Bartlett farmers market on the move?

A proposal to move the Bartlett farmers market to a parking lot across the street from its current location at the Town Center got a mixed reaction from village officials this month.

Talk of relocating the market — currently held on the corner of Main Street and Railroad Avenue — came about in response to concerns from the owners of 2Toots Train Whistle Grill, a new restaurant that opened in Town Center last December.

According to a memo presented to the village board, the eatery’s owners said they worry their primary access, parking and visibility will blocked for a seven-hour period on their busiest day of the week.

The market is held every Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. between the first week of June and the second week of September, but the space is occupied for a total of seven hours each week to give vendors time to set up and pack away their displays.

Because of the concerns, village staff last week pitched the idea of moving the market to the village hall parking lot, 228 S. Main St.

Steven Bosco, assistant to the village administrator, said staff looked for a new location that would still be downtown, based on the success of the market’s 2008 relocation there from the Jim Jensen Pavilion parking lot, 620 W. Stearns Road.

Staff decided the village hall parking lot would be the best new location because it is close to Town Center, provides adequate resident and vendor parking and is safe for pedestrians.

The lot would accommodate 23 tents, and give vendors parking spaces near their tents. A total of 11 parking spots would be left open in the village hall’s parking lot during the market for people visiting village hall or the police department, while market visitors could park in the employee lot behind the building.

Trustee T.L. Arends said she wanted to talk to the 2Toots owners more before making a decision, but likes the current location.

“It has been so successful in the past years,” Arends said. “It’s just taking away some of the identity. We wanted it to be part of the Town Center, not part of the village (hall).”

Trustee Dennis Nolan said he would be willing to move the market to a new spot for a year and then have village look at which lot works best.

“I really want it to be where it is,” Nolan said. “But I’m struggling with a brand new business being in that location. They need that lunch hour time.”

But some trustees pointed out that the owners of 2Toots could use the market to their advantage. Trustee Frank Napolitano said they “should embrace” the influx of people parking in their lot because it likely will bring them more business.

Village President Michael Airdo said he didn’t feel strongly either way, but he found advantages in leaving the market at its current location.

“I do think it’s a great marketing tool,” he added. “I think they’d be missing out on an opportunity.”

Trustees postponed a final decision to allow for further research and discussion of the proposal.