From: cosmicc978
To: Jon-Paul Harries; Info
Subject: 116 Cotati Development Proposal Concerns
Date: Monday, January 29, 2024 1:51:11 PM
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To Whom It May Concern,
I don’t imagine there’s much of any input I could give as a resident of the west side of town, specifically a resident of the Cotati Cottages, that either hasn’t already been given or that will make much difference at all with the proposed development going in stacked directly on top of the condos over here, but I wanted to mention a few things as a concerned citizen. I’ll be the first to admit I am not well-versed when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of the way these projects come about and get approved, but as a citizen I do have thoughts and opinions on it as someone who lives over here. I know the deal has likely been made and it’s a huge money maker for the developer, so I’m sure there's no turning back now. But it’s disappointing because I know it was not what was initially proposed to those who bought into these condos back when they were new, and it frankly disgusts me how the developer can go back on what was promised to these people.
First of all, I am not trying to come at this from a NIMBY perspective. I realize that’s an easy position to take living in such a pleasant area. I am lucky enough to find myself in a situation where I’m living in a space that is rented to me below market value, my landlord is actually putting her money where her mouth is and do her part in trying to assist in the housing crisis around here. So I myself am one of the citizens whom these proposed “low income” state-mandated housing quotas are actually intended to help. I have to say that with all this increased development, I’ve yet to see one that ACTUALLY qualifies in any realistic sense as “AFFORDABLE.” If the 177 units going in here with whatever percentage of which is categorized as “low income,” it has to actually be just that - something that LOW INCOME people can actually afford. The problem is, the people deciding what is “affordable” have no problem affording anything themselves and the concept of what is “affordable” doesn’t actually seem to be rooted in reality. Nothing that I’ve seen in recent times, in my opinion, is actually affordable to the average blue collar family, and I think anyone you ask will tell you the same. So building endlessly per the states “mandates” is not going to do a damn thing to offset our actual housing crisis if the units aren’t actually affordable. By the time all is said and done, all of these housing structures will be built with no one to rent or buy them because the population they were geared toward will all be moved out of state.
Secondly, I’m a late 30-something who has lived over on this side of town for 5 years now (ten years a Cotatian in total). I am an avid walker and know this neighborhood inside and out. I can tell you right now that this is not an area geared up to take on an additional population of people in terms of infrastructure. Helman/Alder are narrow, older, horribly maintained backroads which I’ve nearly been hit on multiple times since living here. I walk them daily, and they are not designed for the amount of traffic that is using them CURRENTLY, let alone with a gigantic stack and pack housing development crammed onto them. You whisked through those PODS gigantic warehouses over in the industrial area a couple of years back during Covid, leading to a massive increase in traffic on all of these roads over here. Gone are the days when I can walk safely along Alder without fear of a car clipping me, or a gigantic truck pushing its way through to the industrial development. Two cars barely fit passing side by side on Alder. People use those roads as a cut through.
While I do understand this state needs increased housing, I don’t understand the desire to cram it into spaces that don’t make sense for it. The western side of Cotati is ag land, open farmland space. Why are we trying to change the character of the area with egregious dense apartment buildings?? Born and raised on the East Coast, I foresee the same overcrowding and overdevelopment that ruined large swaths of the right coast coming for the left. And how are all these people going to get around? Losing my car to the repair shop for over a week last year, and being a commuter on a budget daily to San Rafael, I decided to see how far a walk it would be to go from the Cotati Cottages to the SMART train station in Cotati. The most difficult portion of the walk wasn’t the distance, it was the danger in attempting to walk the 116/101 vicinity. There are no sidewalks, no bus stops, nothing. This side of town is not designed to have a large volume of people living over here, nor should it. These types of living concepts should be relegated to areas central to the SMART train stations and centrally located near shopping centers. There should be modest single family houses being built in these open plots, or something with a lower profile, not tall dense industrial-looking apartment buildings in a rural setting. People want affordable starter homes, not thrown up quick, poorly-built apartments that will show wear less than a year after being built. Cotati is not Santa Rosa, nor do those who live here want it to become that.
I’ve also called upon the city many times to come repair repeated potholes where Alder meets 116. I am passed off continually to CalTrans, which pushes me back to the City of Cotati in terms of jurisdiction. I am damn tired of it.
I drive a very old (26 years old, to be exact) vehicle and nearly lose my suspension every time I’m nearly rearended turning to come home off of 116 because of a gigantic pothole that never gets fixed no matter how many times they do a quick patch job. If you would conduct a visual survey you’d find how fast people drive on 116 past the lights on their way west to Sebastopol, and these people are not interested in slowing down behind you because you’ve put your turn signal on to take a right onto Alder. Taking that turn at higher speed so that you avoid getting rear ended does not mix well with a gigantic gaping pothole that never gets properly fixed. I thought it would have been resolved when the Acre Pizza/Jane development went in, but it didn’t. Like so many other things in government, please fix what exists already before further adding to the chaos. An increase in car traffic, foot traffic, etc. is only going to further these existing issues.
Many citizens have voiced their concerns over that insane turn at 116/West Cotati. People are nearly rear-ended.
It seems like nothing is being done about any of this unless this development goes through, and then I’ve learned that all these massive changes will take place to the existing roads and turn the area into complete chaos in addition to all the building going on. It is literally like dropping a bomb on like a two-square mile area. And this is not even taking into account the fact that a gigantic hotel is being built as we speak literally less than a mile down the street with even more people and traffic and added chaos into an already strained area. Why push all of these things into such a small area all at the same time?? It seems insane! Money seems to be the only thing that gets anyone’s attention when things need fixing after years on end. It is incredibly, incredibly frustrating as an existing taxpayer.
No care was taken when the marijuana dispensary Jane had a gigantic event on 420 last year and took over our little development. Parking was allowed all along 116 in droves. Where was the enforcement? Who is looking out for the existing citizens with all of these broad-sweeping decisions? Will the police force in Cotati increase to account for the massive population increase about to be dumped on this tiny area? I had gas siphoned from my vehicle several years ago parked on Alder, and my vehicle rifled through. So I can only imagine how bad it is going to get with the increased amount of people living in the small area. Does anyone care about the existing taxpayers? It sure doesn’t seem like it!
Thanks for your considerations,
-A Concerned Cotatian
Under the Public Records Act (California Government Code §7920.000-7931.000), e-mail messages of local agencies are public records which are subject to disclosure to the public or may be subpoenaed.
Re Cotati Planning Commission Feb 5, 2024 Item 6.A Date Submitted : Feb 2, 2024 To Chair Gilardi, Vice-chair Moffet and commissioners Savage, Berman and Long The SSU Geography Environment and Planning conferences of past years identified Planning Commissioners as heroes that facilitate the quasi-Judicial process of local planning meetings – mostly volunteers appointed to the Planning Commission to hear proposed projects, staff overview, applicants detailed vision, and response from the neighbors.
One aspect of this process, is considering how it works for the unrepresented potential new residents of Cotati – how will these new residents walk, bike and scooter as well as get dual usage of common space and for safe movement of vehicles, while on the property. Will these new residents be able to walk into Cotati?. Generically this is a great health benefit for citizens and also impacts “Vehicle Miles Traveled”.
For item 6.A, I would like to thank staff for making these documents available early for comments.
I would ask the question of staff
a) Is it likely these new residents will be able to see that they can safely walk/cycle to Cotati’s pedestrian network on W Cotati Avenue when these new dwellings are put up for rent, and given an occupancy certificate? Surely the EIR Reference “Bike and Pedestrian Facilities” PdfPg201 is incomprehensible for pedestrian/bicycle issues at this location. b) Could staff explain future VMT reductions work, as well as how the analysis 15064.3(b) PdfPg200
5.17 b) works for this location and Impact 3.12-9 (PdfPg 201) c) Can more porous safe pedestrian connectivity be requested of the applicants for this location? For the project applicant or City Staff I would ask
d) Will the internal roads be safe common space for use by children and local residents? Does this incorporate any Woonerf safety concepts?
https://ca-cotati.civicplus.com/220/Citywide-Planning-Documents See Woonerf Multifamily design standards
e) If new residents make friends with people in Cotati Cottages what is the pedestrian route they take to visit? Could the storm water underground drain easements (shown as Easement 2.6 “EX PARK” APN 046-286-021 ) that flow north from this property to the marked swale, also become a pedestrian path?
f) For the unattached parking spaces, does this project meet Cotati’s EV charging and EV Ready Charging sockets or does it have the infrastructure to expand to it in the future g) I’d be curious as what is the projected cost of a parking space including access, in this new development – or a ball park figure from other recent projects.
Background
As a past member of the PC, I have been asking question “a)” above since 2019 when a project was proposed in NW of Alder Lane, in what has become Jane’s Dispensery.
It was stated in previous Cotati planning meetings, the City “Active Transportation Plan” would address connectivity issues including in this area, and should have been out before these projects came forward.
The history of this project from the early 2000’s was a plan for what is now Lowes and Cotati Cottages and required a lot of retail and parking for that retail. However, we are left with a hangover that this area had poor planning for pedestrian connectivity and safe shared time-shifted parking.
For the area, Lowes has a parking space visible from space, un-used outside business hours just when nearby home
owners are
returning.
Nearby current
and proposed
housing
Cotati Cottages
Redwood Row
The amount of
space dedicated to
vehicle parking is
very visible for this
area.
Lowes retail may
transform to other
forms of retail in
the future.
Possibly outdoor
coffee bars such as at Friedmans Santa Rosa, how can the land use be made flexible for the future owners. Are there planning tools and pedestrian connectivity paths to facilitate porous pedestrian/bicycle/scootering across these sites?
In “Paving Paradise: How parking explains the world” a 2023 urban planning book by Henry Grabar, he phrases the issues with “Costly Parking Mandates” in different cities across the US. How can parking be better shared in locations - may be apps like SpotHero.com .
Thankyou, Neil Hancock, Cotati Resident.
From: King, Kaete@Waterboards
To: Bill Olmo; Day, Melanie@Wildlife; [email protected]; [email protected] Cc: John Savage; Ed Gilardi; Shelley Berman; Kimberlyn Moffet; Ryan Long; Jon-Paul Harries; Noah Housh Subject: RE: Cotati Planning Meeting 02/05
Date: Tuesday, February 6, 2024 2:06:13 PM
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Hi Bill,
I meant to say that permit was issued August 27, 2001. Sorry for the typo! Kaete
From: King, Kaete@Waterboards
Sent: Tuesday, February 6, 2024 2:00 PM
To: Bill Olmo <[email protected]>; Day, Melanie@Wildlife <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected] Cc: John Savage, Chair <[email protected]>; Ed Gilardi, Vice Chair <[email protected]>; Shelley Berman, Commissioner, <[email protected]>; Kimberlyn Moffet, Commissioner, <[email protected]>; Ryan Long, Commissioner, <[email protected]>; Jon-Paul JP Harries ([email protected]) <[email protected]>; [email protected] Subject: RE: Cotati Planning Meeting 02/05
Hi Bill,
Fill of wetlands on this parcel was permitted by a dredge and fill permit dated August 27, 2021 (WDID 1B01052WNSO). We concur with the biological assessment prepared by Monk & Associates that determines there are no existing waters of the state on site. As such, no dredge and fill permit would be needed to proceed with the Cotati Village Project.
Kaete King
Environmental Scientist
Southern Nonpoint Source and 401 Certification Unit
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
5550 Skylane Blvd., Suite A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 576-2848
From: Bill Olmo <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 3, 2024 11:48 AM
To: Day, Melanie@Wildlife <[email protected]>; King, Kaete@Waterboards <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected] Cc: John Savage, Chair <[email protected]>; Ed Gilardi, Vice Chair <[email protected]>; Shelley Berman, Commissioner, <[email protected]>; Kimberlyn Moffet, Commissioner, <[email protected]>; Ryan Long, Commissioner, <[email protected]>; Jon-Paul JP Harries ([email protected]) <[email protected]>; [email protected] Subject: Cotati Planning Meeting 02/05
EXTERNAL:
FR: William Olmo, a Cotati Cottages owner and resident ([email protected]) RE: Your Agency’s input and approval of the:
02/05/24 Cotati Planning meeting on:
Cotati Village Community (Northeast corner of Alder AVE and HWY116) Dear Agency Representative,
CADOFW, Melanie Day, [email protected]
CASWRCB, Kaete King, [email protected]
USFWS, Vincent Griego, [email protected]
USACOE, Bryan Matsumoto, [email protected] I am surprised by the City’s reliance upon “Appendix C, Bio Assessment” attached. The document is based on “mass Grading in 2002”. The attachment seems entirely “selfserving” and without communication from your Agency. Also, the project has provided no evidence that your agency has Reviewed and Approved the project!? Why is there no documentation from your Agency? We know Agency requirements have changed substantially in the last 21+ years. Are any of those changes applicable? NOTE: The occurrence of the alleged “2002 Mass Grading”, is also in question for the following reasons:
I worked for a general engineering construction company that bid on the Cotati Cottages, the adjacent development to the north of this project, circa 2002. Mass grading of the 8+ acres to the south, (the Cotati Village project), was not included in the owners grading plans and specifications. (I believe the Cotati Cottages project was awarded to, and completed by, Ghilotti Brothers Construction.) The City of Cotati has not provided evidence of the “2002 gross - mass Grading Permit” for the parcels included in the attached assessment. (NOTE: The current proposed project is nothing like the 2002 project including a land use change 2023.)
At some point in time, the City of Cotati alleges they issued a stock pile permit for the owner to import off site dirt. If you review the Aerials over time, you’ll see the massive stockpile appear. Its yards exceed the City’s “recollection” of their approval, but the City has not provided the requested copy of the actual permit yards.
If you believe you deserve input, please reply ASAP, (Hopefully by Monday 02/05) to:
John Savage, Chair [email protected]
Ed Gilardi, Vice Chair [email protected]
Shelley Berman, Commissioner, [email protected]
Kimberlyn Moffet, Commissioner, [email protected]
Ryan Long, Commissioner, [email protected]
Jon-Paul Harries, Sr. Planner [email protected]
Noah Housh, Planning Director [email protected]
Under the Public Records Act (California Government Code §7920.000-7931.000), e-mail messages of local agencies are public records which are subject to disclosure to the public or may be subpoenaed.