Consultant outlines three options for 5th Street to support Lafayette farmers market and downtown placemaking

MKSK presented Feb. 26 to the Lafayette Redevelopment Commission a study of a two-block portion of 5th Street from Columbia to Ferry Street to improve the farmers market and downtown placemaking. Katie Clark, MKSK landscape architect and project manager, summarized six months of work that included vendor surveys, door‑to‑door interviews with business owners, and limited stakeholder outreach (about 40 participants).

Clark described three sets of design scenarios. The first refines the street as currently configured to tighten travel lanes and give more space to pedestrians while maintaining parking patterns; the second—"enhanced public realm"—converts some 90-degree stalls to parallel parking to expand public space on the east side; the third removes west-side parking to create an extended linear-park feel and larger planting and plaza areas. Clark said the work was exploratory rather than a single recommendation and that next steps include subsurface investigation to understand utilities and pavement structure, additional public outreach and early budgeting strategies.

Commissioners asked about whether the street would close for events; Clark said the street would remain functional to preserve deliveries and business access, and vendors told the team they preferred more gathering and queuing space over permanent overhead shelter because they use tents. Clark said the team will deliver a final document to staff for further review and that the study identified potential funding paths and preliminary procurement steps but is not tied to a fiscal year.

Commissioners expressed support for continued public engagement and attention to delivering a project that balances daily traffic needs with event programming. The commission did not authorize construction funding at the meeting; staff said advancing any design would require further outreach, detailed design and funding identification.