RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI DIRECTING THE
CREATION OF AN IN-LIEU TREE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND A IN-LIEU
TREE PROGRAM
WHEREAS, Chapter 17.54 of the Cotati Municipal Code (CMC) governs the removal of trees within the City of Cotati; and
WHEREAS, from time-to-time remedies for the removal of trees is completed through the payment of “in-lieu fees” and CMC Section 17.54.050 identifies the in-lieu fee shall be deposited into the city’s tree fund; and
WHEREAS, to-date the City has utilized the General Fund as the tree fund, however tracking and allocating in-lieu tree funds would be improved through the creation of a special revenue fund whereby these fees could be received, tracked and allocated more effectively; and WHEREAS, the Council desires a program to be implemented to expend these funds specifically with the goal to remedy impacts associated with the removal of trees within the City.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI DOES HEREBY:
1. Find the action to create a of the In-Lieu Tree Special Revenue Fund does not constitute a project as defined by California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, and the creation of the program to implement collection and expenditure of these funds is directed by CMC 17.54 and is found to be consistent with the General Plan EIR analysis; therefore, no further environmental review is required per CEQA Section 15183.
2. Direct the creation of an In-Lieu Tree Special Revenue Fund within the City Budget and allocate all available previously collected in-lieu tree funds into this account.
3. Direct the creation of an In-Lieu Tree Program to be administered by the Community Development Department, to collect and expend the In-Lieu Tree Funds.
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Cotati held on the July 25th, 2023, by the following vote, to wit:
Approved:________________________________
Mayor
Attest:____________________________
Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
Approved as to form:
____________________________
City Attorney