Copyright Everett Herald
EVERETT — The Lynnwood City Council took the first step Monday to establish a farmers market at the city’s light rail station. The market would be a partnership between the city and Sound Transit. Lynnwood would be able to use the light rail station at no charge — aside from a $5,000 refundable security deposit — in exchange for listing Sound Transit as a sponsor of the market. Lynnwood does not currently have a permanent farmers market. The $5,000 would come from the City Council’s travel budget, which many council members voluntarily gave up after learning about the city’s budget deficit. Council President Nick Coelho and Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce President Frank Percival presented the idea for the market at the council’s Nov. 3 work session. “This is an opportunity that seems like it’s too good to pass up,” Coelho said Nov. 3. Mayor Christine Frizzell and some council members expressed concern Monday about not seeing official paperwork from Sound Transit before the vote. Ultimately, the council unanimously authorized Frizzell to enter into an agreement with Sound Transit outlining the terms and conditions of the $5,000 deposit. Council member Josh Binda was not present at Monday’s meeting. Percival and Coelho hope to launch the market by April 2026 in time for the FIFA World Cup in the summer. The plan would also include stages and additional food truck areas for special events, including the World Cup. “A farmers market at this location will provide easy and convenient access not only from our ever-growing Lynnwood population, but most of north King County as well,” Percival said Nov. 3. “With time, it could easily become the busiest, most successful farmers market in all of Snohomish County, bringing additional and significant ongoing tax revenue to Lynnwood.” The city would hire a market manager, who would help determine how long the market would be open for each year and whether the market would take place on Saturdays or Sundays. Percival said revenue from vendor rent would cover the market manager’s salary. “This is an easy yes for me,” council member Robert Leutwyler said Nov. 3. “It checks all the boxes that we’re looking for — more opportunities for local businesses, more opportunities for people to just come together as a community, tax revenue is always great, particularly right now. … So I’m very excited about this.”
