SEBASTIAN — An impassioned presentation on behalf of Helping Animals Live and Overcome (HALO) and a couple dozen enthusiastic supporters in the audience weren’t enough to sway the Sebastian City Council Oct. 9 as they said no to a proposal for a weekly Sebastian farmer’s market.
The Council first heard the proposal when Brittany Swartz of D&B Media presented the plan for a Sunday morning farmer’s market to benefit HALO, Sebastian’s no-kill animal shelter. Swartz, who runs Vero Beach’s popular Saturday farmer’s market, would enter into an agreement with HALO to operate the weekly event and, HALO, a non-profit organization, would in turn enter into an agreement with the City.
The market would take place every Sunday between 8 a.m. and Noon in Riverview Park, in the grassy area east of Indian River Drive, near the Twin Piers.
At that time, Council expressed concerns: Vice Mayor Don Wright noted the idea had been discussed several times previously and there had been little community interest and that local businesses had objected. Mayor Bob McPartlan mentioned there were other groups that use the park on Sundays.
The issue was forwarded to the Oct. 9 meeting, with instructions to City Manager Al Minner to meet with Swartz and prepare a written draft agreement.
Leading the comments on behalf of the Farmers’ Market was Sebastian resident Georgia Irish, president of Vero’s Beach’s Oceanside Business Association and overseer of the Vero Farmers’ Market, which takes place on the corner of Ocean Drive and Dahlia on the barrier island.
Irish spoke of the positive impact the event has in bringing more people to the Oceanside businesses, enhancing tourism and, as its popularity attests, “giving back to our residents. It has added, not taken away. People love to stroll there. Because it is a green market, lifestyles have changed for the better. Chefs from local restaurants come to buy their produce there.”
Several others came forward to support the proposal, echoing much of what Irish had said.
Jaque Petrone founded HALO Rescue in 2006 and is dedicated to and passionate about its mission. It is the only no-kill shelter in Indian River County, and, as a non-profit organization, relies principally on donations and proceeds from the various animal related services it offers.
Petrone thought a green market with local produce, honey, baked goods and other such products, would be a good fit not only as a fundraiser for HALO but also as a way to give something special back to the community and the people who have supported HALO so generously.
She said the idea was also to provide spaces for other local non-profits to let people know more about what they do. Bringing in local school musicians, she said, would also enrich the event.
“It is such a positive concept. It will be a beautiful event. It won’t be a flea market,” she concluded.
Speaking against the proposal were individuals who expressed concern that the park would be overrun by people trying to “sell us something.”
Some commented that there are already many events in the park and that Sunday should be a day when residents could enjoy the park quietly, with no special activities taking place. Others felt that every week was simply too much.
Several business owners along Indian River Drive expressed concern that parking could be a significant problem and pointed out that visitors to previous events in the same vicinity had blocked access to their businesses and caused them to lose vital weekend income.
Capt. Christy Lenz, who rents out kayaks as Casual Cruisin’, spoke from experience about parking congestion that blocked access to businesses during park events. She told Council the area chosen for the Farmers Market was exactly where she has to launch her kayaks, and other boaters launch from there as well.
“Weekends are prime for what we do on the water,” she said.
“That’s something I didn’t think about,” noted Minner, adding, “It’s not anything we can’t get around.”
Tim Timinsky, owner of Kroegel Produce, told Council he is not opposed to the idea as long as it is limited to local vendors.
At the end of the comments pro and con, consensus on both sides was that the concept of a local, green farmers’ market was a good one and that HALO was a great organization and a fine cause.
But.
“I would not allow use of that section every week to any group,” Councilman Jim Hill said. “No way I would approve that.”
Vice Mayor Wright agreed with Hill.
“We have approved a lot of one-shot deals, but never any type of weekly event. The appropriate place for this is not in a public park. Maybe there is some way we can work this out but not at this location.”
“I never imagined this would be such a big issue,” said Councilwoman Andrea Coy, who had the original conversation with Swartz and had the item placed on the agenda. Referring to Irish’s description of Vero Beach’s success with its farmers’ market, she added, “This is not Vero Beach. This is Sebastian, and we operate a little differently. On Sunday morning, we’re either in church or still sleeping from Saturday night. And – if you expect people are going to come up from Vero Beach or down from Melbourne Sunday after there has just been a farmers market in their area on Saturday, guess again!”
Seeming to think out loud, Coy concluded, “Perhaps. . . .a different location. . . .I’m not so sure Sebastian can support once a week.”
McPartlan asked Minner to “look for another location,” and a few were mentioned.
The vote against the proposal was unanimous, 4-0, with Councilman Jerome Adams absent.
As supporters gathered around her, Petrone appeared a bit stunned, obviously disappointed. “We never thought we would get such opposition,” she said. “We will pursue other avenues.”
