Edhat Staff
In a significant reshuffling of community spaces, the Santa Barbara Saturday Farmers Market is set to relocate from its present location at the Cota Street parking lot to a new site in the heart of downtown.
The move, scheduled for September 28, is necessary to accommodate the construction of the new Santa Barbara Police headquarters and an accompanying parking structure.
The Cota St. site, a city-owned property, was selected after an extensive evaluation process as the ideal location for the new police station. This decision has required the Farmers Market staff, who have been actively participating in planning discussions, to seek a new site for the popular weekend event.
The new setting for the Farmers Market will encompass two major city streets, providing ample space for vendors and visitors. It will stretch across Carrillo St. from Chapala St. to Anacapa St., and extend one block in each direction along State St. The organizers assure that while not all available space will be occupied immediately, there is sufficient room for potential growth, including the addition of more farmers in the future.
Concerns were raised regarding the proximity of the new market location to the Santa Barbara City Fire’s Station 1, but plans have been put in place to address emergency response needs. Figueroa St. will be converted to one-way traffic from west to east between Chapala St. and Anacapa St. during market hours, which are from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., ensuring a clear route for emergency vehicles.
The Saturday market, the largest of its kind running six days a week, continues to be a vital part of Santa Barbara’s community life, offering fresh, local produce and goods to residents and visitors alike.
For additional information on the relocation and future updates, please visit: Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market.
The new arrangement promises to continue the tradition of lively, bustling market days in a fresh urban setting while supporting the city’s need for a modernized police facility.
It’s a shame the News-Press property can’t be used for the new police station. Seems that with a renovation it could accommodate the necessary requirements? Or use the parking lot for the FM?
Why can’t farmers mkt be on State Street? It brings foot traffic to surrounding businesses.
The temporary barricades can be removed. Or do it up by the Arlington. Or below the freeway in the new and expensive Shelton Designed underpass. Show off all the money that was spent beautifying the place.
This locations seems like an interesting idea to me. I hope it works, and can always change if it doesn’t.
What about Santa Barbara High School or Santa Barbara Junior High School or the already closed State Street? Leave it to the City to make any solution as complicated and irritating as possible.
I live on Carrillo near the fire station. Chapala & Carrillo is one of the busiest intersections in the whole county. How are buses going to operate? What a horrible decision, our leaders are brainless!
I don’t think the city has addresses the State street issue that violates fire laws.
This is a terrible location to move the Saturday farmers market to ! I feel sorry for the merchants AND the customers. I predict this will not be a success and that it will have to move someplace else again 🙁
Can you imagine what this would be like during holidays?
How about that 25million dollar armory the SBUSD “bought” with our dollars and is now sitting doing nothing good for anyone? That’s a decent spot for a farmers market, if nothing else.
Since when does a school district run markets?
Never. Not what I suggested. Why not lease it out? Just an idea.