The Saratoga City Council decided at its Dec. 1 meeting to approve a conditional use permit for the farmers market, but only until the middle of next year. The number of vendors in the market will be restricted to 40, and amplified music will not be allowed.

Further, Saratoga High School will no longer be able to support the market at its current location after next year. "We cannot guarantee anything beyond May, 2005," said Cynthia Hall Ranii, superintendent of the Los Gatos­Saratoga High School District.

Ranii said later that the decision has to do with the combination of usage on the site. "The performing arts and lecture center will open next spring," she said. "It will bring with it increased use of the campus; it will be too intense."

Ranii said that the school wanted to be a good neighbor. "We now have a very busy aquatic center. We have increased enrollment and we want to serve our own students."

Ranii said that the permit for the market expires on May 18, 2005. "We have to give them a 60-day notice period," she said. "So I will be sending a notice to them in March. As of now, I cannot guarantee anything beyond that."

Doug Hayden, president of the California Farmers Market Association, said he was surprised and shocked by what he heard at the meeting. "My jaw was agape. It was demoralizing."

Hayden said that he knew it would always be a challenge to co-exist with the neighbors. "I knew we could handle the parking issues," he said. "We have bent over backwards to mitigate the issues raised over the years."

The matter came to the city council after neighbors appealed against a decision made by the Saratoga Planning Commission in September to approve a use permit. Some neighbors say that they have borne the brunt of the disturbance caused by the farmers market.

Pamela Chang, who lives in the neighborhood, said that the noise had increased over the years. "Sometimes the vendors cook in the parking lot," she said. "The fish that is sold attracts flies. And it smells a lot."

Chang said that the market deserved a better site and using a parking lot at the Saratoga High School was a bad idea.

"All the neighbors I have spoken to feel the same way," she added.

She said that the school should be used for academics, and extra-curricular and community activities.

"Commercial activity should be last in the order of preference," she said. Chang said that the school did not make any money from the weekly market.

Michael Herne, who also lives in the area, said that it had been really miserable trying to live in the neighborhood.

After public comment period ended, Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith said that it would be very sad if Saratoga were to lose its farmers market. "I am very disturbed," she said. "The market has legions of supporters in the local community." Waltonsmith said the action seemed draconian to her.

Councilman Nick Streit pointed out that 22 neighbors had signed a petition against the market at the current location. "This location has to end," he said.

Vice Mayor Norman Kline said that he was most interested in preserving the quality of the neighborhood.

When it came to the vote, everyone on the council except Waltonsmith voted to limit the conditional use permit to May 2005 and to restrict the number of vendors to 40.

Hayden said that he was familiar with some of the problems faced by the neighbors. "Sometimes a few have to sacrifice for the benefit of many," he said.

Hayden said that he was not very sure about what options the market had at this point. "We will be talking to West Valley College to see if anything could be done there," he said. "But we will also look at neighboring cities that are not too far from Saratoga."

Hayden said that he had very little time to prepare for the meeting.

"We have 4,500 local citizens on our mailing list," he said. "The supporters of the farmers market could have filled the hall where city council meetings are held."

The Saratoga Farmers Market has been at its current location since 1996.

"The community has embraced us. We bring in quality produce. We will do everything we can to keep it in Saratoga," said Hayden.