Sonoma City Council to historic house: Party hearty!

When it comes to allowing weddings to be held at the historic Maysonnave House, the Sonoma City Council has one heartfelt response: We do.

That was the end result of the Feb. 1 Sonoma City Council meeting in which the city found everlasting bliss with a request from the League for Historic Preservation to hold weddings and special events at the 291 First St. East property – a move League spokespeople said was necessary to help the nonprofit make ends meet.

“This house has been termed a ‘civic treasure,’ and we certainly agree with that,” said League President Robert Demler at the meeting. “But this treasure has been a burden financially for the League.”

The late Henri Maysonnave willed the 1910-built house to the City of Sonoma in 1989 – under the stipulation it would be used for museum- and park-like purposes. The property sat mostly unused until 2001, when the League for Historic Preservation secured a long-term lease for the building and launched an ambitious effort to restore the premises and transform it into a museum and education-and-research center.

In 2008, the Heritage Center at Maysonnave House officially opened under the auspices of the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation Auxiliary, offering rotating exhibitions, youth education opportunities and a venue for members’ events.

The Auxiliary served as the fundraising branch of the League, and in its initial years brought in enough revenue to cover the costs of maintenance on the historic property.

But, according to League officials, a “change in philosophy” led to the disbanding of the Auxiliary in 2011 and since then “the house has stayed virtually underutilized and vacant much of the last few years” – which has not only resulted in deferred maintenance, but a substantial drop in League membership.

League officials at Monday’s meeting lobbied the Council to confirm a lease interpretation that would allow the League – which is reconstituting its auxiliary – to hold private events at the house, including lectures, birthday parties, reunions and weddings.

Ethel Daly, of the auxiliary Friends of the Maysonnave, said, “Until the city agrees with these interpretations of the lease, we’re on hold.”

Maysonnave supporters, it turns out, weren’t on hold for long.

City Planning Director David Goodison lent his support to the request, saying that “such activities are common at museums” and noted that the terms of the lease greenlights “uses customarily associated with museums, such as offices, meetings and social events.”

The Council agreed, voting 5 – 0 to confirm the League’s use of the house for events, within certain limits. The council directed city staff to set a weddings limit to 120 attendees at no more than 12 times per year (or no more than two per calendar month) with smaller events such as birthdays and lectures to max out at 40 to 60 attendees.

Noted Goodison: “It is important to remember that the Masyonnave property has virtually no on-site parking, so the parking for any event must be supported on-street or in the Casa Grande lot.”

Parking concerns aside, no one spoke against the proposal and the council came out in full support of the League’s special-events plans – with multiple council members suggesting that the League charge more than its expressed $1,000 for weddings.

“Other venues charge far more than that,” advised Councilmember Gary Edwards.

Demler made no attempt to hide his pleasure with the results of the evening.

“We want to concentrate on the mission of the Maysonnave,” said Demler. “Not on the real estate.”

Email Jason at jason.walsh@sonomanews.com.