CITY HALL HEARING THIS AFTERNOON TO CONSIDER HUGE FARMER’S MARKET AT PUMPKIN PATCH
By Dave Wielenga
Dave and Ted Thacker, the Cottage Grove, Oregon, guys behind the Thackerberry Farms strawberry stands that bring a touch of country comfort to street corners all over Long Beach, are the guys behind an application to hold a large Farmer’s Market every Saturday and Sunday on the so-called “Pumpkin Patch” property just south of the MarketPlace shopping center.
The Zoning Administrator hearing on the application is today at 2 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Conference Room at Long Beach City Hall at 2 p.m.
Obviously, Farmer’s Markets have become quite popular around Long Beach—the city’s website lists seven—including the Long Beach Southeast Market every Sunday in the parking lot of the Alamitos Bay Marina. That’s a couple blocks from the market proposed by the Thackers—raising the question of whether their project might be overkill.
It doesn’t look healthy for Southeast Market. It is allowed to open only on Sundays and only from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Comparatively, the Thackers’ application seeks approval to operate every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It doesn’t appear to be a favor to adjacent bricks-and-mortar stores like Trader Joe’s in the MarketPlace and Whole Foods across PCH.
And the fact that Monday’s application is for a Local Coastal Development permit reminds us that this is environmentally sensitive land—located adjacent to the Los Cerritos Wetlands and the San Gabriel River leading to the ocean. Onto that property the Thackers want to have 100 vendor spaces and 370 parking stalls.
7 Comments
I love Farmer’s markets!
Perhaps Long Beach can take a cue from Detroit.
I understand the city-leaders are considering plowing up the burned-out decimated city apartments/houses and converting the land to soil for farmers.
May I suggest we start in the 9th district?
The Pumpkin patch parcel is owned by Tom Dean!! The applicant is Ted Thacker–has Ted bought the Pumpkin Patch from Dean, (memories of Hitchcock buying subarea #23 from Dean–a surprise to all and then grading immediately) or just leasing??
If people oppose this then they must email either Jeff Winklepleck or
Derek Burnham immediately to have written testimony on record OR you can attend the hearing at 2:00 pm tomorrow and speak. Only by doing this, will you be able to appeal the Zoning Adminstrator’s decision to the Planning Commission. On the city’s notice–it states this CANNOT be appealed to the California Coastal Commission….?? However, as we all know Zoning has been wrong before.
Derek.Burnham@longbeach.gov
Jeffrey.winklepleck@longbeach.gov
The general consensus is this is a clever ploy to rid the Marina of our
favorite Farmer’s Market. No two Farmer’s Markets could probably be held in such close proximity to each other. It is also a rarity to have a Farmer’s market held on two consecutive days. The city could find the Marina Farmer’s Market(on Marina Drive-adjacent to the proposed Second+PCH) obsolete thus freeing up that parking lot for Second+PCH’s underparked
cars.
The Marina’s Farmer’s market as well as the Arts and Crafts Festival is held on a paved cement parking lot off Marina Drive.
The Pumpkin Patch is dirt, windy, and right at the “iconic” gateway (PCH)to the city. Oh, it’s also a historic wetland, not something Zoning would care about though.
And why is Mr. Thacker requesting 370 parking spaces?? A bit much? That’s well over 1/4 of the parking spaces that Second+PCH would have.
Thinking………
I fear this is the produce version of WalMart coming to town and the little guys being run out.
Yes, doesn’t it make more sense to start a farmer’s market in another district that doesn’t already have a thriving market? I have to ask, what are the Thackers’ true motivators here?
Veggie Girl
June 28, 2010
Yes, doesn’t it make more sense to start a farmer’s market in another district that doesn’t already have a thriving market? I have to ask, what are the Thackers’ true motivators here?
Dear Veggie Girl,
ISN’T EVERYONE’S MOTIVATION MONEY? AND IF IT’S NOT
(LIKE JESUS OR JOAN OF ARK), DOESN’T ONE (TEND TO) COME TO A BAD-END AND EARLY DEATH?
As the manager of the existing Sunday Farmers Market in the Southeast Long Beach area, I would like to make a couple of comments to help folks keep their facts straight.
First, I would guess that the proposed hours of 7am to 4pm for the proposed “Pumpkin Patch” market are actually the ACCESS HOURS for that market. Such hours would indicate SALES HOURS of 9am to 2pm, with two hours at either end to set up and take down. These sales hours are the same as we have at our existing Sunday market.
Second, to the best of my knowledge there are only 6 farmers markets currently open in Long Beach. There used to be one on Tuesday at the World Trade Center on Ocean Blvd. It has been closed for several months now, but it is still listed in many publications that do not regularly check their listings for accuracy. There are already 2 markets running on Sundays in Long Beach, however, ours and the one at Longfellow Elementary School.
Finally, we at the Sunday Alamitos Bay Farmers Market like our current location and customers very much, and we will stay and do business there just as long as we possibly can, no matter what!
-Dale Whitney, Manager, Harbor Area Farmers Markets
I have been a customer of the current Sunday market since its inception and I don’t see any reason to have another market within walking distance on the same day. The current market is well-established and has been in the marina location for over 10 years. To have another market so close would dilute the farmer and customer base. I also am deeply concerned about the location of the proposed market being so close to the wetlands. I oppose the Thacker proposal and I agree with the previous writer’s assertions.