Debate swirls over use of Plaza Park as Healdsburg’s fame grows

City forms subcommittee to assess event use
Healdsburg is becoming a popular place to hold an event as its notoriety grows as a wine, food and bicycling mecca.
And since the number of event application submitted to the city has quadrupled over the last six years, city leaders are vowing to take a second look at the rules and regulations it uses to determine which organizations can call Healdsburg home.
The issue hit a snag last week when about a dozen antique dealers attended the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to complain about the Antique Fair being denied use of the Plaza for its annual Memorial Day weekend event.
In December the commission had chosen to deny two applications for the antique fair’s use of the plaza after assessing that the organizer was a commercial entity. In years past, the antique fair had been sponsored by the Healdsburg Museum, but the commission determined that the sponsorship was in name only, without any true participation by the museum.
Current rules for use of the Plaza park mandate that special events be sponsored by a Healdsburg-based nonprofit organization.
“The plaza is the preferred event venue for most event organizers due to its visibility its proximity to downtown and its high tourist traffic,” recreation supervisor Elizabeth Haskell said. “However, the city offers several other parks and facilities that are available for rent to commercial entities. For example, the Healdsburg Community Center, Recreation Park, West Plaza, Purity lot and City Hall dirt and paved parking lots.”
After being presented with these options, as well as an offer to hold the fair on Center Street or Plaza Street, Haskell said the event organizer, Bill Weinstein, resubmitted special event applications for Sunday, May 26 and Sunday, August 25 at the West Plaza and its associated parking lot, (where the Saturday morning Farmers Market) is located.
Haskell said Weinstein had not appealed the decision made by the commission nor requested additional action by the Parks and Recreation department. Weinstein was not present at the commission meeting.
When the floor was opened to comments from the public, several of the dozen-or-so gathered at the city hall council chamber approached the podium and addressed the commission.
Carol Eagle, owner of the antique store Antique Harvest, claimed to have been to more antique fairs and events than anyone in the history of the world.
“I’ve sold at Portobello Road in London, I’ve sold in France, I’ve sold in Switzerland, in Seattle and Oregon. You name it, I’ve sold there,” she said. “The single most charming event in the world that I’ve attended is in Healdsburg. It’s a tragedy that you’re going to take this away because it never comes back the same.”
Mike Lynch of Healdsburg Classics also stepped up to the microphone.
“We’ve had a great show in the plaza, but it’s going to change in the parking lot,” Lynch said. “There’s no seating there and if it’s a hot day, the concrete will get so hot with people out there with no shade.”
As more speakers took their turn to address the commission, the tone became more emotional. There was a burst of applause when Joann Engelke asked if antique dealers would have to become wine distributors.
After the public comment period was declared over, the commissioners attempted to answer some of the questions and concerns that had been raised.
Commissioner Richard Bugarkse said that the Kiwanis and other nonprofits of which he was a member might have considered adopting the antique fair under their own auspices, but had not been approached to that end. Fellow commissioner Kent Mitchell made much the same offer as a member of Healdsburg Rotary Club.
“This event could be revived and returned to the plaza if there was a legitimate nonprofit organization that would not just sponsor it, but would have the put the event on,” Mitchell said.
Commission chair Jay Tripathi made the final comments to the assembled townspeople.
“I know that you’re upset that you’re not going to have your event on the plaza.” Tripathi said. “But I also know that for those of you in this room that are antique dealers, it behooves you to do a good job at this because there’s going to be a ton of people in town on Memorial Day weekend. Don’t throw muddy water on your event because you don’t like the fact that it’s been moved.”
After the issue of the antique fair had been settled, the commission went on to create an ad hoc subcommittee which would look into special events and use of the city’s parks.
Assistant City Manager David Mickaelian, who’d brought the issue before the commission,  said the committee would take a closer look at what constituted a minor versus a major special event, and the minutia of the city’s rules.
“We run a pretty good ship,” Mickaelian said, “But I hope this advisory group can help policy makers with the gray areas.”