The Pacific Grove Certified Farmers Market is moving at the pace of an heirloom tomato plant, taking its sweet time getting to the point people can enjoy it.

In February, city officials predicted the market would begin in April or May. Last month, the plan was for late June or early July. Now it looks like the new market will launch on July 21.

The foot-dragging can be chalked up to bureauc- racy. Before the market can get started, the city had to approve a zoning code amendment allowing public gatherings on Lighthouse Avenue between Forest Avenue and 18th Street on Mondays from 4-8pm.

The City Council held a public hearing and a second reading of the ordinance at its June 4 meeting. But the city was forced to nullify the market’s approval upon realizing that failed to print the city’s public notice of the hearing in advance of the meeting, as required by law.

An ad for Yahoo.com’s Hotjobs web service replaced a full page of classified ads and legal notices in the .

During a repeat hearing June 18, the council unanimously gave the market a green light. The rule will not take effect for 30 days, making July 21 the market’s earliest possible start date.

On June 19, 16 people testified before the Planning Commission, all supporting the idea of the market. But they were split on whether it should span Lighthouse from Forest to 18th or from 13th to 15th. Some business owners within those blocks worried that the event could hurt their sales. Market director Iris Peppard said she would work with whichever location best serves the community.

The commission unanimously approved a use permit for the Forest to 18th blocks, also adopting a negative environmental impact declaration for that location. Members of the public have until June 30 to appeal the decision, according to P.G. Senior Planner Sarah Hardgrave.

“It’s pretty probable that somebody will appeal that location,” Peppard says.

City planners have prepared environmental reviews of both locations and will notify the public about the potential council vote, Hardgrave says. If an appeal is filed, the City Council may hold a special meeting July 16 to consider whether to place the market on the western or eastern blocks of Lighthouse. That meeting date is not yet confirmed.

Either way, Peppard says she’s confident the market will begin July 21, featuring 16 certified producers from local farms along with 16 prepared food and craft merchants from P.G.