After months of study, a task force on the future of the Lawrence Farmers Market has put forth a years-old proposal: move the market to New Hampshire Street.

The Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday will be asked to allow the market to use a city parking lot in the 800 block of New Hampshire on Saturday mornings in 2006.

Advocates for the proposal say it will provide more room for buyers and sellers.

“This lot affords a 34 percent increase in vendor spaces,” Barbara A. Clark, a market vendor said in a letter to commissioners. “It offers a significant increase … in parking for customers. The location has greater drive-by visibility and is located in a growing area of downtown.”

“All of these attributes will aid in assuring the growth of the market for the future,” Clark said.

Avery Lominska, 26, sorts through his selection of vegetables at the Farmers Market on Aug. 13. City commissioners on Tuesday will be asked to move the market to a parking lot in the 800 block of New Hampshire.

But Mayor Boog Highberger told the Journal-World he was undecided on the request, noting that market vendors have long asked for a roof over their heads and access to water and restrooms for the site. None of those items would be available at the new site, he said.

“I guess I’m still thinking about it,” Highberger said of the request. “It seems like it’s a short-term solution, but it’s not a long-term solution to their problems.”

Farmers Market organizers told a city task force in March they would like the City Commission to allow the Saturday market to move into the 86-spot, city-owned parking lot. The Tuesday and Thursday markets would remain at the current location, the city parking lot in the 1000 block of Vermont Street.

Clark said the task force was unanimous in recommending the new location. The proposal also has the support of Downtown Lawrence Inc.

• 6News video: Task force says Lawrence Market ready to move (08-19-05)
• Farmers Market set to open (04-25-05)
• Farmers market organizers push for move (04-23-05)
• 6News video: Organizers want to move Farmers Market (03-10-05)

Directly across New Hampshire Street from the proposed site is a 111-space city parking lot that customers could use. The proposed location also is adjacent to a cut-through in the middle of the 800 block that would make it easier for people parking on Massachusetts Street to get to the market. The proposed location is one block from the 510-space, city-owned parking garage in the 900 block of New Hampshire Street.

Commissioners will consider the request at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.