Farmers market faces parking challenges

WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg Farmers Market will have to wait until noon to block off parking spaces each Friday, the Williamsburg City Council decided Monday.

Signs for parking on the square during farmers market season say parking is prohibited in six spaces on the north side of the square from 3-6 p.m., said City Manager Aaron Sandersfeld, but the farmers market has been blocking off six spaces on the north side and six spaces on the east side beginning at 7 a.m.

David Fetzer, with the farmers market, and Erin Eichhorn, director of the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, explained the situation to the city council.

Tony Curtis had run the farmers market for 14 years. With his exit this year, a group of residents started a five-member committee to run the farmers market: Fetzer, Tanya Clowers, Tom McGarry, Joel Thornburg and Carol Rogers.

“Carol puts out parking cones for us every Friday,” said Fetzer. But having only six spots on State Street presents a challenge for the growing farmers market, he said.

“It has attracted a lot of people,” Fetzer said. With nearly 70 vendors, the market needs the 12 spaces its been blocking for unloading of goods by vendors, and it needs them before 3 p.m.

It would be impossible to get all the cars moved in time for vendors to begin unloading if the spaces can’t be blocked off until 3 p.m. Fetzer said. By putting the cones out at 7 a.m., before anyone parks in the spaces, no one has to find owners of vehicles and ask them to move before vendors can unload.

“We are all arriving about the same time, and with 70 vendors and only 12 unloading spots, patience is required. Especially when a food truck is taking some of our unloading spots,” said Fetzer.

Eichhorn said that last year the manager of Total Rehab contacted her about clients needing to park on the east side of the square. Eichhorn said the farmers market and Total Rehab worked out an agreement allowing the Total Rehab clients to park between the cones that are set up on Fridays.

“So we kind of took care of those problems,” said Eichhorn.

She’s also sent emails to businesses asking that employees park behind their businesses. She’s arranged parking for vendors — after they unload — at the library and the Presbyterian Church.

“So we’re trying to be proactive,” Eichhorn said. She knows 12 spaces are a lot, but getting 70 vendors unloaded is challenging. It’s hard enough to make the spaces available at noon, but at 3 p.m. is nearly impossible.

“We have a very healthy square,” said Eichhorn. If the farmers market or police started moving cars at 3 p.m., vendors won’t have time to unload. Sometimes finding the drivers is difficult, she said It takes an hour to an hour and a half to get all the cars moved.

According to Williamsburg Code, the police chief can restrict parking for events. “I’ve had no complaints with the cones being set up,” said Police Chief Jason Mochal.

“It’s really up to you guys how to define this,” Sandersfeld told the city council. The signs say parking is not allowed from 3-7 p.m., he said. The signs were put in when the farmers market first started.

The council could add signs to the other six spaces on the east side of the square and change the hours, said Sandersfeld.

“I think what the farmers market is doing for the town is great,” said Councilwoman Anne Zalenski. But she understands the need for parking for Total Rehab.

The council voted to change the signs to prohibit parking in 12 spaces on the north and east sides of the square beginning at noon on Fridays from May through October. Councilmen Tyler Marshall and Jake Tornholm were absent.

Currently the market runs June through September, but Fetzer said it plans to expand to May through October.

The farmers market also now requires that all product sold at the market be created by the vendors, said Fetzer. “A lot of farmers markets are resale events,” he said, but Williamsburg Farmers Market tries to adhere to the standards of the best farmers markets.

In addition to the parking changes, the council granted permission for the market to put up a vertical sign on the northwest corner of the First Square Park every Friday to advertise the market.