The City of Santa Cruz on Sept. 30 approved a consent agenda that included staff acceptance of materials to form a Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Business Improvement District (WBID). The consent motion was moved by Council member Bruner, seconded by Council member O'Hara and passed unanimously.

Several speakers from the local wine industry urged council approval during public comment. Kayky (Kiki) Lenny McKay, executive director of the Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Growers Association, said the district would let wineries pool marketing resources and promote the American Viticultural Area to visitors. "The district gives the wineries what they can't achieve alone," McKay said, noting roughly 95 small wineries in the AVA and limited planted acreage.

Gerald O'Brien, a wine-industry resident, said the supplemental assessment would nearly double marketing funds for the region and benefit all wineries, whether they join the association or not. "This will promote everybody," O'Brien told the council.

Other winery owners, including Steve Storrs and Jim Cargill, voiced support, describing the district as an "experiment" to raise the region's profile and attract visitors.

A speaker online opposed the measure, calling it government interference in a private-sector advertising effort and objecting to the assessment mechanism and potential difficulty of opting out.

Nut graf: The council approved consent items that advance the district formation process; the measure still requires subsequent administrative and outreach steps to finalize the district and select funding mechanisms. Industry supporters emphasized economic benefits and broader regional marketing; critics warned against compulsory assessments and government-managed promotion.

The consent vote covered items 10 through 25 (excluding two pulled items). At roll call, council members recorded unanimous approval of the consent motion. City staff said the district would allow wineries to collect a small assessment (one speaker noted it is a 1% assessment, not 2%) and to use pooled funds for coordinated marketing across the AVA that spans multiple counties.

Ending: Staff will return with any required administrative steps to complete district formation and funding details as the process advances.