Hollywood market gets 90 days, at least

Around midnight last night, Council President Eric Garcetti's office issued the joint statement which you can read below. It represents an agreement between the Councilman and SEE-LA giving us a basis for moving forward from the impasse over renewal of the City's street closure permit which is essential to the existence of the Hollywood Farmers Market.

As many of you know, Councilman Garcetti invited both SEE-LA and the L.A. Film School to participate in separate face-to-face meetings with him, members of the Board of Public Works, and City staff on Thursday. Following the separate Thursday meetings, representatives of SEE-LA and the L.A. Film School interacted with the Council Office to develop the language of a joint statement. Up until almost midnight last night, Councilman Garcetti and his staff tried to negotiate mutually-acceptable language which would reflect the basic interests of each side. In the end, we were not able to come up with language which would satisfy the Film School. That is the reason why the Film School is not officially signing-off on the joint statement below.

Nevertheless, we are proceeding on the assumption that the basic agreement struck on Thursday continues to be in effect. This means that the Councilman will request that the Board of Public Works give a 90-da6 extension for the street closure permit for the Hollywood Farmers Market. During the 90-day period, SEE-LA and the L.A. Film School will pledge good-faith efforts to resolve the conflict over the use of Ivar Avenue, with SEE-LA pledging to explore alternative locations for the farmers and vendors occupying the section of Ivar Avenue adjacent to the Film School, and the Film School pledging to explore alternatives on its own property such as the removal of barriers to parking on the upper deck of its parking structure.

Perhaps the most important part of the joint statement from SEE-LA's point of view is Councilman Garcetti stipulating to "keeping the Selma/Ivar intersection as the market's anchor." In addition to the Councilman's commitment about Selma/Ivar, the Councilman and the Film School are agreeing to support our three main principles:
No reduction in the size of the market (number of farmers and vendors)
No reduction in access to the market
No reduction in safety, especially safety concerns relating to dangerous proximity of pedestrians and cars.
The combination of the Councilman's commitment to the market's presence at Selma/Ivar, and the Councilman's and the Film School's commitment to our three main principles, means that the essential functioning of the market will continue even if, following the 90-day period, SEE-LA agrees to make some modification in the market's footprint on Ivar.

Although the recent negotiations and the joint statement issued last night have enabled the supporters of the Hollywood Farmers Market to achieve most of our objectives, the battle is not over. For the next 90 days, SEE-LA will be engaged in an intensive process exploring alternatives with the Council Office and the Film School. We have to remain vigilant.

There are many, many people to thank for bringing us to our current position. This morning I sent a text message to Councilman Garcetti thanking him for his "steadfast support of the Hollywood Farmers Market's basic right to exist at Selma/Ivar." Hank Hilty, the trusty vice chair of our Board of Directors, played an instrumental role at a timely moment in our working relationship with Councilman Garcetti. Our new lawyer Andrew Fogg of Cox, Castle & Nicholson was right there with me (via email and text messages) up to midnight last night in our negotiations. Our CEO Pompea Smith and the staff of SEE-LA have been bulwarks of strength and ingenuity.

And then there's the community. The public outpouring of support for the Hollywood Farmers Market has been nothing short of astonishing. I've told some of you that the experience of standing at Selma/Ivar a couple of Sundays ago, beseeching market customers to sign our petitions, and encountering the fierce passion of the market's customers, reminded me of the pivotal moment near the end of "It's A Wonderful LIfe" when the townspeople rise up. According to Councilman Garcetti on Thursday, his office received over 1000 email messages and phone calls from supporters of the market (and this was less than 24 hours after SEE-LA sent out the emergency alert asking our supporters to speak up). The lesson for us is that, beyond the fruits and vegetables, it's really the people who make the Hollywood Farmers Market one of the wonders of our city.

Best regards,
Michael Woo
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 18, 2010

STATEMENT BY L.A. CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ERIC GARCETTI AND

SEE-LA BOARD PRESIDENT MICHAEL WOO

We are pleased to inform Hollywood stakeholders that we are collectively moving forward with a mutually-agreed upon process to address the important needs of the Hollywood Farmers’ Market, the Los Angeles Film School, and the community they share.

All of us want to see the Hollywood Farmers’ Market continue in Hollywood, and we have each committed to work together to identify a reasonable resolution that protects each party’s legitimate needs. The Council Office remains committed to keeping the Selma/Ivar intersection as the market’s anchor. Further, the parties agree that the market should not be reduced in size, that it should remain accessible, and that the safety of the market’s patrons and the film school’s students, faculty and staff must not be compromised. Based on our most recent discussions, we feel very positive that we can resolve our issues in a way that benefits everyone – most importantly, the community we share.

In the short-term:

· The Film School has agreed to allow the Farmers’ Market an additional 90 days to explore viable options and identify the most mutually beneficial alternative that advances the needs of the Farmers’ Market and the Film School.

· During the 90-day period, the Hollywood Farmers’ Market has agreed to study potential adjustments to its current footprint to address the needs of both parties and, if an adjustment is to be made, to have prepared a time line to implement the adjustment.

· The L.A. Film School will review the feasibility of the market’s request to join the school’s two parking structures.

· The Board of Public Works will issue a 90-day extension to the Farmers’ Market’s current street closure permit, enabling it to operate and maintain the status quo through April 12, 2011.

Between now and the expiration of that 90-day extension, both parties have agreed to bi-weekly meetings facilitated by Council President Garcetti to continue working collaboratively toward a solution.

Furthermore, all parties will continue working together toward a long-term solution – one that we believe could potentially be a catalyst for growth and greater success for both the farmer’s market and the film school. We believe that this agreement protects the essential interests of the farmers’ market, the film school, and our shared community.