CUPERTINO – A neighborhood farmers market association is actively in search of a brand new location for its Cupertino market after weeks of missing out on a chance to proceed operating the market within the De Anza College car parking zone.
The West Coast Farmer's Market Association, which operates 12 markets throughout the Bay Area, has lower than three weeks to seek out enough space for dozens of vendors and tons of of local residents who attend the weekly event.
Returning to the faculty will not be an option yet, because the Foothill-De Anza College District recently signed a one-year contract with one other association to take over market operations on the identical property. A public plaza in the town can also be not available, as Cupertino has limited space to host such a big event, in accordance with city officials.
“I’m living in a nightmare,” said Jerry Lami, West Coast’s general manager.
Under an agreement with the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, West Coast has hosted the market every Sunday since 2022. The agreement is often renewed every six months, with essentially the most recent expiring on July 1.
This time, nonetheless, the district solicited bids from outside organizations to take over market operations. The district said the method was a “best practice” for public entities to solicit bids regularly to make sure they receive essentially the most competitive offers from vendors.
The board of trustees reviewed a bid from the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association last month but initially rejected it after objections were raised by community members and Lami. Lami said he was unaware the market was open to bids and was confused by the brand new process.
Pacific Coast operates nearly 60 farmers markets throughout the Bay Area, including one in Creekside Park in Cupertino.
The tender was reopened to permit West Coast to proceed operating its market, but at a gathering on June 26, trustees ultimately awarded Pacific Coast a one-year contract to operate the market. That contract begins in August, while West Coast as a substitute received an extension to operate at its existing location until the tip of July.
The district didn’t immediately respond when asked why the board made this decision.
“I brought my farmers market to De Anza,” Lami said. “Now they're taking the business away from someone else and giving it to another company.”
However, in a recent memorandumCity staff said public parks weren’t appropriate locations “due to the public's ongoing use of the fields.” Another location they considered was in front of City Hall along Torre Avenue and between Rodrigues Avenue and Pacifica Avenue, which might require the town to shut off the world every Sunday. The closure could impact surrounding local businesses and community spaces just like the Cupertino Library. The cost to the town to operate the market is $4,288 per week, plus a one-time business license fee of $174.
Staff don’t recommend that the council take further motion “given the limited options for alternative sites and the continued availability of the De Anza Farmers Market as a recreational amenity for Cupertino residents.”
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