Lupine and Poppy trailside.

Those who are lobbying to allow dogs Montini Preserve have made it clear to their supporters and the City Council that if they don’t get what they want, they will attempt to overturn dog restrictions on the Sonoma Overlook Trail, which they claim is funded by taxpayer dollars.

Here’s the truth.

For the 10 years the SOT has been in existence, the Sonoma Overlook Trail has been funded only by private funds. The only time the City of Sonoma staff is called upon for support is for public safety reasons – for example, to cut a fallen tree away from the trail or when a large tree is endangering walkers. Those occasions are few and far between, and we only ask staff for assistance when the tree is too large for our volunteers to handle.

Instead, the Overlook Trail maintenance and trail activities like school tours, are funded and maintained by the Volunteer Sonoma Overlook Stewards, with monies raised from private citizens. The kiosk was also built with volunteers and private citizen donations. Taxes do not support the trail. Also, the intial trail was built primarily with private donations and was built for about 30k. The land is City land originally donated by General Vallejo.

Trail work is all done as a public service by us for the citizens of Sonoma.

We hope you will join us in our future efforts to care for the SOT.

Please come and be heard during the May 4 City Council meeting to discuss the newest proposed amendment to the Montini Management Plan to allow dogs in a wildlife preserve. Foe more information, read the 050415 Council Agenda and the 7A Montini Amendment.