At this week’s Newport Beach City Council meeting, council approved a Revocable License Agreement between the City of Newport Beach and Sprouts of Promise to operate a Certified Farmers’ Market located at McFadden Square and Newport Pier.
Also approved was a request for a reduced rental rate.
According to the staff report, Sprouts of Promise has operated the Lido Marina Village Certified Farmers’ Market since June 2010 in the public right-of-way at Via Oporto and Central Avenue.
The last City approved agreement expired December 31, 2014. Due to conflicts with construction activities in the market’s location, and in consideration of the efforts to revitalize McFadden Square and the area around the Newport Pier, Sprouts of Promise has agreed to move the farmers’ market to the McFadden Square area.
The new agreement authorizes the city to enter into a five-year license agreement with Sprouts of Promise for a rental rate of $3,600 per year, and adjusted annually by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is below fair market value.
The justification for charging less than fair market value is based upon the findings contained in the staff report and in the Revocable License Agreement, which indicate that charging less than fair market value promotes the City’s goals to provide an essential or unique service to the community that cannot otherwise be provided if full market rates were charged;
The agreement also approved a waiver of City Council Policy L-13 (McFadden Plaza and Pier Use Policy) based on the findings contained in the staff report and in the Revocable License Agreement that use of McFadden Square for commercial purposes by a certified farmers’ market will promote revitalization of the area.
According to the staff report, the staff discussed several ideas for programming and events to draw pedestrian traffic to the local businesses, including live entertainment, and regular farmers and artisan markets.
Relocation of the Licensee’s farmers’ market to the McFadden Square is expected to draw both residents and visitors.
Beginning on September 13, 2015, the market will run every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with set-up starting no earlier than 7 a.m. and tear-down and clean-up completed by 4 p.m.
In addition to the plaza, a portion of Newport Pier will also be utilized for vendor booths. No more than forty vendors (typically in 10 foot by 10 foot stalls) will be spaced throughout the market area. Sprouts of Promise must also verify that all individual vendors are “producers” or “certified producers.”
Feedback from Life Safety Services, Lifeguards, Police, and Public Works have been incorporated into the proposed vendor layout, which also takes into consideration the approved location of the Ben Carlson Memorial.
Adequate space is provided to allow pedestrian access to and around the memorial during the market operation.
