Will Plaza merchants reap what Farmers Market sows?

The Tuesday night Farmers Market would rotate its crops later this summer, moving from the Plaza to adjacent city streets for four weeks, in a plan approved Wednesday night by the Community Services and Environment Committee.
“Let’s take it to the streets, have some fun and see how it goes,” said Public Works Director Melinka Bates, who prepared the staff report recommending the temporary move. The idea germinated at the Sonoma City Council as a way to drive more business to Plaza retailers.
The plan, which now goes to the city council for approval, calls for the Farmers Market to relocate to First Street East on the nights of August 11 and 18. About 40 vendors would place their booths in the center of the street, which would be closed to auto traffic between Napa and Spain Streets. A similar set-up would be employed on First Street West, August 25 and September 1.
The seed of the idea planted last summer with the success of the Market’s one-night move to First Street East, forced by paving work inside the Plaza horseshoe. According to Bates’ report, the realignment drew positive feedback from vendors, attendees, event organizers, CSEC commissioners and city council members. “There was a great response,” she told the meeting. “People said, ‘You should do this more often.’”
The vendors have approved the move, said Farmers Market event manager Hilda Swartz. “They enjoyed it last time. They want to come back, my board wants to, and I want to. It’s good for the city.”
As for the Plaza merchants, “they’ve always had a love-hate relationship with the Farmers Market,” Bates said. The event draws a big crowd, some feel, but doesn’t generate significant sales among the retailers. But in a survey about the relocation sent to 115 businesses, Bates said she received only 30 responses, with 17 opposing the new alignment.
It would bring the Market’s foot traffic close to the storefronts, and retailers will be encouraged to extend their hours and, within guidelines, display merchandise outside their shops. “I hope the merchants will try something new,” Bates said.
Moving the Market will also lessen wear and tear on its usual location. The foot traffic of all the events on the Plaza compact the soil, threatening trees, and beats up the lawns already subjected to the hot summer sun. Garbage and recycling would be easier to manage, as well, “Let’s give the Plaza a little breather,” Bates said.
The four-week shift will cost the city about $2,500, according to staff projections, to cover street barricades and sanitary units.
As originally proposed, the rotating locations for the Farmers Market included Spain Street. Though approved with some reservation by Police Chief Bret Sackett, the commission ruled it out as a risk to public safety. Closing Napa Street, a state highway, was never an option.