Why a popular Amish farmers market in State College needs to find a new home — again
After leaving their home of 18 years last summer, the owners of a popular Amish farmers market are again being told they’ll need to set up shop somewhere else.
Formerly located in the Hills Plaza parking lot, the Wengerd family was told to relocate the seasonal market last year after Giant opened its new store. Wanting an accessible, spacious location, the family requested permission to run the market from the the State College Assembly of God parking lot on University Drive. Church leaders were on board, saying the space would benefit the local community.
“We like it here,” farmer Steven Wengerd said. “We’re not holding anybody up in the parking lot, nobody, not the church people either; we’re out by Sunday.”
Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., the market is frequented by Centre County residents and loyal customers — often selling out by the end of each day, Wengerd said.
But the market is in violation of a College Township zoning ordinance, township Principal Planner Lindsay Schoch said. Use beyond the 13-week temporary zoning permit that was granted could result in a $500-per-day fine.
Schoch said the application for the market was submitted June 1, with a requested June 6 start date. But the family’s request was denied because the area falls into the single family residential, R-1, zoning district, which “does not allow seasonal sale of farm produce, horticultural products or seafood products as a permitted use.”
Church leaders say they were not aware of those restrictions.
“We at State College Assembly — assuming that we were commercial because of the church and the day care that leases space within the church — did not confirm zoning regulations after Mr. Wengerd approached us,” Ministry Assistant Gina Mele wrote in an email.
Because contact information such as a phone number or email address was not provided on the application, Schoch said township staff visited the property on June 5 and saw that the farmers market was being set up.
Rather than bar the market from operating entirely, township staff issued a temporary zoning permit, giving the market 13 weeks — or until Sept. 5 — to vacate the lot.
“I do not want to overlook that College Township has been very kind and has allowed a 13-week grace period, for which we and the market are grateful,” Mele said. “We would like to see the addition of a variance that would allow them to stay here and operate on our property.”
Schoch said staff did offer the family advice on how to request a change to the ordinance, though changes to township policies typically take several months.
“We would love to make this the long-term location for the market,” Lead Pastor Steve Silliman said. “Our desire, the leadership team as well as the congregation, is to continue to find ways to serve the State College area and allow the church space to be used by the community. The market is one of the many ways we’ve been able to do that, and we hope to see it continue.”
