Wine Country marathon runs afoul of City Council

The Wine Country Half Marathon couldn’t cross the finish line this week in its bid for City approval of street closures for its 2017 Napa to Sonoma run.

Destination Races, the company which stages multiple “wine country marathons” in the U.S. and Canada, was lobbying the Sonoma City Council at its Nov. 21 meeting to close portions of Broadway, Denmark, East MacArthur and East Napa streets on the morning of July 16 for the 14th incarnation of the event which stretches 13.1 miles from Cuvaison Carneros Winery in Napa to the Sonoma Plaza.

But in a decision that stunned race director Matt Dockstader, the City Council on Monday denied the street closures for the event, mustering support for the event from only Mayor Laurie Gallian and Councilmember Madolyn Agrimonti.

Without the use of Sonoma streets for marathoners to reach the Plaza, the viability of the Napa to Sonoma run is in serious doubt.

In denying the closures, councilmembers Rachel Hundley, David Cook and Gary Edwards cited the multitude of complaints they received following last summer’s road closures and questioned whether the event has any real benefit to the Sonoma community.

“The relationship between this event and the city has been tenuous for quite a while,” said Hundley. “Last year we were barraged with complaints. This is not something that most of our residents participate in.”

According to a City staff report, the race attracts about 3,500 runners, 70 percent of whom come from outside of California. Estimated total attendance for the event is about 8,000.

Edwards described the event’s impact on the Plaza as “an overuse of venue,” noting that the nearly $18,000 the event pays in fees, including its post-race Plaza festival, is “very inexpensive.”

“A lot of people are calling and wondering what the benefit is – we’re doubling the size of our town for a morning,” said Edwards.

Dockstader said that the event benefits the hotels, shops and restaurants of Sonoma. “We’re promoting Sonoma on a national basis for free,” Dockstader said.

The marathon also contributes about $32,000 to local charities, $20,000 of which goes to Hanna Boys Center. However, the donation amount was called into question by councilmembers, as well, who pointed out it was about half of what for-profit events are expected to donate under city policy. According to the City’s special event policy, for-profit organizations are required to donate either 10 percent of their gross revenue or 40 percent of net revenue, whichever amount is higher, to Valley nonprofits. But the Wine Country Half Marathon in the past had donated far less, on the basis that half of the event takes place outside the city limits.

Councilmember Cook said when weighing the needs of the community with those of tourism, “the balance has tipped.”

“We need to focus, possibly do a reset and look at use of the Plaza and what is local and what is not local,” said Cook.

Hundley added that she finds the benefit to the community “lacking.”

“The event has gone on long enough,” said Hundley “It’s way too big for our tiny city.”

Gallian and Agrimonti, however, felt it was unfair to pull the plug on the street closures without a more thorough review of special events policy. “I’m uncomfortable changing the rules,” said Agrimonti. “I’m embarrassed.”

Lisa Janson, the city’s new events coordinator, had worked as a liaison between Destination Races and city officials. “It sounds like they just changed policy,” Janson said after the vote.

Outside the council meeting, the I-T spoke with a visibly dismayed Dockstader who believed the denial was “personal” and that some “newcomers” on the council hold a grudge against the event. Asked if the marathon could go on without the City of Sonoma’s involvement, Dockstader said, “It’s called ‘Sonoma to Napa,’ we can’t have it without Sonoma.”

Dockstader also pointed out that the event already has ancillary agreements with other parties.

According to destinationraces.com, other events held in conjunction with the marathon have already been planned – including a July 15 “race expo” at Cornerstone and a July 16 post-race Wine and Music Festival on the Plaza. Registration for the event – which sold out last year in 17 minutes, according to race officials – is slated for Dec. 1.

The following day, Dockstader told the I-T he’s had additional conversations with some members of the council and was holding out hope that an agreement with the City could still be worked out.

“Canceling the race would be devastating and really contentious,” he said. “We got blindsided, basically. We were told other things and didn’t know that was going to happen. There’s just a better way to do this. I’m hoping rational, cooler heads will prevail.”

Email Jason at jason.walsh@sonomanews.com.