As this point, the Sunday Hollywood Farmer's Market will only exist in its present form for four more Sundays (beginning Dec. 12th).  In order to close the streets, every year the Market must get the permission of the local businesses.  This year the Los Angeles Film School has decided it needs its driveway on Sundays, and will no longer give the Hollywood Farmer's Market permission to close Ivar south of Selma.  Without 100% agreement, this street cannot be closed.   If you frequent the Market, you know that many stands operate on this block.

The Market has been offered other options, but the situation is complicated by the fact that they opened a brick and mortar restaurant, the Farmer's Kitchen at the corner of Selma and Morningside.  The Market needs to stay in that area.  One alternative is to add the block of Ivar north of Hollywood Boulevard, but without interrupting traffic on Hollywood Boulevard.  This would mean that the up to 10,000 people who visit the Market between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. would be crossing Hollywood Boulevard, a potential big safety issue.  The other possibility suggested is to use the parking lot on the northwest corner of Selma and Vine.  This may be an expensive solution, and it is not clear who would shoulder that cost.

At this point, the fact that the non-profit Market has been there for 20 years serving the community, and was there when the for-profit Los Angeles Film School moved in, is not carrying any weight.  Not sure why local merchants' protests are not considered when there are street closures for the Oscars, yet in the case of the Hollywood Farmers Market, the local business has the power.  Ironically the Hollywood Blvd. merchants were there before the Kodak Theater was built.

If you like the Market, please visit it the next four Sundays and sign one of their petitions of support. Pass this information to your friends.  If you live in Councilman Eric Garcetti's district, by all means contact them to show your protest. If you have friends at the Los Angeles Film School, please ask them to re-consider their needs.  When did Sunday become a school day?

Talks are being held, but those who run the Market are very upset and could close it.  To stay posted you can also go to their websites: 

 http://www.farmernet.com/

 http://www.see-la.org/

For more information, contact Joanne at jodantonio@aol.com