By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun

     ALPINE -- Many of us have been to Farmers Markets around San Diego County, and have enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available at a relatively low cost, not to mention the beautiful flowers that abound. There are also other items that are often offered at Farmers Markets beside produce, such as breads and other bakery items, as well hand crafted products.
     Having a Farmers Market in a community is a great way to invigorate community interaction, allow a shopping friendly venue for open air purchasing, and enter more choice into our shopping ability.
     Nina Gould has been trying to make a dream come true, by organizing a Farmer’s Market that would be available on a weekly basis here in Alpine. This Farmer’s Market would enable growers from around our community to sell their fruits, vegetables and flowers, here in town and would allow residents to purchase organic items at a lower cost.
     A weekly event like this would bring another shopping venue into our community, especially for those who would like more choices in what and where to buy in Alpine. This could also renew shopping activity here in Alpine, as people who are aware of the Market, may travel up the hill, or into town from the back country to attend the weekly event.
     To start a Community Farmers Market here in Alpine, Gould has contacted growers who are willing to participate, and has support from many in the business owners up and down Alpine Boulevard and surrounding areas. The Alpine Community Center would be happy to have the weekly event that would open opportunities for food sources for the seniors programs scheduled at the center as well as the after school programs.
     Many of the churches around town have also supported the Farmers Market idea that Gould has been proposing over the last few years. However, zoning problems have abounded, and have stifled this program before it even has a chance to come into being.
     Gould’s simple plan was to keep integrity in Alpine, and offer organic food sources to our community members. Gould has researched all her options and found that most of the business sites along Alpine Boulevard and in Alpine are not properly zoned to permit a Farmers Market.
     Our little town holds very few industrial-zoning areas, and this presents a problem. A Farmers Market is considered an industrial venture, and needs a site that is properly zoned. She has found that most of the businesses in Alpine are zoned strictly for commercial, and to change the zoning on any given site in Alpine would result in a bill as high as $15,000. Gould says she just doesn’t have that kind of money at this time.
     Interestingly enough, the Alpine Women’s Club holds a possible answer to this dilemma. The Alpine Women’s Club is one of the only sites along Alpine Boulevard that is not strictly zoned “commercial” and has enough wiggle room in their zoning to permit a Farmers Market to be held on their lot.


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