OpEd - Sonoma Coast is Not for Sale - Locals Object to Marathon
UPDATE: The Marathon has been postponed for now. Representatives from the marathon will be at the meeting on Sunday, March 31st as planned.
Coast citizens are gathering signatures, letters, and momentum to oppose the proposedSonoma Coast Marathon scheduled for September 29th. So far permits have not been issued and the North Coast communities (Jenner to Fort Ross) have rejected the marathon for numerous reasons. Originally designed to run from Fort Ross to Bodega Bay, the marathon has been reduced by half its distance to a 13.8 mile coastal run from Jenner at the Headlands Preserve to Bodega Bay.
Billed as a stimulating challenge, the website boasts that this run is “wild and not for the faint of heart. Our course takes you along exhilarating Coastal Highway 1, with hairpin turns and major elevation changes which will challenge your training and quickly become your favorite event of the year. Our course offers a spectacular scenic experience, along one of the most breathtaking and rugged sections of the world-renowned California coastline.”
Indeed, hairpin turns with cliffs falling hundreds of feet just off the shoulder of the road to the rocks and sea below could easily take your breath away no matter how hard runners are breathing as they navigate rapid elevation changes. The half-marathon is on a much less dangerous section of road than north from Jenner to Fort Ross. A collective sigh of relief can be heard all the way inland to the Board of Supervisors and County Event Planners.
Part 2, the 13.8-mile marathon, has not met with local praise and support because the plan disrupts the only road for access to residences and businesses at the tail end of tourist season. The original plan called for shutting off the entire highway and that has been revised to closing sections at a time as the runners make their way down the coast.
The first Coast MAC( Muncipal Advisory Council) meeting in early March had several people address their concerns during the open session for items not on the agenda. Among them Norma Jellison, long-time coast advocate and volunteer, Cea Higgens, leader of the Sonoma Coast Surfriders, and Amanda Bryant, Bodega Bay resident and business owner. Their concerns reflect the concerns of many, right down to how much trash will be generated right after Coast Cleanup has removed trash in preparation for winter rains.
1. When participants pay the entry fee, where exactly does that money get spent? 2. Who are the “stakeholders” that thePress Democrat states were consulted? 3. Why does the permitting process not require public input? 4. How many opposition letters have been registered regarding this event? The term “relatively few” is vague. I want to know if the complaints are few based on the population of Bodega Bay or based on the number of participants? 5. Will there be extra emergency staff and CHP on duty during the marathon? 6. Who will pay for the emergency and CHP? 7. What safety measures will be implemented to ensure the safety of residents and visitors? 8. Who will take care of the extra rubbish generated by the Marathon? 9. Since the proposed route closes not only HWY 1 but Eastshore Rd. how will the Marathon compensate local businesses for lost revenue? 10. How will local residents be compensated for being denied access in and out of their homes? 11. How do you justify blocking access, without knowledge or recourse, to those who come occasionally to the coast and depend on no-fee access to its State Park beaches? 12. Who will be responsible for the liability if Hwy 1 (which is currently giving way in multiple places) caves during the marathon? 13. Was the Coastal Commission consulted regarding the environmental impact of this marathon on our fragile ecology?
Our coastal communities will bear the burden to our roads, water, sewer, emergency services and mobility from race participants, associated support staff and onlookers. No pancake breakfasts or "charitable donations" can sufficiently compensate for the lack of public access to the coastal zone.All to facilitate a race that is affordable only to those who can pay the $175 or $150 race fees.
Please visit the Sonoma Coast Marathon Facebook Page to voice your opinion and consider sending your personalized letter to the people who will be making the decision about issuing a permit - see below.
Send an email ASAP to the local officials listed below (sample email & suggested talking points below)
Attend the very important marathon meeting in Bodega Bay on Sunday, March 31st, 2-4 pmat the Bodega Bay Grange, 1370 Bodega Ave, Bodega Bay, CA 94923**
**This location is fully accessible and has a new sound system for better acoustics.
