P&Z Watch: Old Greenwich Farmers Market Seeks to Relocate to St. Catherine’s Church in Riverside

A new application has arrived at Greenwich Planning & Zoning from the Old Greenwich Farmers Market who seek to relocate to property owned by St. Catherine’s Church in Riverside.

For many years the Wednesday farmers market in Old Greenwich operated at Living Hope Community Church and featured produce, live music, knife sharpening, food trucks, and non profits. This model is unlike the producers-only Greenwich Farmers Market in Horseneck Lot in downtown Greenwich, which means that the produce and products you purchase are grown and prepared by the farmers themselves. The market master even visits vendors to validate that they produce what they plan to sell.

During a P&Z discussion last November regarding that church’s application to add two new houses and more parking on their property, the commission learned the farmers market did not have administrative sign off. During that meeting the church offered to withdraw permission to the farmers market to operate in their parking lot.

According to the application narrative, the Old Greenwich Farmer’s Market wants to set up in a portion of the parking lot at 11 Riverside Avenue at St. Catherine’s Church for the 2026 season.

Now in its 16th year, the farmers market organizers propose to operate for the 2026 season on Wednesdays from the beginning of June through November 11.

The proposed hours would be 1:00-5:00pm to accommodate potential funerals that begin at 11:00am at the Church. Set up is not more than an hour ahead and vendor packing up takes less than 30 minutes.

The application narrative says the farmers market traditionally has about 12-15 vendors each week including Connecticut farms, several local food businesses, and when space allows there might be a craft vendor, jewelry maker, or local non profit.

All the food vendors must apply for a Temporary Food Service Permit from the Town, comply with Dept of Health regulations and carry liability coverage.

Most of the food vendors already have health department permits for operating at the Sam Bridge Market and the Greenwich Farmers Market in 2026.

The others (Sono Baking & Carrot Top Kitchen) will apply if Planning & Zoning approves the application as there is a substantial fee associated with the temporary food service permit.

Health department guidelines require hand washing stations at each booth and access to a bathroom. While there are bathrooms in the church, organizers would order a portable toilet for the season.

The space we would use for the market is the 29 parking spots that make up 11 Riverside Avenue. This will accommodate 12-13 vendors with tents in compliance with tent regulations. No power is needed for any vendor.

There remain another 70 available parking spots on the east side of Riverside Avenue that are not designated for use by the J House, TAG buses, Children’s Day School and the Greenwich Japanese School. This is double the parking that was available at Living Hope at 38 West End Avenue. In addition, there are 18 more spots allocated to St. Catherine’s, and another 12 designated visitor spots.

There are no scheduled masses, bible study or events between 12:00 and 5:00pm, so there should be no additional demand for the unallocated spaces.

The Farmers Market has anywhere from 200-400 attendees (which includes children) coming at different times over the 4 hours. There is no green space or playground that would encourage shoppers to linger and take up parking for a prolonged period of time.

All three entrances to the parking will remain unblocked and accessible for all users of the parking lot including emergency vehicles.

Organizers said they plan to continue to hire help (retired police officer) to guide and direct cars in the parking lot.

The narrative also says the Fire Marshal and Health Department both approved the plans for the event, and Greenwich EMS responded that an ambulance would not need to be on standby.

The farmers market would be seasonal each year, running from the beginning of June through the end of October in following years.

The next P&Z commission meeting is Tuesday, June 23, but the agenda does not include this item. Stay tuned.