OLYMPIA - Port officials defused a brewing controversy Thursday by dropping the idea of building a parking garage behind Olympia Farmers Market.

For the past week, market managers had been giving leaflets to customers opposing a garage on grounds that construction could hurt business and that a multi-story garage was too large and out of character on the Olympia waterfront.

"We're very excited. We feel like they listened," said the market's general manager, Charley Haney. "A lot of people were upset about this."

She estimated the market had received about a thousand e-mails and phone calls this week in support of the market's opposition to a three-story garage behind its sales area. Market customers now park free on a surface lot behind the stores at Market Street Northeast and Capitol Way North.

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"There has been an unfortunate communication breakdown between port staff and our important tenants and stakeholders regarding the proposed parking structure," Kennedy said. "Moving forward, we will do a better job of gathering input and sharing information with stakeholders and the community."