Arlington’s efforts to create a farmers market reached another milestone with the presentation of feasibility survey results to the Community and Neighborhood Development Committee (CND).
The current project is in the early stages of development, Long Range Planning Manager Patricia Sinel said.
“It is still very early in the process,” said Sinel. “The work I have done to date is regarding feasibility and the desirability of farmers markets in Arlington and is based on direction from city council.”
The city has not seen a farmers market since the closure of The Downtown Farmers Market, now Hayters Bar and Lounge. The farmers market was granted a special use permit by the city in 2009 as a part of its 2004 Downtown Master Plan.
However, other options could include private property or public parks, pending the approval of certain permits.
The feasibility survey aimed to find a viable location within city limits.
Survey participants were asked to help pinpoint a possible location for a market, with some responses including the Entertainment District, UT-Arlington and Lincoln Square. The most popular responses, however, were downtown and city parks.
Arlington advertised the survey via email, the city website and social media outlets like LinkedIn and Facebook. The CND collected over 1,200 responses, largely from consumers in North and West Arlington.
Responses were also submitted anonymously.
“Those that completed the original vendor survey were not required to provide contact information and staff has not been in direct contact with the survey respondents who provided contact information,” Sinel said.
Some who preferred a city park cited parking as an issue claiming that downtown may not be as accessible to both vendors and consumers.
“(It’s) easier to find parking spots at a city park even though downtown is centrally located,” said one respondent favoring Randol Mills Park.
One popular choice for a downtown venue was Founders Plaza across the street from city hall.
Some respondents believed the central location in downtown was beneficial for the farmers market in the long term.
“(Founders Plaza) is centrally located for everyone in Arlington and it would help promote all the new businesses downtown,” another respondent said.
The next steps for the CND include working with the Municipal Policy Committee to flesh out regulatory measures that would permit markets to operate in Arlington. A final date cannot be provided so early in the process for the farmers market.
“CND directed staff to take the farmers market discussion to the Municipal Policy Committee to evaluate city development codes, with the goal of removing any potential regulatory barriers for farmers markets in Arlington,” said Sinel.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA’s summer 2024 SPJ news intern. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela at erivas@kera.org.
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