Supporters of the Pierce College Farm Center attended a Los Angeles Community College District board meeting Thursday afternoon, demanding an investigation into the school’s eviction of the Pierce College Farm Center. The Farm Center at Victory and DeSoto avenues has operated a farmers market and hosted popular holiday festivities, including an annual Harvest Festival featuring a corn maze and other attractions. It operates on only a fraction of the more than 200 acres at the college commonly referred to as “The Farm.” Robert McBroom, who operates the center, has leased the property through his Asylum Productions company for a decade. He was ordered to vacate the site in July by college administrators after his lease expired and the two sides could not reach an agreement on a new lease following mediation. He has been given until April 2015 to clear the property. The school administration has said that it wants to return the property to academic use for the horticulture, animal science, environmental science and other programs. However, McBroom, along with several other community members, said during the meeting that they feared the college administration really wanted to hand the property over to a developer for commercial construction. “Remember, we were asked to come here and to be supportive of the college to build the community agricultural program,” said McBroom to the board, referring to his initial occupancy of the site. During the meeting, nearly a dozen speakers addressed the board in support of McBroom during the public comment period. The item was not on the agenda, but board President Scott Svonkin repeatedly said the district had no plans for commercial development. “The college and this board remain committed to serving our students and the community with close attention to appropriate use of taxpayer supported property. There are no plans or any discussion about selling any of the property,” he said. “For those of you who may have heard something else, it ain’t true and is not the case. We will protect the open space.” A representative of L.A. Councilman Bob Blumenfield, District 3, also urged the board to ensure that both the Farm Center site and entire Farm are retained for educational uses. The board did not formally respond to the call for an investigation.
