Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: ACCEPTANCE OF KESSING RANCH PUBLIC
IMPROVEMENTS
Date: February 13, 2024
Written by: Craig Scott, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Recommendation
It is recommended the City of Cotati City Council adopt a resolution accepting the Kessing Ranch Subdivision Public Improvements and authorizing the City Clerk to record the notice of completion and to release any Subdivision Improvement Agreement Securities upon the passage of 35 days
Background
As part of the orderly development of the City, the City considers and approves subdivision plans then typically enters into Subdivision Improvement Agreements for the installation and eventual acceptance by the City of public improvements. This process is to ensure the development meets the City’s land use and infrastructure requirements presented in the General Plan, codified in the Municipal Code, and prescribed in guidance documents including the Engineering Design Standards, Standard Plans, and Construction Specification Manual and Building Permit forms and procedures. The Kessing Ranch Subdivision has followed these procedures and the public improvement portion of the constructed development is ready for City Council acceptance.
Analysis/Discussion
On March 26, 2019, City Council accepted the Improvement Plans and approved the Subdivision Improvement Agreement, Final Map and easement dedications and right-of-way abandonment for the Kessing Ranch subdivision. The public improvements have been completed to the satisfaction of the City Engineer and in accordance with the project plans and specifications and is recommended for acceptance by the City. Following City Council action, the City Clerk is to record the Notice of Completion, then, after the 35-day noticing period with no protests received, the City Clerk is to release any remaining Subdivision Securities. In addition, a maintenance bond has been received by the City, which is a financial guarantee in the event the developer is unresponsive to correcting any deficiencies in the public improvements for a period of one year following City acceptance of the Public Improvements. Following City Council’s acceptance, the purpose of the Subdivision Improvement Agreement has been fulfilled.
Financial Considerations
In accepting the public improvements, the City is taking responsibility for the long-term maintenance of these improvements. The development is within the Community Facilities District (CFD) so a special assessment is collected by the City for maintenance of streets, lighting and public safety. Maintenance of the common areas including the small stone house park and on-site storm water system, is the responsibility of the Homeowners Association.
Owners are to maintain, repair and replace all landscaping within their lots and within the planter and landscape strips. These and other maintenance responsibilities are fully described in the recorded Declaration of Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions of the Kessing Ranch Homeowners Association.
Environmental Issues
The environmental review for the Project was completed and Council adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration with the Vesting Tentative Map approval in 2009, and, on May 9, 2017, City Council adopted a resolution approving an Addendum to the 2009 Mitigated Negative Declaration.