Administrative Draft
December 13, 2022
1 City of Cotati Downtown Specific Plan Amendments
Project Description
The Cotati Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) Amendments project proposes minor changes to the DSP and Cotati Zoning Ordinance that clarify and provide technical guidance for development projects to be consistent with the City’s vision for downtown, in light of the numerous changes to State housing law.
These Plan Amendments serve to strike a balance between consistency with recent changes in State planning and housing law and reaffirming the DSP direction to foster development of a vibrant, pedestrian oriented mix of retail businesses, housing for all economic segments of the community, and recreation amenities while preserving Cotati’s historic character (Downtown Plan, page 1:14).
At the direction of the City Council, the focus of this project is to prepare amendments that would update and clarify the DSP land use regulations to ensure the City is both consistent with state housing laws and which maintain the City’s vision for downtown as expressed in the adopted DSP. The Plan Amendments will serve to refine DSP and Zoning Code permit requirements, applicable development standards, and to create a refined design review process for housing projects, as required under recent State legislation.
Background
The Downtown Plan area comprises approximately 59.5 acres, including future roadways and circulation infrastructure, oriented generally along the Old Redwood Highway corridor from the northbound Highway 101 on-ramp southeast to Page Street. The DSP vision and goals seek to enhance this historic stretch of Old Redwood Highway as a well-designed mixed-use downtown corridor that serves as a cultural center providing economic opportunities and housing for people of diverse incomes and ages. The DSP was adopted in August 2009 by the City Council after an extensive public planning effort to replace the 1991 La Plaza Specific Plan.
The DSP area is divided into four main zoning districts, each providing for a different level of commercial and residential development by establishing a series of unique urban forms with specific design guidance.
Each zone is identified by a set of directive goals, policies, and implementing actions which are in turn supported by graphic examples, and photos intended to guide building and development within the historic corridor around the La Plaza Park, and the greater DSP area.
The Downtown Plan adopted a “form-based code” approach to land use, that instead of establishing lines, or “building envelopes”, provides a vertical and horizontal “build-to” area that future buildings would fill, thus creating a “form.” This form-based approach is an alternative to typical zoning which sets maximum building envelopes (setbacks and height limits) and is highly prescriptive regarding allowable uses and their separation.
The form-based code approach is intended to provide certainty to the scale of buildings in the DSP districts and includes design standards to guide the desired character and exterior appearances of each area. The form-based approach provides for flexibility of use over time as preferences change, and sustainability by allowing for “recycling” of buildings that accommodate a mix of uses within these defined urban “forms”. Concurrent to establishing a more vibrant City center through building design, the DSP directs a series of actions to provide a safe, well-designed circulation system throughout the Plan area intended to be safe and friendly to pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicle traffic alike.
Downtown Plan Amendments
The Proposed DSP Amendments address the recent requirements that multifamily housing be allowed in the Plan area by revising allowable uses in the zoning code to clarify that 100% multifamily and affordable housing projects may be consistent with the DSP, as required under state law.
Administrative Draft
December 13, 2022
2 The residential development potential for each of the Downtown Plan zones is established in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Downtown Plan and is shown in Table 1 below. No changes to the established development capacity are proposed; rather these allowed densities are clarified and affirmed as part of the proposed DSP Amendments.
Table 1 Downtown Plan Buildout (2009)
Cotati DSP
Zone District
Buildout Density
(Less Rights of
Way1)
Non-Residential2 Buildout
(Less Open Space3)
Residential
Buildout
(119 existing +331
new=450 units)
Total Buildout
Density
Residential
12.5 upa
Non-Residential
8,570 sf/acre
Commerce Avenue-CA CA Zone Total
6.5 acres
- ROW 1.6 acres
4.9 acres
Non-Residential Square Feet
(sf): 42,000 sf
Non-Residential
8,570 sf/acre
61 Dwelling Units
4.9 acres
12.5 units
per acre (upa)
Open Space: N/A
Residential units
8.7 upa
Non-Residential
8,282 sf/acre
Northern Gateway-NG NG Zone Total
36.2 acres
-ROW 9.1 acres
=27.1 acres
Open Space (OS):
-0.86 acres=26.2 acres
Non-Residential
217,000 sf
8,282 sf/acre
229 dwellings
26.2 acres
8.7 upa
Open Space:
.86 acre
Residential
19.0 upa
Non-Residential
25,376 sf/acre
La Plaza–(LP) LP Zone Total
11.3 acres
-ROW 2.9 acres
8.4 acres
OS: 3.75 acres
=4.7 acres
Non-Residential
118,000 sf
25,376 sf/acre
89 dwellings
4.7 acres
19.0 upa
Open Space:
3.75 acres
Residential
11.7 upa
Non-Residential
10,037 sf/acre
Historic Core-HC HC Zone Total
5.5 acres
-ROW 1.4 acres
4.1 acres
Non-Residential
41,150 sf
10,037sf/acre
71 dwellings
4.1 acre
11.7 upa
Open Space: 0 acres
Residential
10.2 (upa)
Non-Residential
Totals 10,503 sf/acre
Plan Area
59.5 acres
-ROW 15.0 acres=
44.5 acres
Open Space: 4.61 acres
Residential: 39.9 acres
Non-Residential:
419,050sf
&
10,503sf/acre
450 dwellings
44.5 acres
10.2 upa
Open Space:
4.61 acres
Source: 2009 Cotati Downtown Specific Plan, Environmental Impact Report (DSP EIR) Table 3.0-5 (City of Cotati). 1: DSP EIR Right of Way (streets, sidewalks), DSP EIR Appendices 3.0-B and 4.7-B 2: Non-Residential includes office, civic, retail, and services and includes 419,050 sf at buildout (assumes 182,000 sf existing and 237,050 sf new construction)
3: Open Space: Includes public parks and natural areas along watersheds.
4. Residential buildout includes 450 residential units (comprised of 119 existing residential units and 331 potential new units constructed in the DSP).
Proposed Plan Documents Revisions
The DSP Amendments include two sets of document amendments. The first will be to the Plan itself and is intended to clarify development standards and affirm the mix of residential uses consistent with the existing build out (units, square feet) and forms (height, setbacks, and landscaping) anticipated under the Plan and it’s supporting environmental analysis.
Administrative Draft
December 13, 2022
3 The second set of amendments will be to the Zoning Code, inclusive of the Objective Residential and Mixed-Use Design Standards amendments (Downtown Plan Area) and other related Municipal Code standards as necessary to address the new housing regulations.
Announcements will be made through the media, email, the Cotati Housing Interest List, and on the City website when draft and final documents are made available for public review.
Public Outreach
In order to involve members of the Cotati community and help refine the City Council’s direction, this project includes the following public outreach activities to gain public input on the Downtown Plan Amendments.
1. Public Surveys. January 2023
The City, in coordination with its consultant, has developed a concise survey and will distribute the survey via multiple channels to ensure a robust response.
2. Workshop Event- In Person Outreach. January 2023
City staff will host an informational presentation and workshop with the City Council and Planning Commission on the Plan Amendments on January 17, 2023, to introduce the community to the project, inform them about the issues being addressed and seek input from residents, businessowners and Commissioners.
Staff will highlight the survey’s availability at this outreach meeting.
3. Downtown Plan Amendments Website
The Cotati Planning Department will post the Draft Downtown Plan Amendments on the Community Development Department website to serve as the public clearinghouse of information on the project, that includes:
• Access to draft documents.
• Provides a portal to the project survey and its results. • Agenda notices, staff reports and materials for public hearings by the Planning Commission and City Council are available in advance.
4. Public Hearings
The Planning Commission and City Council will conduct public hearings to allow interested citizens in the community to provide additional input on the project and the legislative framework that has been provided by the State.
Environmental Review
The limited scope of the DSP Amendments is likely to result in a determination that the proposed changes fall within the scope of the environmental review in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2009 Cotati DSP and that an Addendum to the EIR would be the appropriate environmental document to be prepared consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines sections 15162 15163? and 15164. The Addendum will document the minor changes and additions necessary to ensure the previously certified EIR adequately analyzes the project impacts and affirm that none of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent EIR or an EIR supplement, are present or have occurred.
Public Hearings
Public Hearings by the Planning Commission and City Council are tentatively scheduled to occur during March and April 2023. The public hearing format will ensure the public and interested parties are able to Administrative Draft
December 13, 2022
4 provide input either in writing or through verbal communication to these decision-making bodies, prior to any decisions being made.
For information regarding the project, please contact Noah Housh, Community Development Director at [email protected], or
Noah Housh
Director of Community Development
City of Cotati
201 West Sierra Avenue, Cotati, CA 94931
Office: (707) 665-3635
http://www.cotaticity.org/