CITY OF GROSSE POINTE — In an entirely incidental sequence of events, Marais Market & Cafe brought forward a proposal to council Monday, July 15, to redo its outdoor area, just days after a distracted driver crashed into the planters outside the market.

“I did not pay the girl to destroy all the planters, that wasn’t me,” owner David Gilbert joked.

Marais Market, off Kercheval in The Village, is moving forward with plans to put an enclosed outdoor seating area next to the business along St. Clair to serve alcohol and food from the restaurant.

The market will relocate its existing tables and chairs into this area, so they will no longer be accessible to the public.

This will replace both the farmer’s market and original outdoor seating area immediately adjacent to the building. Amenities such as the five benches will remain.

The enclosure will encapsulate a 12-by-30-foot space and include three tables and 12 chairs, which will be stored during winter months.

The operation will be limited from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., which is typical of outdoor seating areas in The Village, according to City Planner John Jackson.

Next year the market may be interested in putting more seating in the enclosed space and could revisit the farmer’s market as they move forward, Gilbert said.

Additionally, the City voted during Monday night’s meeting to move forward with participation in the Redevelopment Ready Communities program through the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

According to the resolution, the program is meant to help in “identifying and strengthening weak areas in a community’s development process and highlight opportunities in the community.”

Passing the resolution has started the process of City staff reviewing city-wide development processes compared to the best recommended practices the state has. The suggested changes then will be brought before council.

City Manager Pete Dame reported it is a requirement to participate in this program if the City has interest in being in the Michigan Mainstreet Program or if it wants to get redevelopment funds from the state.

The next council meeting will be Monday, Aug. 19.