CONWAY — An effort by local farmers and volunteers to launch a Sunday farmers' market at the Whitaker homesite ran into stiff resistance among the selectmen on Tuesday, prompting coordinators to abandon the idea of partnering with the town.

Local farmer Glen Mitchell and volunteer Will Abbott came to the town to see if the selectmen would be interested in partnering with a group of farmers and community members looking to get a market going. Coordinators, in conjunction with the Mount Washington Valley Preservation Association, already talked with the North Conway Community Center about holding the market on its property south of Schouler Park, he said, but for a number of reasons, ranging from signage and the cost of permitting to conflicting events, the Whitaker homesite seem like a much better location.

The market would run for 15 weeks through the summer, town manager Earl Sires told the board. Like other recent projects — including the Schouler Park skating rink and the Hussey Field canoe launch — the town could partner with the group to provide things like insurance.

"The town's role would really be to support this," Sires said, with the idea being the market would be an economic development driver.

"The time is right," Abbott said. Organizers already have a number of farmers interested and ready to sign up, as well as volunteers willing to donate time to ensure the markets run smoothly. "The only thing we could have is a positive impact," he said.

That reassurance did little to convince the selectmen, however, who had raised repeated questions and concerns about parking, competition for local businesses and other aspects of the plan.

"I have no problem with the concept," selectman Mike DiGregorio said, but he would like to see organizers consider buying their own land to host the market.

And there were other concerns. Sunday mornings could conflict with church service, selectman Stacy Sand said. Parking could be a problem. DiGregorio wondered whether a farmers' market would cannibalize local businesses. Chair David Weathers asked if all the local farmers been approached. They shouldn't be left out, he said.

"We're dealing with all these questions right now," Abbott said, but before organizers can invest deeply in researching the Whitaker location they need to know if the town would be interested in the partnership.

"It's about the community supporting the community," he said, "supporting local farmers with local dollars."

"It's bringing people out," Mitchell said. "Give us a chance to see what we can do with it."

Their reassurances, however, did not satisfy the board. The selectmen continued to point at what they saw as problems with the proposal.

A market could hurt local bakeries and produce vendors, Sand said, pointing out that The Local Grocer just down the street serves a very similar market.

The owner of The Local Grocer, however, said on Thursday that while she appreciates the selectman's concerns she does not share them. "I don't view [a farmers' market] as competition at all," Heather Chase said. "We're all in support of local agriculture."

"That sentiment did not come from us," she said. "I think a farmers' market is a fabulous idea."

Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce director Janice Crawford said she had mentioned the proposal to a number of her members and got similar response. "Everyone was very excited about it from a business standpoint," she said.

"It's community building," Crawford, who also serves on the Mount Washington Valley Preservation Association, said. She called a market "a great way to drive traffic into the village."

"The general feel of the community is a farmers' market would be a wonderful addition," she said, both from a business standpoint and from a community standpoint. "To me it's a complete win-win."

According to the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, there are 75 communities around the state with farmers' markets, from Alstead, Amherst, Atkinson and Auburn to Warren, Weare, Wentworth and Wilmot. Local markets in Tamworth, Berlin, Bethlehem and Littleton are all popular affairs.

"We're going into our fourth year," Berlin city planner and community development director Pam Laflamme said on Wednesday. A city street is closed down for the farmers' market every Thursday in summer, she said. "It's almost like an open street fair."

"It's become almost like a gathering space," she said. "It's nice to get people out in the downtown."

Abbott and Mitchell made similar points on Tuesday.

"We're creating a community," Mitchell said, "it just enhances what the community is trying to develop."

Preference would be given to local farms, Abbott said, and should it take off it would drive business to local stores.

The arguments, however, but it did little to sway the selectmen. After the extended string of questions and critiques, Abbott pressed the selectmen to give him some direction. Should organizers look elsewhere, he asked, or is this something the town wants to be part of? Organizers need to start signing up farmers, he said, and time is running short.

"I don't want to be pressured because you're just coming to us now," Sand said.

Abbott said he understood, but with planting season nearing the group needed an answer.

"Sorry, can't happen," Sand said.

Abbott and Mitchell left after thanking the selectmen for their time. They would move ahead with plans to hold the market at the North Conway Community Center, they said, without the town's involvement.