Staff Report: Amendment to the Goldstream Farmers Market Agreement to Allow Sales and Tasting of Beer

Staff Report

to Council

Date:

April 15, 2019

Department:

Planning

Subject:

Amendment to the Goldstream Farmers Market Agreement to Allow Sales and Tasting of Beer

2nd Floor · 877 Goldstream Avenue · Langford, BC Canada · V9B 2X8
T · 250-478-7882 F · 250-478-7864

The Goldstream Farmers Market Society is requesting to amend their current 2017 – 2019 Agreement with the City in order to allow the tasting and sales of local beers in addition to the already permitted wine, cider, and mead.

Background

At the regular Council meeting held on April 4, 2016, Council approved two liquor vendors to operate at the Goldstream Farmers Market on a temporary basis for the purpose of tasting and selling one bottle only of locally bottled wine, cider, or mead for the 2016 season. Once the trial was complete, Councillor Szpak, representatives of the Market Society, the Langford liquor store vendors, and city staff held a meeting and concluded that the trial was successful and had no detrimental impacts on store vendors or the community at large.

The former Market Agreement expired in October of 2016 and at the December 5th, 2016 regular Council meeting, Council contemplated the 2017 – 2019 Goldstream Farmers Market Agreement. After the successful trial season, a request was made to include the sale of wine, cider, and mead in the new agreement. Council approved this change and a new agreement was drawn up for the 2017 – 2019 Market seasons to allow alcohol sales. The agreement specifically states that only two bottles per vendor are to be for sale, that there will only be two alcohol vendors per market that provide tasting and sales services, and that sales are limited to wine, cider, and mead only.

Commentary

The Goldstream Farmers Market Society has received requests from vendors to allow for the sale and tasting of local beer and is therefore looking to amend the existing agreement. All other aspects of the agreement in regards to alcoholic beverages would remain the same with no more than two alcohol vendors permitted per market, and with each vendor only providing tasting and sales of no more than two bottles.

It was noted in the December 2016 report to Council that liquor store vendors felt that the introduction of alcohol vendors actually enhanced their exposure and that of local producers and that they supported the introduction of liquor sales at the Goldstream Market.

Given the success of the sale and tasting of wine, cider, and mead, Staff do not believe that the addition of beer sales and tasting would cause any issues.

In addition, Council may wish to note that the current Agreement that would be amended will be expiring on October 31, 2019. If Council were to approve the sale of beer at the Goldstream Farmers Market and were unsatisfied with the results, they could choose to exclude it in the following agreement that would be required for the 2020 Market season.

Options

That Council:

1. Direct staff to amend the existing Goldstream Farmers Market Agreement to allow for the sale and tasting of beer;

Or

2. Decline the Goldstream Farmers Market Society’s request to allow the sale and tasting of beer at this time.

Respectfully submitted,

Submitted by:
Julia Buckingham, Planner I

Concurrence:
Adriana Proton, Manager of Legislative Services

Concurrence:
Matthew Baldwin, MCIP, RPP Director of Planning

Concurrence:
Chris Aubrey, Fire Chief

Concurrence:
Lorne Fletcher, Manager of Community Safety and Municipal Enforcement

Concurrence:
Cory Manton, Manager of Parks and Recreation

Concurrence:
Michelle Mahovlich, P.Eng, P.Geo, Director of Engineering

Concurrence:
Leah Stohmann, MCIP, RPP, Deputy Director of Planning

Concurrence:
Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance

Concurrence:
Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services

Concurrence:
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

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