Williamsburg changes parking for farmers market

WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg City Council amended the farmers market parking restrictions it approved in July to allow market organizers to put out traffic cones at 7 a.m. rather than at noon.

David Fetzer, with the farmers market, and Erin Eichhorn, director of the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, asked the council last month to officially approve their practice of blocking off six parking spaces on the east side of the square and another six on the north side at 7 a.m. on Fridays so vendors at the farmers market can unload before the market begins at 4 p.m.

The council voted instead to allow the spaces to be blocked off at noon.

City Manager Aaron Sandersfeld said during the Aug. 11 council meeting that trying to get cars to move out of the spaces at noon was difficult. He visited with Eichhorn who agreed to take nine spots on the north side rather than any spaces on the east side.

Those nine spaces are “not really an issue,” said Sandersfeld.

The council unanimously approved the change; Councilwoman Anne Zalenski was absent.

Sandersfeld said he’d move the signs and change the hours listed on them. “They were much happier with this,” said Sandersfeld said of farmers market officials.

The additional six spaces on the east side will be blocked off for Third Fridays every June, July and August, Sandersfeld said.