Hollywood Farmers' Market Gets Another Extension

The dust-up between the Hollywood Farmers’ Market and the Los Angeles Film School is turning into a case of an immovable object versus an unstoppable force.

On Tuesday, Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) was given a four-week extension of their permit to operate the market, their fourth extension since late last year.

The Los Angeles Film School wants the market to move from their current location at Selma and Ivar Avenues so that the school can gain access to a parking garage that is blocked each Sunday when the market is held.  Market organizers, who recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the popular event, have balked at the relocation demands and have rallied market patrons and city officials to their cause.

On May 1, a community meeting was held at the Montalban Theatre in Hollywood to discuss the relocation issue.  According to SEE-LA there was a “near unanimous opinion” among attendees that moving the market “was a terrible idea that would impose significant burdens on the community without any appreciable benefit.”

On Monday SEE-LA submitted a letter to city councilman Eric Garcetti and Board of Public Works Commissioner Andrea Alarcon stating that they "would prefer to maintain the current market configuration and footprint," but "will continue working with the city to evaluate potential modifications to the Hollywood Farmers' Market footprint."

The L.A. Film School declined to comment on the latest extension, but the school's vice president of marketing, Albert Villalta, has previously told Patch that the film school “values the Farmers’ Market and appreciates the value that they have added to the local community.”  He said that the school is “committed to helping the market make this a successful transition ultimately resulting in increased business and safety for its patrons.”

The new permit expires June 14, unless the impasse is not resolved and another extension is granted.