Page 3 - Overview Winter 2017

Popularity, potential spark interest in future
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verland Park Farmers’ Market
Salt, ice main ingredients during past winter season
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The Overland Park Farmers’ Market is experiencing record attendance in 2017, with over 170,000 visitors to the Wednesday and Saturday markets.
The last market day of this year is the one-day, once-a-year Indoor Holiday Farmers’ Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at Matt Ross Community Center. The outdoor market season resumes in the spring.
City and community leaders, including representatives of the Downtown Overland Park Partnership, which represents businesses in its service area, have been looking at four preliminary options.
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vilion leg, creating an L-shaped configuration along
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rty Street, increasing the number of vendor spaces.
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First, there is no option that would relocate the market outside the popular downtown Overland Park market district. No decision has been made on any of the four proposals. Overland Park leaders are looking for community input on current proposals or suggestions for other ideas.
No budget has been determined, nor is it included in Overland Park’s five-year Capital Improvements Plan, which lists future projects such as streets, traffic signals, sidewalks, curbs, and buildings. No building costs or funding sources have been identified.
The four proposals are:
Keep the market at its current location, upgrade the onsite electrical system and lighting, and fix drainage issues. When it rains, water flows on the pavement from west to east, impacting vendors and customers. No additional space for vendors or parking is part of this option, nor is there any type of enclosure.
Reconfigure the market’s layout by adding a north/south
There was a presence of ice and salt, but not for any kind of drink.
The 2016-17 snow season is best remembered for its lack of snow, and not for its less-than-significant ice events.
Overland Park received a total of four inches of snow from five storms. The single largest accumulating snow event was two inches.
“All of the city's snow operations last year were primarily focused on ice control by spreading salt. We did little actual snow plowing. In a typical winter season we plan to use around 8,000 tons of salt. By comparison, the
normal seasonal snow amount we expect is in the range of 20-22 inches spread out over about 10 or 12 events,” said Rich Profaizer, manager of public works operations.
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s option would reduce adjacent parking and would
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require a temporary site for the market during construction. It would include an enclosure.
Construct a split-story facility by leveling out the market to address drainage, construct additional parking on a new lower level and some retail shops along Marty St. The market would be on the top level. This proposal would require temporary relocation of the market during construction. Other events could be held at the site that would have an enclosure.
Move the market to Santa Fe Commons, where the annual Fall Festival is held. It would allow for more events at the venue, including entertainment. This option would not require closing the Market during construction.
Discussion by elected officials on any proposals is expected to begin in 2018.
Visit opkansas.org/farmersmarket to view the options under consideration for the market and future meeting dates.
Overland Park has a priority system for treating and plowing more than 2,000 lane miles of streets and
bridges. This includes over 1,860 cul-de-sacs, 54 bridge decks and 20 miles of roadway that borders
neighboring cities.
Thoroughfares and bridges are the first two areas for snow operations, followed by collector streets,
and then residential streets and cul-de-sacs. City parking lots are addressed either by
contractors or available city staff members. The city does not plow
sidewalks or driveways. Private property owners are responsible for
maintaining sidewalks in front of a residence or business.
For more information about Overland Park’s snow operations, visit
www.opkansas.org/snow.