, there’s still plenty of room to park,

said Ron Hagan, the city’s director of community services.