Scarsdale Farmers' Market to be Held on Woodlands Place

If you’re looking for the Farmers' Market in Scarsdale this weekend, you’ll find it on Woodlands Place in front of the Post Office from 10 am to 2 pm. After much discussion, the market has been relocated to Scarsdale Village. The market has been held in several locations since it began several years ago – first appearing in the lower parking lot of Village Hall – and then moving indoors to the Christie Place garage. In recent weeks the market has been set up in the Merchants Lot next to Scarsdale Train Station, but since this lot will be used as a staging area for equipment for renovation of the Bronx River Parkway, the market can no longer remain there.

Lewis Arlt, representing the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce, made a plea to Village Trustees to move the market to Woodlands Place so that the vendors could benefit from downtown foot traffic and do business in a more central location. According to Arlt, business suffered last year when the market was at Village Hall, which is not a shopping destination.

Later in the Board of Trustees Meeting on Tuesday night, June 26, Trustee Brodsky introduced a resolution for an agreement with Carol DeLisa to operate the Farmers’ Market on Woodlands Place in front of Chase Park from June 30 through November 17, 2012.

Before voting, Trustee Harrison stated his objections to the proposal saying that he had great concern about blocking off Chase Road during business hours. He also read from a letter from a Woodlands Place resident who did not want the street “turned into a marketplace” and feared that the Farmers' Market would make Woodlands Place a “field day for mice and roaches.” Harrison suggested that the market be held at the train station or in the portion of the Merchants Lot that will not be used for construction equipment.

In response, Trustee Brodsky said that residents asked for a Farmers’ Market in the Village’s Comprehensive Plan. Furthermore, she said that there has been “good success with clean up and cleanliness” and “there has been no evidence of mice or roaches.” Trustee Lee pointed out that the agreement is revocable so that the Trustees could make changes if problems arise. Trustee Eisenman read a letter in favor of the market and Trustee Mark said he visited Woodland Place on Sunday, the day after the market was held, and the site was clean.

The Mayor said she liked farmers' markets but “would prefer a location that does not impact residents.”

The resolution to move to the market to Woodlands Place passed by a vote of five to two with Trustee Harrison and Mayor Flisser voting no.