24 - Market Square Ordinance Revisions

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Item No. 24 Memorandum TO: City Council Grayson Path, City Manager FROM: Andrew Mack, AICP, Director Planning & Community Development Cheri Bedford, Main Street Coordinator and Farmers & Artisan Market Manager SUBJECT: Market Square Ordinance Revisions MTG. DATE: March 27, 2023 BACKGROUND The area designated as the Market Square was purchased by the City of Paris in August 1916 for relocation of a farmers market and in efforts to rebuild the City of Paris Town Square. Prior to this time, the Downtown Plaza was the place for barter and exchange. The current location has remained the Market Public Square for over 100 years. The open air pavilion was built as part of the 1986 Main Street Project to include 32 designated stalls, equipped with tables, water and electricity. The pavilion was designed and built by the City of Paris, fundraising, and a grant from the National Parks Service. It was built as a farmers market, providing convenience of both farmers and consumer shopping. This project was one of the recommendations of the resource team for the revitalization efforts of downtown Paris in 1986. The Paris Farmers and Artisan Market is a Texas Department of Agriculture Certified Farmers Market, ensuring that a percent of farmers are selling produce locally grown in Texas. This certification validates the Paris Farmers and Artisan Market, in addition to being eligible for grants and marketing materials. Farmers Markets' certified by the State provide confidence that vendors are selling fresh produce, and vendors can participate in SNAP benefits should they desire. Over the past 10-13 years, the market has grown incrementally becoming one of the best markets in North East Texas. It is a model market, and was recently featured at the Real Places Conference in Austin. As it has grown over time, so has the list of acceptable products available for our Farmers Market. In 2012, the City of Paris adopted an ordinance enabling the sale of wine as an agricultural product at the Farmers and Artisan Market, with proper TABC permitting. In 2013, the State of Texas adopted policies to allow cottage foods to be sold at Farmers Markets, and Paris Farmers and Artisan Market began to allow cottage foods with proper certifications. In 2015, with continued efforts to revitalize the Paris Farmers and Artisan Market, the market manager expanded its vendor base to include artisans on a limited basis in keeping with the Certified Farmers Market policies. Mobile food units have participated since 2016. Page 1 of 2