New deal struck for Farmers Market

By: NICOLE SACK - Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 6, 2007 10:48 PM PST ∞

TEMECULA -- For months, the Old Town Farmers Market held on Saturdays has been the subject of dispute.

Despite the controversy, the council voted 4-0 Tuesday to extend a new five-year contract with the current operators, Gale and George Cunningham, of the Farmers' Market Management Company Inc., to continue the weekly event that draws thousands of visitors to the Old Town district each week.

While all sides of the debate -- the Old Town Merchants, the market operators and even patrons -- had to compromise on aspects of the venue operating on a public lot at Sixth and Mercedes streets, the council concluded that as a whole, all parties benefit from the event.

"Clearly, the farmers market has been an asset," said City Councilman Jeff Comerchero. "Yes, there have been some violations and thank you to the merchants for bringing those to our attention."

The market was found to be operating outside the permitted boundaries of the original contract, and has since been fined for those violations. Nonetheless, with the compromises in the new contract, the farmers market was viewed by council members as a benefit to all sellers in Old Town and the Temecula community as a whole.

"When the city makes an investment, the return isn't always in dollars," he said. "Our return goes greatly beyond that."

City Councilman Ron Roberts was absent from the meeting.

In July, the Cunninghams sought to expand the farmers market onto Sixth Street. During the review of the request, several issues were called into question by various Old Town merchants, such as the status of being a certified farmers market and whether nonagricultural items should be sold there.

The new contract requires that the market to be certified by the state. The Cunninghams are certified producers and have received their current annual certification from the Riverside County agricultural commissioner. That certification expires in August 2008.

In addition, food vendors must meet certain criteria to sell speciality food items such as soda, water, salsa, olives, cheese and smoked food items, as well as popcorn, doughnuts, crepes and tamales for onsite consumption.

Nonagricultural and nonfood vendors will be allowed on condition that they sell only handcrafted items, health care products, and other items related to the theme of the farmers market. The Cunninghams will be required to submit a quarterly list of vendors and a detailed list of the items they sell to the city for review and approval.

Alicen Wong, attorney for the Cunninghams, said it has taken the Cunninghams 12 years to build the market into what it is today: a success.

"It has become so popular that it has become the focus of a hostile takeover," she said.

Wong said the Cunninghams are committed to putting the market and the vendors first, even if it means they have to adopt the city's vision of how the farmers market should operate. She asked the city to possibly broaden the list of approved vendors that could be categorized as "guest vendors" to sell their goods two Saturdays per year.

The license agreement establishes the business hours for the market from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays. The property must be vacated by 2 p.m. and the market can not operate during the fall and spring Rod Run events.

Any Old Town merchant who wishes to participate in the market will be given first priority when space becomes available, according to the contract. The merchants will only be allowed to sell inventory that is part of their regular business. One vendor space will be set aside for new Old Town merchants who have opened a new store in the district, and they will be allowed to use the space for four weeks to advertise their enterprises.

Several speakers at Tuesday's meeting asked for the definition of "Old Town Merchant" to be more specific so the use of the booths wouldn't be abused.

Four vendor spaces will be reserved each week for nonprofit groups doing fundraising, under the contract's terms. One booth will be reserved for Old Town tourist information.

In exchange for the license, the Cunninghams will pay $400 each month for the use of the public land. The agreement will expire Dec. 31, 2012. The initial agreement between the Cunninghams and the city was struck in 2002.

Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.

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