Marin County Local Farmers Market Enhancement, Measure B (June 2014)

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A Marin County Local Farmers Market Enhancement, Measure B ballot question was on the June 3, 2014 election ballot for voters in Marin County, California, where it was approved.

Measure B created a permanent place for the local farmer's market at the Marin Center on the Civic Center campus, including a market canopy and a market building of up to 30,000 square feet in size. The measure did not propose an increase in taxes to pay for the farmer's market facilities.

A county initiative from 1992 required an election to be held to approve any addition larger than 250 square feet to the Civic Center campus.

An expert recommended by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy was to be consulted before any planned changes to the Civic Center were finalized.

Election results

Measure B
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		47,724	81.71%
No		10,681	18.29%

Election results from County of Marin Elections Department

The proposed marketplace

The proposed marketplace area was to include:

• an open-air canopy
• vendor stalls
• a two-story, 30,000 sq. ft. market hall, containing:

• vendor tables
• a grocery market
• a meat market
• a conference room
• administrative offices
• a restaurant with 50 indoor seats and 50 outdoor seats

• a plaza area
• a pavement parking

Text of measure

Ballot question

An artists rendering of the proposed market canopy.

The question on the ballot:

“

MEASURE B: To enhance local farmers' contributions to our economy and provide Marin residents access to healthy, locally-grown food, shall Marin County: permit the Agricultural Institute of Marin to create a permanent home for the Farmer's Market at Marin Civic Center including a market canopy designed to respect Frank Lloyd Wright's building, accessible to pedestrians, bikes and public transit; and an eco-friendly indoor market building not to exceed 30,000 square feet at no cost to Marin taxpayers?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of Measure B was prepared by the office of the county counsel:

“	This Measure was placed on the ballot by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. If this Measure is approved by a majority vote, Resolution No. 2014-16 of the Board of Supervisors of Marin County allowing the Agricultural Institute of Marin to create a permanent home for the Farmer's Market with a Farmer's market building, including a market canopy, at the vacant "Christmas tree lot" on the Civic Center campus to enhance local farmers' contributions to our economy and provide Marin Residents access to healthy, locally-grown food, shall be confirmed.	”
—Steven M. Woodside, Marin County Counsel

Support

Supporters

The following individuals signed the official arguments in favor of Measure B:

• Jared Huffman (D-2), member of Congress
• Steve Kinsey, member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors
• Lynn Giacomini Stray, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
• Phyllis Faber, co-founder of Marin Agricultural Land Trust and a wetland biologist
• Rick Lafranchi, Lafranchi Ranch

Arguments in favor

Official argument

The following official arguments were submitted in favor of Measure B:

“	The Civic Center Farmer's Market is a treasure for Marin. For over 30 years, it has provided a market for our farmers, jobs for hundreds of people and a place for thousands of Marin residents to shop for local farm fresh goods + helping launch the "farm to table" movement. A Yes vote on Measure B would allow for the first step toward creating a permanent home for the Farmer's Market at the Marin Civic Center + at no cost to the public. A permanent home for the Farmer's Market will help maintain the economic viability of local Marin farmers. It will be pedestrian, bike and public transit friendly. A small business incubator will create sustainable jobs for the future. In 1992, Marin voters passed a measure requiring a vote of the people for any changes to the Marin Civic Center site. Yes on B will give permission to the Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM), the non-profit that runs the Civic Center Farmer's Market, to negotiate with Marin County to create a permanent home at Civic Center. AIM's plans include a market canopy to cover the Farmer's Marker and an eco-friendly Market Hall and Plaza that will serve as a community hub where local farmers, ranchers, specialty food purveyors, artisans, agricultural organizations and the public will come together under one roof. AIM is consulting with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to make sure its designs respect and pay homage to the character of the architect's historic building. And taxpayers will not pay one penny of the cost of building the canopy and an eco-friendly Market Hall + AIM will raise 100% of that money from private sources. Please join us in voting Yes on Measure B so that the Marin Farmer's Market can take root for the next 30 years at the Civic Center.	”
—Jared Huffman (D-2), Steve Kinsey, Lynn Giacomini Stray, Phyllis Faber and Rick Lafranchi

Opposition

No official arguments were submitted in opposition to Measure B. If you have an argument that you would like to see posted here, please email the Local Ballot Measure Project staff writer.

See also

• Local zoning, land use and development on the ballot
• Marin County, California ballot measures
• June 3, 2014 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• Marin County Elections Department website

Additional reading

• Marin Independent Journal, "Proposal to build permanent Marin farmers market among measures on June ballot," March 14, 2014