Residents in Royal Oak have expressed their concerns on Facebook about redevelopment plans in the city. A petition called "Save the Royal Oak Farmers Market" has been circulating after the city commission proposed a new city hall and police headquarters, which residents believe will threaten the ROFM's existence "by eliminating significant surface parking through poorly planned city development projects and gifts to developers."
In response to the petition, on July 27, Mayor Michael Fournier issued a statement on the ROFM's Facebook page.
"At no point have city officials ever considered closing or jeopardizing the market. The city has invested thousands of dollars improving the market over the past few years and values its role in our community," he wrote.
"We can all agree, the Royal Oak Farmers Market is a jewel in our city. The proposed Royal Oak Civic Center development will enhance the market by adding parking, additional outdoor vendor space and creating more opportunities for both residents and visitors to enjoy what we think is the best suburban farmers market in the region. The implied suggestion that the city commission is forsaking the farmers market is unfounded and untrue. We encourage you to visit romi.gov/civiccenter."
