Agenda packet — Cotati City Council, May 14, 2024

AGENDA

JOINT MEETING OF THE COTATI CITY COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE

FORMER COTATI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
City Council Chamber, City Hall 201 W. Sierra Avenue
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING
The Cotati City Council welcomes you to its meetings that are generally scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month. Your interest and participation are encouraged and appreciated.

City Council meeting agendas, minutes and recordings are posted on the City’s Meeting Portal at www.cotaticity.org. For questions about the agenda or to receive the City Council agenda by e-mail, contact the Deputy City Clerk at [email protected] or 707-665-3622.

Cotati City Council Meetings will be conducted in person in the Council Chamber. To guarantee your ability to participate, you must attend the meeting in person. As a courtesy to the public, the City allows citizens the opportunity to view and offer public comments virtually through Zoom Online video conferencing platform. Technical difficulties may occur that make the Zoom platform unavailable. If Zoom is unavailable, the meeting will continue. Participants considering using Zoom should consider attending in person, if they desire to ensure their ability to view the meeting and offer public comments.

Subject to the above disclaimer, Zoom Online video conferencing is available to watch or listen in the following ways:

1. Using the following online livestream meeting portal link: https://cotaticity.primegov.com/public/portal

2. Cable T.V. Broadcast, local channel 28
Members of the public can participate in the meeting online by clicking the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88660150500?pwd=UVViVEZzQmd3Y2owYTNRR09mWTRiQT09 If you do not have the ability to join online, but would like to participate in the meeting, you can call into the meeting using your telephone, by dialing one of the following numbers and entering the meeting credentials:

Webinar ID: 886 6015 0500 Passcode: 853444
+1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (346) 248-7799 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (301) 715-8592 or +1 (312) 626-6799 or +1 (929) 436-2866 Attendees may join the meeting any time after 5:45pm. Attendees will be muted until they are called upon for Public Comment. To make a public comment, use the “raise hand” icon on your smart device or desktop computer, or dial *9 if you are using just your telephone. Please listen carefully for the Mayor or City Clerk to address you by name (or phone number) and for the audible Zoom notification that you have been unmuted. Once you begin your public comment, your three minutes will begin.

If you would prefer to submit your public comment in writing, please email your comments to [email protected]. If you are commenting on a specific agenda item or items, please state the agenda item number(s) in the subject line of the email. All comments received via email will be provided to the City Council or Planning Commission in writing and included as part of the record of the meeting.

Notice is hereby given that Council may discuss and/or take action on any or all of the items listed on this agenda.

Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Cotati City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for inspection in the online Meeting Portal at www.cotaticity.org and in the City Manager’s office located at 201 West Sierra Avenue, Cotati, California, during the City’s posted business hours.

Disabled Accommodation: Upon request, this agenda will be made available in appropriate formats to persons with disabilities as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should contact the Deputy City Clerk at (707) 665-3622 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

Rules of Decorum: To avoid distraction, the following meeting etiquette shall be enforced. • Silence electronic devices, including cell phones.

Cotati City Council Packet May 14, 2024

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• Audience members are advised to keep conversations to a minimum or conduct them outside the building. • Photographs or video recordings using tri-pods or other means that would be distracting are to be taken only from the designated media area. • The Presiding Officer shall request that the audience withhold expressions of support or opposition for speakers in the interest of time and to encourage the full expression of differing views. (City Council Policy 2023-01 III.B.1.) Public Comment (Action items): Public comment on any one agenda item where the City Council will be taking some action is limited to no more than three (3) minutes per person. Action items are typically designated on the agenda title.

Public Comment (Non-Action items): Public comment on non- action agenda items shall be received during the designated portion of the agenda.

Comments shall be limited to no more than three (3) minutes for all non-action agenda items.

Waiver Warning: If you challenge decisions/direction of the City Council of the City of Cotati in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at public hearing(s) described in this agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Cotati at, or prior to, the public hearing(s).

City Council meetings are conducted according to City Council Policy 2023-01: City Council Rules. This policy available for inspection in the online Meeting Portal at www.cotaticity.org and in the City Manager’s office located at 201 West Sierra Avenue, Cotati, California, during the City’s posted business hours.

Those wishing to address the Council are asked to complete a speaker card and give it to the City Clerk. When you are called, step to the podium and state your name and address for the record. Persons wishing to address the Council are not required to identify themselves or complete a speaker card; (Gov’t. Code § 54953.3); however, this information assists the Mayor by ensuring that all persons wishing to address the Council are recognized and it assists the City Clerk in preparing the City Council meeting minutes.

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. ROLL CALL

3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The City of Cotati recognizes that we’re on the ancestral lands of the Coastal Miwok, who are the original caretakers of this area. We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have been stewarding and maintaining a relationship on this land as knowledge keepers for millennia. This acknowledgement does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities but serves as a gesture of respect to the land we are on.

4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND NOTICE OF WAIVING OF READING OF ALL

RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES INTRODUCED AND/OR ADOPTED UNDER THIS

AGENDA (ACTION)
A. COTATI CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING – APR 23, 2024

6. ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. Meeting Orientation for New Attendees/Viewers. In conformance with the Brown Act and the adopted City Council Rules, the meeting agenda includes items labeled as Action Items, where the City Council may consider the item. If the City Council considers the item, citizens will be afforded the opportunity to provide comments relevant to the item being discussed. The meeting agenda also includes a Citizens Business item, which is the designated place on the agenda where citizens have the right to say whatever they wish. However, the Brown Act prohibits the City Council from taking action or considering any item that is not this agenda, to ensure that other members of the community who wish to provide comment are notified in advance through a properly noticed meeting agenda.

B. Measure S supports police services, a variety of recreation programs for all ages, and the maintenance of our streets, parks, and public buildings. See details on the web at cotaticity.org C. Citizens interested in receiving City of Cotati community alerts via text or email are encouraged to Cotati City Council Packet May 14, 2024

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enroll with CivicReady, by signing up on the City’s website, www.cotaticity.org, under the “How do I” link at the top of the homepage.

D. Like always, we love to hear from you, so please feel free to contact the City at 707-792-4600 or [email protected]. If you have a non-emergency issue after normal business hours, you can contact us at 707-792-4611 and of course if you have an emergency, please contact 9-1-1. Continue to look for updates on the City's website and social media channels available on Facebook, Instagram, and CivicReady.

7. PROCLAMATIONS
A. PROCLAMATION FOR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY MONTH B. NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK MAY 19-25, 2024

8. PRESENTATIONS
A. PROJECT GRADUATION - COTATI-ROHNERT PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT It is recommended that the City Council receive a presentation from representatives from Project Graduation. No action will be taken.

9. APPROVAL OF FINAL AGENDA (ACTION)
This item will only be opened for the public comment if the City Council proposes to take any action to modify this agenda.

10. CITIZEN BUSINESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS Any member of the public wishing to speak to the Council on any item(s) listed on the Consent Calendar or any matter(s) not listed on the agenda that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council may do so at this time. Pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council is not allowed to consider issues or take action on any item not listed on the agenda. Pursuant to City Council Policy 2023-01, comments of any member of the public are normally restricted to a total of three (3) minutes in length per person for matters not on the agenda and a total of three (3) minutes per person in length for any and all items on the Consent Calendar. The Mayor may extend the time limit for a reasonable time where a disability accommodation has been requested. To facilitate public comment, the Deputy Clerk will alert speakers when there are thirty seconds remaining.

11. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. APPROVAL OF 2024 COTATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MUSIC FESTIVAL EVENT IN LA PLAZA PARK.

It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2024 Cotati Chamber of Commerce Music Festival event.

B. DESIGNATION OF SIGNATURES FOR ORDERS FOR PAYMENT OF MONIES AND

WIRE TRANSFER SERVICES
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution designating signatures for orders for payment of monies drawn against the City of Cotati on existing accounts at Exchange Bank and designating signatures for wire transfer services with Exchange Bank.

C. PURCHASE OF NETWORK SWITCH AND RELATED EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the appropriation of funds and the purchase of a network switch and related equipment.

12. DIRECTION ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Cotati City Council Packet May 14, 2024

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13. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
A. ADOPTION OF THE COTATI ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND

AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENT WITH THE ACTIVE

TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Staff and the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council receive a presentation by city staff, receive public comments, and adopt a Resolution adopting the 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan and amendments to the General Plan consistent with the Active Transportation Plan.

14. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. BROADBAND UPDATE
It is recommended that the City Council receive a status report on the initial research regarding broadband in Cotati and provide direction to staff as needed.

B. NOISE ORDINANCE REVIEW
It is recommended that the City Council review and provide feedback to staff on potential changes to the City’s existing noise ordinance.

15. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT

16. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS

17. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-ACTION AGENDA ITEMS

18. CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH CITY LABOR NEGOTIATORS (GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6) CITY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE: CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE. EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION: COTATI POLICE OFFICERS

ASSOCIATION (CPOA) AND COTATI POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CPMA)

19. REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION

20. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
A. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED

21. ADJOURNMENT
Certification of Posting of the Notice: I declare under penalty of perjury that I am employed by the City of Cotati and that I posted this notice on the City’s website, bulletin boards of City Hall, Veterans’ Memorial Building and the SMART Train Depot, on or before May 9, 2024. /s/ Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk

MINUTES

JOINT MEETING OF THE COTATI CITY COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE

FORMER COTATI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
City Council Chamber, City Hall 201 W. Sierra Avenue
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING

1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Sparks called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.

2. ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status
Laura Sparks Mayor Present
Ben Ford Vice Mayor Present
Susan Harvey Councilmember Present
Sylvia Lemus Councilmember Present
Kathleen Rivers Councilmember Present
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, City Attorney John Bakker, Deputy City Clerk Kevin Patterson, Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter, Director of Community Development Noah Housh, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons

4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND NOTICE OF WAIVING OF READING OF ALL

RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES INTRODUCED AND/OR ADOPTED UNDER THIS

AGENDA (ACTION)
A. COTATI CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING – APR 9, 2024
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Cotati City Council Minutes April 23, 2024

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RESULT: Approve as Amended [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Vice Mayor
AYES: Sparks, Ford, Harvey, Lemus, Rivers
NAYS: None
Vice Mayor Ford asked that the first sentence in the minutes for item 12A be amended to provide clarity to the Council’s direction.

No public comment.

7. PRESENTATIONS
A. SONOMA COUNTY LIBRARY PRESENTATION
Presentation by Sonoma County Library Director Erika Thibault.

Councilmembers comment, and request Director Thibault continue to work with the City Manager on library/City collaboration opportunities.

No public comment.

8. APPROVAL OF FINAL AGENDA (ACTION)
No changes. 6 of 157
Cotati City Council Minutes April 23, 2024

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9. CITIZEN BUSINESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS Any member of the public wishing to speak to the Council on any item(s) listed on the Consent Calendar or any matter(s) not listed on the agenda that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council may do so at this time. Pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council is not allowed to consider issues or take action on any item not listed on the agenda. Pursuant to City Council Policy 2023-01, comments of any member of the public are normally restricted to a total of three (3) minutes in length per person for matters not on the agenda and a total of three (3) minutes per person in length for any and all items on the Consent Calendar. The Mayor may extend the time limit for a reasonable time where a disability accommodation has been requested. To facilitate public comment, the Deputy City Clerk will alert speakers when there are thirty seconds remaining.

Public Comment:

Neil Hancock of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Michael Ceremello Jr.

Adina Flores
Diana Alexander of Cotati

10. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. MEASURE S ANNUAL REPORT AND LETTER FROM OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022/23
B. APPROVAL OF AGREEMENTS TO COORDINATE AND FUND LEGAL RESEARCH

AND ANALYSIS REGARDING THE IMPACT OF POTTER VALLEY PROJECT

DIVERSIONS
RESULT: Adopt [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Vice Mayor
AYES: Sparks, Ford, Harvey, Lemus, Rivers
NAYS: None

11. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.

12. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. FISCAL YEAR 2023/24 - THIRD QUARTER - FINANCIAL UPDATE Presentation by Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter.

Councilmembers comment.

No public comment.

B. ANNUAL POLICE CHIEF REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
Presentation by Police Chief Chris Simmons.

Councilmember comments:
-Can we recruit bilingual dispatchers
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Cotati City Council Minutes April 23, 2024

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-More women in policing
-Participate in BIPOC events, if available
-Can we use SAFE Team for more calls?
-Request feedback on ALPR utility in next annual report Public comment:

Neil Hancock of Cotati

13. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.

14. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS
Councilmembers report out on local and regional meetings and events.

15. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-ACTION AGENDA ITEMS
No public comment.

16. CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—EXISTING LITIGATION
(PARAGRAPH (1) OF SUBDIVISION (D) OF SECTION 54956.9) NAME OF CASE:

COUNTRYSIDE MHP LLC V. CITY OF COTATI, SONOMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT CASE NO. 24CV00804

Mayor Sparks adjourned the meeting to closed session at 9:25pm.

No public comment.

17. REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
Council returned from closed session at 9:41pm.

Mayor Sparks announced that there was nothing to report out of closed session.

18. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
A. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED

19. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Sparks adjourned the meeting at 9:42pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
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PROCLAMATION

OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI
PROCLAIMING MAY 2024 AS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER

HERITAGE MONTH IN COTATI
WHEREAS, the month of May marks the national celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States and we take this time to honor our rich history, cultural diversity, achievement and contributions; and
WHEREAS, the City works to recognize, celebrate and support its ethnically diverse populations; and
WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islanders currently comprise 2.3% of Cotati’s population according to the July 1, 2023 US Census estimate; and
WHEREAS, Asian and Pacific Islanders have contributed to the economic well-being and culture of Sonoma County for over 150 years; and
WHEREAS, 60% of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) residents in Sonoma County are immigrants; and,
WHEREAS, the Sonoma County API population’s Human Development Index is below the average for APIs across the entire state; and,
WHEREAS, API cultural mores and traditions tend to keep API families and individuals from seeking any needed economic, social, health or psychological help; and WHEREAS, Sonoma County’s Youth Truth survey data from our schools indicate that results for the API youth show that as a whole, they generally report higher rates of stress and have fewer ways to cope than the general population; and WHEREAS, the continued resiliency and determination of APIs prevail today in the face of continued anti-Asian hate, barriers to economic justice, health equity, scapegoating and exclusion; and
WHEREAS, the API population of Sonoma County contribute greatly to the vibrancy and diversity of our region; and
WHEREAS, organizations such as the Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of the 9 of 157
North Bay continue to strive to address gaps in communication, in data gathering and in outreach; and
WHEREAS, we must all find alternate, effective ways to reach the hidden, silent API communities to support mental and economic health.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED on this day of May 14, 2024, by the City Council of the City of Cotati that we call upon the City, non-profits, businesses, educational institutions and all API communities to partner and elevate voices; and BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED that the City, in recognition of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, hereby proclaim the month of May 2024 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in City of Cotati.

Approved:_____________________________
Mayor
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PROCLAMATION

OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI
NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK MAY 19-25, 2024
WHEREAS, public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to the public health, high quality of life, and well-being of the people of the City of Cotati; and, WHEREAS, these infrastructure, facilities, and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of public works professionals, who are utility workers, laborers, engineers, managers, and employees at all levels of government and the private sector, who are responsible for rebuilding, improving, and protecting our nation’s transportation, water supply, water treatment and solid waste systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential for our citizens; and,
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest for the citizens, civic leaders, and children in the City of Cotati to gain knowledge of and maintain an ongoing interest and understanding of the importance of public works and public works programs in their respective communities; and, WHEREAS, the year 2024, marks the 64th annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED on this day of May 14, 2024, by the City Council of the City of Cotati the week May 19–25, 2024, is designated as National Public Works Week. I urge all citizens to join with representatives of the American Public Works Association and government agencies in activities, events, and ceremonies designed to pay tribute to our public works professionals, utility workers, laborers, engineers, managers, and employees and to recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting our national health, safety, and advancing quality of life for all.

Approved:______________________________
Mayor
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: PRESENTATIONS
To: City Council
Subject: PROJECT GRADUATION - COTATI-ROHNERT PARK

SCHOOL DISTRICT
Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council recieve a presentation from representatives from Project Graduation. No action will be taken.
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IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING

PROJECT GRADUATION
Ensuring a SAFE and MEMORABLE
Transition for Graduates

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INTRODUCTION

WHO WE ARE

WHAT IS PROJECT GRADUATON

NEED FOR PROJECT

GRADUATION

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

CALL TO ACTION
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WHO WE ARE
Shannon Potter,
President
Alexandria
Barquero,
Secretary
Julie Blair,
Treasurer
Mary Lantz,
Decorations
Tracy Si,
Marketing
Tiffany Cazares,
Food
Sarah Beard,
Volunteers
Kristi Lua,
Entertainment
Shannon
Tallchief,
Prizes
Nichole
Hindmon,
Security
Crissy Willson,
Fundraising &
THS Liaison
Steve Willson,
Construction
Tyler Wardle,
Security Official
Marcellina
Littleton,
Thank Yous
Margarita
Shreve,
Historian
Meghan Heald,
RCHS & El
Camino Liaison
Jessica Bush,
Credo Liaison
17 MEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS – 100% VOLUNTEER RUN NON-PROFIT 15 of 157

WHAT IS PROJECT

GRADUATION
• Fully supervised in a
safe, secure environment
• Alcohol and drug free
SAFE
• Food, Friends, & Fun!
SOBE
R
PART
Y
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NEED FOR PROJECT

GRADUATION

Graduation night is the most dangerous night
of a teen’s life.

Project Graduation provides an alternative way
to celebrate.

Not a single graduate has died from alcohol,
drugs or traffic accidents in Sonoma County
since inception of Project Graduation.
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FUNDING REQUIREMENTS
Annual Expense - $45, 000 PLUS in-kind Donations
Over 300 Graduates – 8 Hours
• FEED,
• ENTERTAIN &
• PROTECT

STUDENTS
$14,000 TICKET SALES
$40,00 EXPENSES
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FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
BAKE
SALES
DINE
DONATE
SHRED
EVENTS
GIVING

TUESDAY

BOWLING

PANCAKE

BREAKFA
ST 19 of 157

$10,000 Pledge
Ongoing support of Project
Graduation
Volunteers
We need help! Help recruit
volunteers for the Board & Event
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING

PROJECT GRADUATION
Ensuring a SAFE and MEMORABLE
Transition for Graduates

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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: APPROVAL OF 2024 COTATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
MUSIC FESTIVAL EVENT IN LA PLAZA PARK.

Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: Ashley Wilson, Recreation Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2024 Cotati Chamber of Commerce Music Festival event.

Background
The Cotati Chamber of Commerce has sponsored many community events and the City has historically granted the Chamber permission to use City facilities, namely La Plaza Park, City Hall parking lot, and various streets and parking spaces. For 2024, the Cotati Chamber of Commerce will be back to produce the Annual Cotati Music Festival.

Analysis/Discussion
Below is a summary of the event. The logistics, operation and participants are anticipated to be very similar to previous years’ events. Requests include the following: 1) exclusive use of La Plaza Park; 2) food truck and vendor sales of food and beverages; 3) live, amplified entertainment; 4) alcoholic beverage sales; 5) street closures of La Plaza between West Sierra Ave and Old Redwood Highway.

Event Attendance Date/Time (including set-up)
Music Festival 1200 Saturday, June 8th
8:00 am - 8:00 pm

The Music Festival is a family-friendly event and has grown in popularity over the past several years. The festival will feature music in the park from noon until 6:00 PM. The Chamber is requesting exclusive use of the park and bandstand from 8:00 AM through 8:00 PM to allow for 22 of 157
set-up, breakdown, and clean-up. The event at La Plaza Park will be free of charge. The festival will include vendors and food trucks selling food, beverages, and merchandise. Alcoholic beverages will be sold in association with the festival.

The Chamber has reviewed the City’s insurance requirements and has indicated that they have adequate insurance. A Condition of Approval has been included which requires proof of insurance be supplied to the City before each event.

A Condition of Approval has been included which requires the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control to approve the temporary permit to allow for the sale of alcohol to be supplied to the City before the event.

Financial Considerations
The Chamber has requested fee waivers and City support of staff time. These events are widely marketed by the Chamber and have increased the number of visitors to the City. The increased visitation is evidenced not only at the events, but at local businesses as well. The events provide increased opportunities to promote economic development and some increased sales tax revenue.

City staff would typically recommend the 50% fee waiver (per the City Park Use Policy) from the normal $1,223 in park use and street closure permit fees (see detail below), resulting in a $611.50 fee. However, given that the City is a partner in these events, staff recommend a City Council contribution for these events of $611.50 for the remaining permit fees. In addition, it is recommended that City Council waives the Public Works staff cost of installing and removing the banner across Old Redwood Highway, which is estimated at $364.

Park Permit Fee: $ 365
Application Fee: $ 52
Street Closure Fee: $ 731
Restroom Cleaning Fee $ 75
Total = $ 1,223
Staff Time - 2 hours, estimated cost $364
Install overhead banner at Old Redwood Highway - 2 hours Therefore, the total cost to the City in waived fees and staff time to support the events is estimated at $975.50, which the City’s General Fund will fund. The City would still collect the $500 refundable deposit, which would be returned after the event, if the park is left in good condition.

Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
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RESOLUTION NO. (XX)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI
APPROVING THE 2024 COTATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MUSIC FESTIVAL IN LA PLAZA PARK.

WHEREAS, the Cotati Chamber of Commerce submitted an application to the City for the Cotati Music Festival on April 3, 2024; and
WHEREAS, it will be necessary to conform to certain conditions as described in “Exhibit A,” attached hereto, to facilitate these events; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that these events are part of a comprehensive economic development strategy by the Chamber of Commerce in that they increase visitation to the City, promote the Cotati community and result in increased sales tax revenues; and WHEREAS, the City Council further finds that the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the City of Cotati will not be jeopardized by the approval of these events; and WHEREAS, the application for these events is attached as Exhibit B; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the adopted Park Use policy, groups with an IRS non-profit designation, or other governmental organizations, can request a 50% discount in the permit fees if there are no admission fees associated with the planned event; and WHEREAS, because the City is a partner in these events, it is recommended that the City fund the remaining $611.50 in park use fees, as well as the staff time to facilitate these events (estimated at $364); and
WHEREAS, the action of approving a Music Festival event does not constitute a project as defined by California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378; therefore, no further environmental review is required.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Cotati as follows:

Section 1. Findings. The above recitals are declared to be true and correct and are incorporated herein as findings of the City Council.

Section 2. Approval of Conditions. The City Council hereby approves the conditions of approval for these events, attached as Exhibit A.

Section 3. Approval of Fee Waivers for Cotati Chamber of Commerce. The 50% fee waivers (per the City Park Use Policy), the estimated cost of City staff time ($364), and the City 24 of 157
contribution from the City's General Fund of $975.50, as described in the accompanying Staff Report, is hereby approved to facilitate these events.

Section 4. Effective Date of this Resolution. This Resolution shall become effective immediately.

Section 5. Severability. Each portion of this resolution is severable. Should any portion of this resolution be adjudged to be invalid and unenforceable by a body of competent jurisdiction, then the remaining resolution portions shall be and continue in full force and effect, except as to those resolution portions that have been adjudged invalid. The City Council of the City of Cotati hereby declares that it would have adopted this resolution and each section, subsection, clause, sentence, phrase and other portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more section, subsection, clause, sentence, phrase or other portion may be held invalid or unconstitutional.

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 May 14, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
COTATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2024

1. Applicant shall provide the City with proof of insurance for event and vendors, as required, to the satisfaction of the City, no less than 30 days prior to event.

2. Applicant shall ensure the public facilities (park, parking spaces and streets) are cleaned completely and returned to pre-event condition within 24 hours of event.

3. Applicant shall arrange for trash, recycling, and compost bins and porta-potties to be delivered and collected.

4. Applicant shall obtain a Daily License from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). The City authorizes the sale and consumption of beer and wine and margaritas only; a copy of the license, as well as evidence of responsible beverage service training, shall be provided to the City prior to the event date.

5. Each event shall be carried out as described in the written descriptions submitted by the applicant, approved by the City Council, and in compliance with these Conditions of Approval.

6. The applicant shall obtain the required permits and follow all regulations from the Sonoma County Environmental Health Department, and shall ensure each food vendor complies with Health Department requirements.

7. The applicant shall ensure that all vendors follow Cotati Municipal Code 8.20.030 (Prohibited food service ware and products), which bans the selling or serving of food ware that contains polystyrene foam or PFAS.

8. Applicant shall notify all neighboring businesses and residents of the event and street closures, no later than 14 days prior to the event.

9. The applicant shall contact the Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District and comply with any permit requirements of the District.

10. The organizer shall prominently feature the City of Cotati as an event sponsor on all advertising and marketing materials.

11. Applicant is granted exclusive use of La Plaza Park, including public parking spaces adjacent to the Park for the event on Saturday, June 8, 2024, from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm for the event to be held from noon to 6:00 pm. This approval includes amplified live entertainment.
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: DESIGNATION OF SIGNATURES FOR ORDERS FOR

PAYMENT OF MONIES AND WIRE TRANSFER SERVICES
Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: Angela Courter, Director of Administrative Services Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution designating signatures for orders for payment of monies drawn against the City of Cotati on existing accounts at Exchange Bank and designating signatures for wire transfer services with Exchange Bank.

Background
Due to the recent changes in City staff, it is necessary to update the City/Agency officers’ banking signatures for the City’s primary banking accounts at Exchange Bank Analysis/Discussion
Two authorized signatures are required to draw funds against a City bank account or to transfer funds from one bank account to another. With the recent change in Police Chiefs, it is necessary to update the designation of authority with Exchange Bank.

Financial Considerations
Dual custodianship is a primary internal control in the stewardship and management of the City’s cash and investments, assuring security of the assets while allowing for flexibility to address operational demands.

Environmental Issues
Not applicable, the proposed action is not a project under CEQA. 29 of 157
RESOLUTION NO. XX

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI

DESIGNATING SIGNATURES FOR ORDERS FOR PAYMENT OF MONIES

DRAWN AGAINST THE CITY OF COTATI ON EXISTING ACCOUNTS AT THE

EXCHANGE BANK
BE IT RESOLVED that the Exchange Bank, as designated depositories for the City of Cotati, be and are hereby requested, authorized and directed to honor all checks, drafts, withdrawals or other orders for payment of monies drawn against the City of Cotati on its existing accounts, when bearing the signatures, or the facsimile signatures, of two of the following:

Damien O’Bid, City Manager
Angela Courter, Administrative Services Director
Chris Simmons, Chief of Police
Noah Housh, Community Development Director
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council for the City of Cotati grant authority to the City Manager, or designee to sign and submit the attached required documentation to perform these changes with the bank.

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 May 14, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI

DESIGNATING SIGNATURES FOR WIRE TRANSFER SERVICES WITH

EXCHANGE BANK
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City of Cotati (CITY) to arrange for the transfer of deposited funds of CITY other than by check or draft; and WHEREAS, Exchange Bank (BANK) provides automated clearing house ("ACH"), wire transfer and comparable funds transfer services.

IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Cotati that the BANK is requested to honor, execute and process this CITY's telephonic, written or oral requests for the transfer of funds from the accounts of this CITY at the BANK to other accounts of this CITY at any bank or to third parties, upon and subject to such terms and conditions as may from time to time be agreed upon between this CITY and the BANK; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any two (2) of the following officers:

Damien O’Bid, City Manager
Angela Courter, Administrative Services Director
Chris Simmons, Chief of Police
Noah Housh, Community Development Director
of this CITY are hereby authorized, directed and empowered for and on behalf of and in the name of this CITY:

1. To execute agreements with the BANK providing for such funds transfers; and

2. To determine from time to time who on behalf of the CITY shall be authorized to direct the BANK to transfer the funds of the CITY; and

3. To make, execute and deliver such other agreements as may be required by BANK; and

4. To perform or cause to be performed all further acts and execute and deliver all further instruments which BANK may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this resolution; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this CITY hereby ratifies and confirms the acts of its officers, agents or employees in heretofore requesting transfers of funds from this CITY's accounts with the BANK by wire or comparable funds transfer together with any acts performed in relation thereto; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk of this CITY is hereby authorized and directed to execute, acknowledge and deliver from time to time certified copies of resolutions to the BANK and any other person or agency which may require copies of resolutions and that the certification of the City Clerk as to the signatures of the above named officers will be binding on this CITY; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the BANK is authorized to act upon this resolution until written notice of the revocation thereof by a resolution duly adopted by the City Council of this CITY is delivered to the BANK, such revocation in no way to affect the obligations of this CITY to the BANK incurred pursuant to the terms of this resolution prior to receipt by the BANK of such notice of revocation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution is in force and effect and has not been amended or revoked and that the specimen signatures appearing above are the signatures of the persons now authorized to direct transfers of funds for this CITY by virtue of said resolution.

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 May 14, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:

Approved:___________________________
Mayor
Attest:______________________________
Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
Approved as to form:______________________________
City Attorney
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: PURCHASE OF NETWORK SWITCH AND RELATED

EQUIPMENT
Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the appropriation of funds and the purchase of a network switch and related equipment.

Background
The City’s administrative computer network has switches in various locations to control data traffic between city facilities. This includes switches in the Police Building. Among the switches at this facility is a switch that, among other things, controls data traffic to Sonoma County ISD (ISD). ISD is contracted by the Sonoma County Public Safety Consortium to host and maintain the police data systems for member agencies. This primarily includes the records management system (RMS), the computer aided dispatch (CAD), and the mobile data computers (MDC). The switch that controls the traffic between our Police building, City Hall and Sonoma County ISD has exceeded its service life and needs replacement.

Analysis/Discussion
The network switches and router in the Police Department telecommunications room provide the connectivity to both ISD and city resources. It is important to note that they are dependent on one another; meaning, without connectivity to city resources, Police Department devices are unable to resolve county resource names to IP addresses, and therefore cannot access those ISD resources at all. ISD resources such as RMS and DAT are the most critical for the Police Department and access to them is dependent on connectivity to city hall.

The most immediate issue is that the switches and router in that room are not protected from power outages by a UPS. There is a need to install a UPS immediately in that rack so that when 54 of 157
electrical power is lost, the devices remain up until the generator starts.

Secondly, we have a hardware age and health problem. There are currently (3) network switches in the PD server room; (2) of them are well beyond their service life and considered End-Of-Life (EOL) by their manufacturer. Of those two, one is 11 years old and the other 8. Both are experiencing hardware failures: the first routinely fails to power on completely due to problems decompressing the operating system image during the boot process, so manual intervention is required. The second has failing fan(s). These EOL switches are also no longer supported by their manufacturer and are no longer receiving updated software/firmware, making them a security concern.

Contributing to the power outages and hardware health and age, the compatibility of these EOL devices causes problems with uplink/downlink to other switches in the Police Department and city hall because of ”spanning tree protocol“ version mismatches and behavior differences in the trunking protocols between them. This can has also been the source of problems with access to ISD resources and smaller switches such as in Dispatch and the Report Writing room.

When the two EOL switches are replaced, the Police Department core switches and routers will act as a single logical unit as they will utilize “stacking” technology. This provides resiliency in that any 1 of the 3 can fail, but the other 2 remain up doing the work; It also provides a significant reduction in complexity and potential for disruption as the three switches communicate with themselves using internal stack connectivity and connect to all other devices as a single logical unit.

These switches were already included in our approved long-term infrastructure design and were budgeted for replacement next fiscal year (FY 24-25). That design’s primary goal is enhancing resiliency and reliability by reducing single points of failure and making redundant connections wherever possible. Replacing these switches and installing a UPS now contributes to that long term goal and resolves the recurring problems.

Financial Considerations
The work includes two switches, licensing, cabling and uninterruptable power supply, taxes and labor to install, test and document the equipment. The proposal from KLH is a not to exceed total of $28,911.58. As mentioned earlier, while this was planned for replacement next fiscal year, due to the current issues that can unexpectedly interrupt police operations, staff are recommending appropriating the funds in the current fiscal year to expedite the replacement of this network equipment.

Environmental Issues
This action is found to qualify for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Section 15301 in that the project consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of the existing or former use. 55 of 157
RESOLUTION NO. (XX)

AUHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS AND PURCHASE OF
NETWORK SWITCHES AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR THE CITY’S
ADMINISTRATIVE NETWORK.

WHEREAS, the City has various network switches to control computer data traffic, including switches at the Police facility; and
WHEREAS, one of the network switches that was scheduled for replacement in FY 24- 25 has begun to experience occasional issues that can unpredictably affect police operations; and WHEREAS, the estimated replacement cost for the switch and other related equipment is not to exceed 28,911.58; and
WHEREAS, because this work was not scheduled until next fiscal year, it was not budgeted in the current fiscal year (FY 23-24) and would require an appropriation by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, due to the unpredictable nature of the issues and the potential for disruption of police operations, it is recommended that the work be advanced to the current fiscal year (FY 23-24).

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Cotati that:

1. The appropriation of $28,911.58 is hereby authorized from General Fund to the Police Department to be applied with the year-end budget adjustment; and

2. The City Manager is authorized to execute the necessary work orders to effectuate the work, not to exceed the authorized amount.

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 May 14, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:

Approved:___________________________
Mayor
Attest:______________________________
Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
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Approved as to form:______________________________
City Attorney
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: ADOPTION OF THE COTATI ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

PLAN AND AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN

CONSISTENT WITH THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: JP Harries, Senior Planner
Recommendation
Staff and the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council receive a presentation by city staff, receive public comments, and adopt a Resolution adopting the 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan and amendments to the General Plan consistent with the Active Transportation Plan.

Project Description
The draft Cotati Active Transportation Plan, which was circulated for public review between February 22 and March 25, 2024, has been updated in response to the comments received during the review period. Staff is requesting that the City Council consider the recommendations from the Planning Commission (see discussion in the following Background section) and adopt a Resolution adopting the 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan (attached to the accompanying Resolution as Exhibit “A.”) and amendments to the General Plan consistent with the Active Transportation Plan.

Background
The Cotati Active Transportation Plan (ATP) will be an update to the Cotati Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan adopted in 2014. The ATP is being developed as part of the Countywide Active Transportation Plan through a grant awarded to the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) and contract held by SCTA.

City staff and SCTA have worked closely with the consultant team, Fehr and Peers and Leshner Planning, to gather data and establish existing conditions, engage the community, conduct 58 of 157
technical analyses, and develop the Cotati ATP. City staff and the consultant team presented an overview of the project to the Planning Commission on June 13, 2023. On November 6, 2023, City staff and the consultant team presented draft Vision and Goals as well as a draft list of projects that would provide for a low-stress bicycle network and address existing network gaps.

On December 4, 2023, City staff presented the draft policies and actions to the Planning Commission for discussion and feedback.

Draft ATP and public review period
The draft Cotati Active Transportation Plan, which included a new list of projects, project prioritization, and programs, was circulated for public review between February 22 and March 25, 2024. The draft plan was presented for feedback at a public workshop held at the Cotati SMART station on February 29, and presented to the City Council and Planning Commission on March 12 and 18, 2024, respectively. Based on feedback gained during the public review period of the draft, the following changes were made:
• Edits to the text regarding the different types of bike facilities to add clarity as to the differences between the types as well as clarity on when those different types are used.

Edits made under Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics section and edits made in the Infrastructure Improvements section.
• Revised priorities for projects where multiple community members commented similarly, and City Staff concurred.
• Revised some of the project descriptions based on community input and in some instances to clarify the description.
• Added projects based on City staff and community input. • Revised some of the policy language based on community input. • Updated cost estimates for Tier 1, 2, and 3 projects by type. • Updated monitoring measures and added, where applicable, baseline measures.

Planning Commission – April 15, 2024
On April 15, 2024, the Planning Commission reviewed the final ATP. After public feedback and discussion, the commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council adopt the ATP with the following recommended changes:
• Move Project #24 (W. Sierra Crossing at Hillview) from Tier 2 to Tier 1. • Move Project #27 (E. Cotati Crossing at Arthur/Charles) from Tier 2 to Tier 1. 59 of 157
• Add Class 1 pathway from the realigned Highway 116/West Cotati intersection to Helman Lane via the eastern corner of the Lowe’s property. • Policy 1-6: Change the last sentence as follows: “…and Class IV separated bike lanes should…” to “…and Class IV separated bike lanes shall…” • Policy 1-5: Change “All public streets shall have a sidewalk…” to “All public streets shall have safe pedestrian facilities…”
• Policy 3-2.1: Delete the word “new” from the policy.

The recommended changes have not yet been included in the final ATP. Staff is requesting the Council consider the recommend changes and provide direction to staff. The Planning Commission resolution is attached and follows this staff report.

Analysis Discussion
The Cotati ATP is a planning document which demonstrates a commitment and provides longterm guidance to the public and the City for the programs and physical improvements necessary to develop and maintain an effective active transportation circulation network. The document is used by the City when reviewing private development projects to ensure appropriate land dedications occur and/or active transportation facilities are constructed as a part of the development. It is also used to develop and prioritize the City’s public works projects and grant requests. Additionally, the adoption and maintenance of a current active transportation plan is required to qualify for many regional, state, and federal grants.

Overall, the ATP update focuses on:
• All Ages and Abilities – Creating spaces for people to walk, bike, and roll that are lowstress and lower risk to create more opportunities for more people to walk, bike, and roll. • Regional Coordination - Identifying and planning regional routes between jurisdictions as part of the larger Countywide ATP.
• Implementation – Prioritizing projects and identifying funding to focus and streamline implementation.

The ATP is divided in several sections that include:
• A description of the Cotati community and the status of the existing active transportation network, including the existing bikeway network, the transit network, where sidewalk gaps exist, and the level of stress one encounters on the various bikeways. • The community and stakeholder outreach and engagement that was done during development of the ATP.
• The Vision and Goals of the ATP.
• Maps and a list of projects needed to develop an effective active transportation network and the priority of each project.
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• Programs, policies, and action items to support an effective active transportation network and program.
• Considerations of implementation including timelines, cost estimates, funding sources, and monitoring.

Financial Considerations
Adoption of the ATP does not have an immediate fiscal impact. The ATP was primarily developed through a grant awarded to the SCTA and a $30,000 contribution from the City in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Staff time to attend meetings, engage with the public, and coordinate with the consultant team developing the ATP was absorbed by the Community Development Department budget.

The ATP does include programs and projects that will require staff time and City resources if the City chooses to implement them. Section 6 of the ATP (Implementation: Local Considerations) provides cost estimates for implementing the projects contained in the ATP. Project cost estimations were developed to provide a general idea of the anticipated costs for each proposed project type (i.e. multi-use path, signalized crossing improvement, sidewalk installation, etc.). It is estimated that the construction costs of implementing all projects in the ATP would be $20.5 million. These projects are a combination of improvements which would fall under the responsibility of private landowners when development projects are proposed (frontage improvements on a newly developed parcel for example), as well as projects which would likely require the City to be responsible for the construction (such as installation of a new cross walk in a developed area of the community). It is worth noting the ATP does not attempt to identify which projects, or portions of projects, would be the responsibility of a private developer or that of the City. The overall costs of improvements, timing of budget availability and/or private development and other mechanisms (such as grant funding) to make such improvements are far too uncertain.

Section 6 of the ATP also identifies funding sources available to fund the projects and programs in the plan. In addition to local sources such as the Capital Improvement Program and developer impact fees, Section 6 presents a list of competitive grants and formula-based funding programs for consideration to address the financial needs of the projects within the plan. The section identifies 21 regional, state, and federal funding sources currently available.

Environmental Issues
The physical improvements included in the ATP will be subject to future environmental review when specific projects are proposed. The adoption of the ATP qualifies for a statutory exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to SB 922 (Wiener, 2022), which amended Public Resources Code Sections 21080.20 and 21080.25 to exempt Bicycle Transportation Plans and projects that meet certain conditions. Additionally, the general exemption in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) provides for projects where it can be seen with certainty that there is no potential for significant environmental effects. 61 of 157
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RESOLUTION NO.

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI
ADOPTING THE 2024 COTATI ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND

APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
WHEREAS, on April 22, 2014, the City of Cotati adopted a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update, and has since undertaken a further update of the plan; and WHEREAS, it is desirable and beneficial to update the plan from time to time; and WHEREAS, to reflect and accommodate changes and expansions in human powered mobility choices, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update is now referred to as the Cotati Active Transportation Plan (“Plan”); and
WHEREAS, the Plan provides guidance and implementation measures to improve citywide active transportation circulation; and
WHEREAS, the City initiated an update to the Plan in 2021 and began public outreach at numerous popup events at the Farmers’ Market, a kick-off meeting with the Planning Commission on September 20, 2021, and through development of the 2021 Cotati Local Roadway Safety Plan; and
WHEREAS, in 2023 the City partnered with the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (“SCTA”) to have the Plan be developed as a part of an “umbrella” Countywide Active Transportation Plan; and
WHEREAS, public engagement restarted in 2023 and included popup events at the Farmers’ Market and local retail areas, the publication of a project website and online surveys distributed through social media, mailing lists, the City of Cotati website, and November 2023 newsletter, and SCTA’s website and newsletters; and
WHEREAS, in 2023 the Planning Commission reviewed draft elements of the updated Plan at regularly scheduled public meetings held on June 19, November 6, and December 4; and WHEREAS, the City Council and Planning Commission reviewed the draft Plan and provided feedback at public meetings held on March 12 and March 18, 2024, respectively; and WHEREAS, the Plan consists of the Plan text, tables, and graphics, as shown in Exhibit “A” attached hereto; and
WHEREAS, the Plan is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Cotati General Plan; and
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WHEREAS, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council adopt the Cotati Active Transportation Plan at a duly noticed public hearing on April 15, 2024, at which time all interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on May 14, 2024, regarding the updated Plan at which time all interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard; and
WHEREAS, the Record of Proceedings ("Record") upon which the City Council bases its decision includes, but is not limited to: (1) the State CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3); (2) the Cotati Municipal Code; (3) the City of Cotati General Plan and its related Environmental Impact Report (EIR), adopted on March 24, 2015; (4) the City of Cotati 2023-2031 Housing Element Update and its related Addendum to the City of Cotati General Plan EIR, adopted by the City Council on March 28, 2023; (5) all staff reports, city files, records, and other documents prepared for and/or submitted to the City Council related to the Plan; (6) all documentary and oral evidence received at the public hearings or submitted to the City during the comment period on the Project; and (7) all other matters of common knowledge to the City Council, and the City, including, but not limited to, City, state and federal laws, policies, rules, regulations, reports, records, and projections related to development within the City and its surrounding areas.

WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the changes to the General Plan text and Figure

2.2 (Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan) are justified to achieve the objectives and policies of the General Plan in that:

A. The proposed amendments ensure and maintain internal consistency with all other goals and policies of the General Plan;
B. The proposed amendments would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City;
C. The proposed project has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
WHEREAS, the proposed General Plan amendment is the first of four General Plan amendments that are allowed in the 2024 calendar year pursuant to Government Code Section 65358.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Cotati finds that the above recitals are true and correct and constitute a part of the findings in support of this Resolution.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council finds the adoption of the Plan to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to SB 922 (Wiener, 2022) which amended Public Resources Code Sections 21080.20 and 21080.25 to exempt Bicycle Transportation Plans and projects that meet certain conditions, and the general exemption in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) for 66 of 157
projects where it can be seen with certainty that there is no potential for significant environmental effects. The physical improvements included in the updated Plan will be subject to future environmental review when specific projects are proposed.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Cotati adopts the 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Cotati hereby amends the Cotati General Plan to replace all text references to the “Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan” with “2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan” where cited in the Table of Contents, Figure 2.1, Action CI 1o, Policy CI 2.1, Policy CI 2.3, Action CI 2a, Policy CI 2.11, and Policy CI 2.12.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Cotati hereby amends the Cotati General Plan by replacing Figure 2.2 of the General Plan with Figure 7 from the 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan (see Exhibit “B” to this Resolution).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Cotati authorizes City staff to make minor technical changes as needed to the Plan and to post the final 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan on the City’s website.

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 May 14, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:

RESULT:

MOVER:

SECONDER:

AYES:

NAYS:

Approved:___________________________
Mayor
Attest:______________________________
Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
Approved as to form:______________________________
City Attorney
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The City with a Heart
City of Cotati
Active
Transportation Plan
APRIL 2024
Exhibit A
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Cotati Active
Transportation Plan (ATP)
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1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. COMMUNITY PROFILE & WALKING, BIKING & ROLLING TODAY 3 Community Characteristics and Travel Patterns 3
Road Safety in Cotati 4
Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics in Cotati 4 Defining Level of Traffic Stress 6

3. COMMUNITY & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 11

4. VISION & GOALS 13

5. ADVANCING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION 14
Infrastructure Improvements 14
Considerations for Facility Type 14
Planned Projects 15
Engineering Treatments Toolbox 26
Programs & Policies 27
Programs 27
Policies 29

6. IMPLEMENTATION: LOCAL CONSIDERATIONS 35
Timeline 35
Policies and Programs 35
Planned Projects 36
Funding 40
Monitoring 42

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Cotati Active Transportation Plan
April 2024 1

1. Introduction
The 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan (ATP) was developed as a component of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority‘s (SCTA’s) 2025 Countywide Active Transportation Plan (Countywide ATP) effort. As part of a regional effort, this plan focuses on improving active transportation connections within the city and creating low stress connections to surrounding jurisdictions such as Rohnert Park and Sonoma County. The Cotati ATP is also a stand-alone document to be used by the City of Cotati to guide implementation of local projects and programs and document city policy.

The primary emphasis of this planning effort is to increase access to active transportation modes by planning for infrastructure projects and supportive programs. Active transportation refers to “human-powered” modes of travel, like walking, biking, or using mobility devices. Creating an environment that encourages a shift from automobile trips to walking or biking trips also promotes improvements to mental and physical health, air quality and noise, and equity. A safer and more connected network would allow members of the community flexibility in their travel, where they would not need to rely on a personal vehicle to travel through the city and larger region.

The Cotati ATP builds off the goals of the Countywide ATP, with a focus on implementation of local active transportation projects, programs, and policies.

Projects are prioritized based on the needs highlighted by the community and city staff, and programs are in line with the city’s near terms plans and funding priorities.

The previous Cotati Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) adopted in 2014 identified a general expansion of walking and biking facilities. Since the 2014 BPMP was adopted, several changes and advancements have been made in the state of active transportation planning practices. For example, SCTA adopted Vision Zero in 2021, which is a regional commitment to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. There have also been policy changes at the national and state level acknowledging a greater need for more robust infrastructure, programs, and policies to make walking and biking safer. With those and other similar advancements in mind, this plan update focuses on:
• All Ages and Abilities – Creating spaces for people to walk, bike, and roll that are low-stress and lower risk to create more opportunities for more people to walk, bike, and roll.
• Regional Coordination - Identifying and planning regional routes between jurisdictions as part of the larger Countywide ATP.
• Implementation – Prioritizing projects and identifying funding to focus and streamline implementation.
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Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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Low-stress network analysis was used to identify opportunities to upgrade or enhance existing or previously planned projects. The network analysis considered community and regional destinations, traffic safety, gaps in existing facilities to help inform recommendations for enhanced or new active transportation improvements.

Community input was gathered to ground truth and expand the findings from the network analysis to create a robust project list and supporting policy and programs. 72 of 157
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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2. Community Profile &
Walking, Biking & Rolling
Today
Community Characteristics and Travel Patterns
The City of Cotati has a population of approximately 7,5001 and shares its northern and eastern border with the City of Rohnert Park. The City of Cotati extends out from “the Hub,” two concentric sets of six streets. Each set forms a hexagon, which centers around La Plaza Park and the Cotati fire station. The Hub is bisected by Old Redwood Highway and East Cotati Avenue/West Sierra Avenue. Around the Hub is a thriving, historic downtown, including mixed-use developments. Although Sonoma State University (SSU) is located just outside of the City limits, Cotati has many characteristics of a university town. Many students live in Cotati and frequent downtown restaurants, shops, and bars. The Active Transportation Plan identifies connections that encourage active transportation uses from residential areas to the downtown, Cotati Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) station, and SSU.

In the past two decades, Cotati has seen growth, both in the development of land uses and in the number of people residing within the City. Since 2000, there has been growth of approximately 1,000 residents2 and the City took on various safety improvements including sidewalk shaving to even out pavement, closing gaps in the sidewalk network, traffic calming, pedestrian and bike enhancement studies, and safety improvements at signalized intersections.

Approximately 66 percent of the City’s population is between the ages of 18 to 64, and 14 percent are 65 and older.
3 Creating an environment that accommodates those of
all ages and abilities and makes the first and last mile connections to transit is crucial in promoting and enabling more walking, biking, and rolling for daily travel needs.

Census data indicate two percent of workers currently bike or walk to work, four percent take transit, 72 percent use single occupancy vehicles, and others carpool, work from home or take other means of transportation to work. 1 https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0616560-cotati-ca/ 2 US Census Bureau. Cotati. 2020.
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Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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As the City continues to grow, there is a need for safer, low stress, and betterconnected walking, biking, and rolling facilities.

Road Safety in Cotati
Among similar sized cities in California, Cotati is in the 50th percentile for number of fatal and injury collisions, which means half of similar sized cities have experienced more fatal and injury collisions and half have experienced less. 4 The City’s 2021 Local
Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) evaluated collision data from 2015 through 2019. There were zero fatalities but four people were severely injured in traffic collisions during that time (two severe injury collisions in 2016, and one severe injury collision in both 2017 and 2018). There were zero fatal or severe injury (“KSI”) collisions involving people walking or biking during this five-year period. During this period, the total number of collisions resulting in an injury (all modes) rose by approximately 72 percent. The City’s LRSP identified Old Redwood Highway and East Cotati Avenue as two corridors along which many of the collisions were reported.

Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics
in Cotati
Improved active transportation connections between residential and retail uses and existing trails and transit facilities are needed in Cotati. With the SMART station located on the City’s eastern border along with the north-south running SMART pathway and the Laguna trails in the northeast quadrant, the City currently lacks lowstress east-west connections along East Cotati Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Valparaiso Avenue, and across the Highway 101 corridor. Additional low-stress north-south connections are needed along Old Redwood Highway, Redwood Drive, and along Washoe Creek just west of the city boundaries. The following figures illustrate these needs.

Figure 1 illustrates the existing bikeway network. The bikeway network is classified into several distinct facility types, further detailed below. • Class I Multi-Use Paths are fully separated bike and pedestrian paths. They follow their own alignment sometimes parallel to a street, waterway, and/or other alignment through open space or undeveloped areas. Interactions with vehicles are limited to trail crossings of streets.
• Class II Bike Lanes are on-street bike facilities that use a white line or stripe (i.e., longitudinal pavement marking) to designate space on the street for bicyclists that is adjacent to a vehicle lane.
4 https://www.ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/crash-rankings-results/?wpv_view_count=1327&wpvwpcf-year=2020&wpv-wpcf-city_county=Cotati&wpv_filter_submit=Submit 74 of 157
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• Class IIB Buffered Bike Lanes increase space between the bike lane and vehicle travel lane(s) using a painted buffer. The painted buffer is often made up of two parallel white lines with diagonal white lines painted between them. Green pavement markings can be used at driveways or intersections to draw attention to where vehicle paths cross bicyclists’ paths. • Class III Bike Routes are shared facilities between bicyclists and motor vehicles. Bicyclists ride in the vehicle lane. Bike routes are sometimes used to provide a connection to another bike facility or designated bike route. “Sharrows” (shared-lane markings) may be used to alert motorists of on-street bicyclists. Signs may also be used to mark the route.
• Class IIIB Bike Boulevards are streets designed to give priority to people walking and biking and allow bicyclists and motorists to safely share the road on low-volume, low-speed, local streets. Traffic calming treatments are used to encourage slower vehicle speeds and discourage non-local vehicle traffic.

Treatments can include a combination of speed tables, raised crosswalks, speed humps, traffic diverters, chicanes, curb extensions at intersections or marked crosswalks, and/or neighborhood traffic circles. • Class IV Separated Bike Lanes are on-street bike facilities that include physical separation between where bicyclists ride and vehicle traffic. Ideally, the physical separation provides protection to the bicyclist through use of materials such as concrete medians (with or without landscaping), planters, and/or the bike lane could be separated by a curb to raise the bike lane to either sidewalk height or an intermediate height. Green pavement markings can be used at driveways or intersections to draw attention to where vehicle paths cross bicyclists’ paths as well as additional intersection treatments to enhance safety.

The existing transit network, as illustrated in Figure 2, includes transit services and amenities within or immediately adjacent to Cotati. Bikes are allowed on SMART trains and service is provided throughout Sonoma and Marin counties on approximately 30- to 60-minute headways on weekdays and approximately 60- to 90- minute headways on weekends. Sonoma County Transit (SCT) buses are equipped with bike racks and service is provided on 30- to 65-minute headways on weekdays and Saturdays largely within Sonoma County. Golden Gate Transit (GGT) buses are equipped with bike racks and service is provided on 35- to 60-minute headways on weekdays and weekends. GGT provides connections to destinations in Sonoma and Marin counties as well as San Francisco. Transit routes are provided along major arterials and collectors throughout the city but existing gaps in the sidewalk network, as shown in Figure 3, and the bike network are a barrier to people walking and biking to transit stops.

As described above, to enable more people to walk, bike and roll, and to use these modes to access transit, the spaces built to support those uses need to be safe and comfortable. Figure 4 illustrates the results of a Level of Traffic Stress analysis used to gauge level of comfort in traveling along a street. Figure 4 also denotes the streets 75 of 157
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within Cotati that were identified as part of SCTA’s High Injury Network5 (HIN) developed as part of SCTA’s Vision Zero Action Plan6.

An LTS 1 rating indicates the least stressful (most comfortable) facilities. Low stress (LTS 1 or 2) facilities in Cotati include the SMART Trail, Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail (Laguna Trail), and the buffered bike lanes on West Sierra Drive. LTS 4 indicates the most stressful (least comfortable) facilities. High stress facilities in Cotati overlap with the HIN segments on Old Redwood Highway as well as Redwood Drive and main eastwest arterials such as Highway 116 and East Cotati Avenue.

Defining Level of Traffic Stress
Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) analysis takes different travel corridor characteristics into consideration, including the number of travel lanes, speed of traffic, number of vehicles, presence of bike lanes, width of bike lanes, and presence of physical barriers providing protection from traffic. Based on these variables, a bike facility can be rated with an LTS ranging from 1 to 4.

The least stressful (most comfortable) facilities are given an LTS 1 rating. Facilities with this rating are typically shared-use paths, separated bikeways, low-volume and lowspeed bike routes, and bike lanes on calm and narrow streets. The most stressful (least comfortable) facilities are given an LTS 4 rating. Facilities with this rating are typically major arterials with multiple lanes of traffic (with or without bike lanes in some cases, depending on speeds) or narrower streets with higher speed limits.

5 The High Injury Network is a compilation of road segments with an elevated risk of crashes resulting in an injury or fatality, identified through an analysis of the frequency, severity, and mode of past crashes. https://scta.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sonoma-Vision-Zero-Action-Plan_Final1.pdf 6 https://scta.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sonoma-Vision-Zero-Action-Plan_Final-1.pdf 76 of 157
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Multi-Use Path
Bike Lane
Buffered Bike Lane
Bike Route
Bike Boulevard
Separated Bikeway
Traffic Calming
Corridor Study
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 1
Existing Bikeway
Network
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W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Figure 2
Existing Transit Network
Sonoma County Transit Stops
Sonoma County Transit Routes
Golden Gate Transit Stops
Golden Gate Transit Routes
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
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W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
Gap on one side
Gap on both sides
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 3
Existing Sidewalk Gaps
N
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W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
Lowest Stress (LTS 1) HIN
Low Stress (LTS 2) Schools
Moderate Stress (LTS 3) Libraries
High Stress (LTS 4)
SMART Station
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 4
Existing Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) and 2022
Countywide High Injury Network (HIN)
N
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3. Community &
Stakeholder Engagement
Initial outreach for the Cotati ATP began in 2021. City staff hosted pop-up engagements at the local Farmer’s Market throughout the summer. Also in 2021, community input was gathered through development of the 2022 Cotati Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) and at the Planning Commission on September 20, 2021.

In 2023, in coordination with City staff, staff from other participating jurisdictions, and SCTA, the Countywide ATP project team prepared a Stakeholder Coordination Plan and Community Engagement Plan to guide community engagement and milestone presentations to local and regional advisory bodies and relevant committees. More details on the countywide community and stakeholder engagement approaches and outcomes are detailed in the 2025 Countywide ATP.

Public engagement restarted in Cotati in June 2023 when the project team presented the overall approach for the Countywide ATP and how Cotati’s ATP would be included in the countywide “umbrella” plan to the Planning Commission. In October 2023 the Countywide ATP project team published a project webpage and online survey and distributed it through the City of Cotati website, social media, and the City’s November newsletter. SCTA/RCPA also distributed the webpage and survey through its newsletter, mailing list, and social media. During the first round of outreach in Fall Project Web Map Survey with 70+ comments in Cotati
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2023, over 70 comments were received in Cotati. The project team also reviewed over 130 comments received as part of the 2022 LRSP.

In Fall 2023, City Staff hosted two additional pop-up engagement events at the Cotati Farmer’s Market in September 2023 and a third event at Oliver’s Market in October 2023. These events gathered input from the general public on existing conditions for walking and biking in Cotati.

In general, public feedback received
through the first round of outreach
between 2021 and 2023 revealed
the following themes:
• Biking: more bike lanes,
protected facilities (paths,
protected bikeways,
intersection treatments)
• Walking: close sidewalk
gaps, improve existing and
add new crossings, consider
pedestrian only areas
• Traffic calming: implement
on collectors and residential streets
• Trails: maintain existing trails and improve trail access and connections, e.g., Laguna Creek Trail, Copeland Creek Trail
• Destinations: better pedestrian/bike access to downtown, SMART station, Oliver’s Market shopping center, Rohnert Park, SSU
• Roadways: more active transportation improvements are needed include Gravenstein Highway/Highway 116, Old Redwood Highway, E. Cotati Avenue, Sierra Avenue, Valparaiso, Benson Lane, Helman Lane
City staff and the project team presented the draft vision and goals, and a draft proposed projects list to the Planning Commission in November 2023. Comments received included support for safe routes to school improvements, especially to Thomas Page School; the need to require new development to provide active transportation options; a desire for better connections to SSU; and support for improved regional connections such as to Stony Point Road and coordinating with SCTA and Sonoma County to motivate implementation.

City staff also presented the draft policies for the ATP update to the Planning Commission in December 2023. In collaboration with SCTA and Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, City staff and the project team also hosted an open house in February 2024. Feedback was gathered on draft proposed projects and prioritization, draft programmatic recommendations, and the overall Draft Plan. Finally, on March 12th and March 18th of 2024, City staff and project team presented the Draft Plan to City Council and Planning Commission, respectively.

City staff hosting pop-up event at Olivers Market and
feedback collected
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4. Vision & Goals
The vision and goals statements were developed to be consistent with SCTA’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Moving Forward 2050, and were refined based on input provided by SCTA’s Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Cotati Planning Commission, and other regional committees. The City of Cotati’s active transportation vision is:
“Our guiding principles are to improve safety, connectivity, equity, and quality of life. The transportation system shall be safe and inviting for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike, and roll for everyday transportation and recreation, by providing a continuous and interconnected active transportation network linking daily activities and housing, and supported by programs and policies that encourage walking, biking, and rolling.” The City’s active transportation goals are:

1. Connected and Reliable – Deliver a continuous active transportation network that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.

2. Safe and Well-Maintained – Create and sustain a high-quality and lowstress active transportation network. Employ Vision Zero and Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal.

3. Community Oriented and Place-Based – Tailor projects to urban, suburban, and rural communities, that support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation.

Cotati has also developed a series of Policies and Actions to guide implementation of the ATP, which are aligned with these three goals and presented in Chapter 4’s Programs & Policies section.
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5. Advancing Active
Transportation
The following are the planned infrastructure and programmatic improvements for enhancing active transportation in the City of Cotati.

Infrastructure Improvements
Enhancing the safety and comfort of existing facilities as well as expanding the infrastructure and spaces available for active transportation modes are critical to being able to provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike, and roll. The section below presents locations, extents, and brief descriptions of planned projects followed by a summary of types of treatments and engineering resources the City may use in designing and implementing the planned projects.

Considerations for Facility Type
As mentioned earlier in this Plan, the bikeway facilities are classified into several distinct facility types (see page 4 & 5 for descriptions). The transportation planning and engineering profession is evolving towards using Class I Multi-Use Paths, Class IIB Buffered Bike lanes, Class IIIB Bike Boulevards and Class IV Separated Bike Lanes as often as possible to increase safety and comfort for people biking. Those facility types provide more separation between bicyclists and moving vehicles and/or slow vehicle speeds to under 25 mph.

Class IIIB Bike Boulevards are streets where there are at most one vehicle lane in each direction and traffic calming treatments are used to slow vehicle speeds to under 25 mph and discourage non-local vehicle traffic. Treatments can include some combination of speed tables, raised crosswalks, speed humps, traffic diverters, chicanes, curb extensions at crosswalks, and/or neighborhood traffic circles at intersections.

Table 1 summarizes the conditions under which each bike facility type is ideally applied.
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Table 1. Bike Facility Selection for Urban, Suburban, Rural Town Centers1 Bike Facility Type Prevailing Vehicle
Speed (mph)
Vehicle Volume
(vehicles per day)
Class I Multi-Use Paths2 n/a n/a
Class II Bike Lanes3 25 to 30 mph 3,000 to 6,500
Class IIB Buffered Bike Lanes3 25 to 30 mph 3,000 to 6,500 Class III Bike Routes4 Under 25 mph Less than 3,000
Class IIIB Bike Boulevards4 Under 25 mph Less than 3,000 Class IV Separated Bike Lanes5 30 mph and Higher 6,500 and Above Notes:
(1) Table content summarized based on information in FHWA’s Bikeway Selection Guide7. (2) Multi-use paths are off-street and are on their own alignment. They can be useful for providing parallel, low stress routes to existing streets regardless of those streets volumes or speeds. (3) Class IIB Buffered Bike Lanes are preferred over Class II Bike Lanes. (4) Class IIIB Bike Boulevards are preferred over Class III Bike Routes. (5) Class IV Separated Bike Lanes physically separate bikes from moving vehicles using treatments that provide protection such as medians, planters, or raising the bike lane to a height similar to a sidewalk.

The planned projects identify a facility type to either enhance existing facilities or close gaps in the network. Generally, speaking facility type selection was informed by the information summarized in Table 1 as well as considerations for feasibility and continuity with existing land use and street context.

Planned Projects
Table 2 presents planned projects for enhancing walking, biking, and rolling conditions in Cotati, including bikeway, pedestrian crossing, and ADA improvements.

It includes the priority for each project. Tier 1 indicates high priority, Tier 2 medium priority, and Tier 3 low priority. Section 5 describes the prioritization process. 7 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf 85 of 157
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Table 2. Planned Infrastructure Improvements for Walking, Biking and Rolling Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
1 Derby Lane from
Highway 116 to City
Limits (and onward
to Washoe Creek in
Unincorporated
County)
Create low-stress connection to Washoe
Creek maintenance trails and work with
County to formalize maintenance trails and
connections to Rohnert Park and Sebastopol. Tier 3
2 Copeland Creek Trail
and Highway 101
Support Rohnert Park’s Bridge across
Highway 101 at Copeland Creek Trail and
connect it to citywide bike and pedestrian
network.

Tier 3
3 Helman Lane to
Highway 116
Create a north-south trail connection on west
side with connectivity from Helman Lane to
Highway 116 as part of proposed
developments, along the proposed northsouth road identified in the General Plan.

Tier 2
4 Laguna de Santa
Rosa
Formalize Class I multi use path trail along
Laguna west of Highway 101, with new bridge
connecting to Copeland Creek Trail.

Tier 2
5 Redwood Drive Create low-stress protected Class IV
separated bikeway and close sidewalk gaps
over long term. City installing partially buffered
Class IIB bike lanes in nearer term.

Tier 1
6 Highway 116 Create Class I facility parallel to Highway 116 with connectivity to the citywide network in
accordance with Caltrans design criteria and
the City’s Circulation Element.

Tier 1
7 Highway
116/Highway 101
interchange
Interchange study to improve multi-modal
safety and reduce level of traffic stress for
people walking and biking through Highway
101 interchange. Study to include potential
relocation of NB on-ramp from Commerce
Boulevard to the existing NB off-ramp
terminus.

Tier 2
8 Gilman Ranch Road Create Class IIIB bike boulevard on Gilman Ranch Road as part of long-term planned
connection to Madrone Place/Madrone
Avenue.

Tier 3
9 W Cotati Oaks Trail Formalize and enhance W Cotati Oaks Trail between Maple Avenue and Highway 116 to
create a Class I multi-use path.

Tier 1
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
10 Commerce
Boulevard
Identify low-stress protected facility (e.g.,
Class IV separated bikeway) on Commerce
Boulevard to city limits, potentially as part of
future study of Highway 101 interchange.

Tier 1
11 Old Redwood
Highway
Conduct study to identify and develop lowstress (e.g., Class I or Class IV) facilities on or adjacent to Old Redwood Highway from
southern city limits to Gravenstein Way. As
part of study, create a low-stress, protected
(e.g., Class I or IV) facility or Woonerf adjacent
to Old Redwood Highway between St. Joseph
Way and William Street.

Tier 1
12 W School Street Install Class II bike lanes and improved tunnel lighting on W School Street, and improve
asphalt trail adjacent to W School Street
between Richardson Lane and Maple Avenue.

Provide more width for bicyclists.

Tier 1
13 W Sierra Avenue Upgrade Class IIB buffered bike lanes on W Sierra Avenue to Class IV separated bikeway
(consider as pilot project). Tier 1
14 Valparaiso Avenue Close sidewalk gaps and calm traffic on Valparaiso Avenue. Tier 1
15 Laguna Trail Repave and do maintenance work (e.g.,
trimming) on Laguna Trail between East
Cotati Ave and Commerce Boulevard.

Tier 1
16 Laguna Trail at
Helen Putnam Park
New bridge over the laguna connecting
Laguna Trail to Helen Putnam Park. Tier 1
17 Laguna Trail Bruce
Connection
Create connection between Laguna Trail and
the vicinity of East Sierra Avenue and Bruce
Avenue. May require negotiations and
cooperation with property owners.

Tier 3
18 Laguna Trail
McGinnis Bridge/E
Cotati Connection
Close gap in Laguna Trail between E Cotati
Avenue and McGinnis Bridge in the long term,
and formalize Marsh Way as low-stress
connection in the meantime.

Tier 2
19 Trail between Burton
Ave and Lasalle
Street
Formalize trail connection between East
Cotati Avenue and Burton Avenue at Lasalle
Street.

Tier 2
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
20 E Cotati Avenue Create low-stress protected facility on E Cotati Avenue, reduce lane widths to calm traffic and
provide space for wider or protected bike
lanes, and/or determine alternate low-stress
route.

Tier 1
21 Lincoln Avenue Create low-stress Class IIIB bike boulevard connection with traffic calming measures, as
needed, along Lincoln Avenue toward SMART
station. Will require negotiations and
cooperation with property owners.

Tier 1
22 Laguna Trail
McGinnis
Bridge/Lincoln
Connection
Formalize connection between Laguna Trail at
McGinnis Bridge and the intersection of
Lincoln Avenue and Loretto Avenue. Tier 2
23 Valparaiso Avenue ADA Improvements from West Sierra to Old Redwood Highway. Tier 1
24 W Sierra / Hillview
Drive
Crossing Improvement, adding lighted
crosswalk across W Sierra. Tier 2
25 Highway 116 / W
Cotati Avenue
Crossing Improvements associated with West
Cotati Realignment project, including
signalization and new crosswalks.

Tier 1
26 Highway 116 /
Madrone Avenue
Crossing Improvement, evaluate feasibility
and effectiveness RRFB or HAWK across
Highway 116.

Tier 1
27 East Cotati at
Charles/Arthur
Install lighting to improve visibility of
crosswalk and pedestrians using the
crosswalk.

Tier 3
28 La Plaza/West Sierra Crossing Improvement, evaluate feasibility and effectiveness of RRFB. Tier 1
29 Water Road at
Hillview Drive/Water
Road
Crossing Improvement to add crosswalk
across Water Road at Hillview Dr/Water Road. Tier 2
30 Madrone Ave next to
storage lockers
between Isabel Dr
and SR 116
Sidewalk Gap Closure, fix sidewalk grade
differential. Tier 1
31 Redwood Dr from
Portal St to W
Copeland Creek Trail
(South)
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
32 Redwood Dr from
Portal St to W
Copeland Creek Trail
(North)
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
33 Helman Ln from
Redwood Dr to Alder
Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 3
34 Redwood Dr from
Helman Ln to
Laguna de Santa
Rosa
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 3
35 Madrone Ave from
Madrone Pl to Grove
St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
36 W. Cotati Ave from
Gravenstein Hwy to
W Cotati Oaks Court
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no
continuous existing sidewalk facilities.

Existing sidewalks on southwest side of the
street between from Gilman Ranch Road to
Cohen Court.

Tier 2
37 Richardson Ln from
Tompkins Rd
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 3
38 W. Cotati Ave from
Maple Ave to Clifford
St
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 2
39 Clifford St from W.

Cotati Ave to W.

School St
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 2
40 William St from Old
Redwood Hwy to W.

Cotati Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
41 East Sierra Ave from
Arthur St to La Plaza
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
42 La Plaza from E.

Sierra Ave to E.

Cotati Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
43 Arthur St from E.

Sierra Ave to E.

Cotati Ave
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 3
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
44 W School St from
Maple Ave to Clifford
St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 3
45 El Rancho Dr from
W. Cotati Ave to E.

School St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
46 Olaf St from W.

Cotati Ave to W.

Sierra Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure.

Tier 2
47 Henry St from W.

Sierra Ave to Old
Redwood Hwy
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
48 Delano St from
Henry St to Page St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
49 Charles St from E.

Cotati Ave to Old
Redwood Hwy
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 1
50 Page St from W.

Sierra Ave to Dino Ct
Sidewalk Gap Closure. Tier 1
51 Old Redwood Hwy
from Page St to
Henry St/Cotati
Creek Bridge
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
52 Valparaiso Ave from
W. Sierra Ave to
Delano St Path
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
53 Water Rd from W.

Sierra Ave to City
Extent
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
54 West Sierra Ave
from Water Rd to
Hillview Dr
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 3
55 West Sierra Ave
from Hillview Dr to
Cypress Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
56 West Sierra Ave
from Cypress Ave to
Valparaiso Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 1
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
57 Cypress Ave from
Oretsky Way to City
Limit
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
58 Park Ave from Myrtle
Ave to Veterans
Memorial Building
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
59 Old Redwood Hwy
(east side) from
Valparaiso Ave to
Lasker Ln
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
60 Old Redwood Hwy
from Clothier Ln to
Eucalyptus Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
61 Eucalyptus Ave from
Old Redwood Hwy to
Lebec Ln
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
62 Tompkins Rd from
Richardson Ln to
Gilman Ranch Rd
Install Class I multiuse path.

Tier 3
63 Southern City extent
from Cypress Ave to
Old Redwood Hwy
Install Class I multiuse path.

Tier 2
64 Alder Ave from
Helman Ln to City
Extent
(Unincorporated
County)
Install Class II bike lanes.

Tier 3
65 Helman Ln from
Alder Ave to Western
City Extent
Install Class II bike lanes.

Tier 3
66 West Cotati Ave
from SR-116 to
Maple Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 1
67 Gravenstein Way
from Wilford Ln to
Laguna de Santa
Rosa Trail
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 2
68 Wilford Ln and
Wilford Cir from
Ahlstrom Dr to
Install Class IIIB bike boulevard. Tier 2
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
Laguna de Santa
Rosa Trail Connector
69 The Loop: William St,
Olaf St, Henry St,
Charles St, Arthur St,
George St
Conduct study to identify and develop project
for a lower stress bicycle facility such as Class
I multiuse path parallel to the loop or a Class
IV separated bike lane.

Tier 1
70 Benson Ln from
Loretta Ave to Park
Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 1
71 Loretta Ave from
Lincoln Ave to
Loretta Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 2
72 LaSalle Ave from
East Cotati Ave to
Loretto Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 3
73 Lark Drive and Eagle
Drive from Lark Drive
to Lakewood Ave
Install Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 2
74 Marsh Way from
East Cotati Ave to
Laguna de Santa
Rosa Trail
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.

Tier 2
75 Myrtle Ave from Old
Redwood Hwy to
Copeland Creek Trail
Upgrade Class IIB buffered bike lanes on
Myrtle Ave to Class IV separated bike lanes
(consider as pilot project).

Tier 1
Notes
(1) Crossing improvements could include high visibility markings, pedestrian-scale lighting, curb extensions (a.k.a. bulb outs), leading pedestrian intervals at signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) or pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at unsignalized intersections.
(2) Sidewalk gap closures to ensure at least one side of the roadway has continuous sidewalks. (3) Project priorities are included in Table 2. Prioritization methodology is explained in Section 5. Implementation:

Local Considerations.

Figure 5 illustrates the location of the planned bikeway and corridor improvements and Figure 6 shows the location of planned pedestrian crossing and sidewalk improvements. Crossing improvements could include high visibility markings, pedestrian-scale lighting, curb extensions (a.k.a. bulb outs), leading pedestrian intervals at signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) or pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at unsignalized intersections. Figure 7 shows planned improvements as well as the existing biking network.
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16 2
17 22
18 19
62 9
63 4
6 15
3 14
7 69
20 11
10 75
5 13
67 68
74 73
71 8
70 1
72 66
21 65
64 12
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Note: This map includes draft Rohnert Park and
Unincorporated County projects for context.

Draft projects are subject to change.

Multi-Use Path
Bike Lane
Buffered Bike Lane
Bike Route
Bike Boulevard
Separated Bikeway
Traffic Calming
Corridor Study
Sidewalk Gap
Crossing Improvement
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 5
2024 Planned Bikeway
and Corridor Projects
Projects left to right
include 29 & 24
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30 32
46 42
54 31
50 60
58 36
60 49
48 56
41 61
43 38
51 35
45 57
37 55
39 40
36 59
47 52
36 57
44 57
34 33
23 53
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
Sidewalk Gap
Crossing Improvement
Schools Libraries
SMART Station
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 6
2024 Planned Sidewalk &
Crossing Improvements
N
Projects left to right
include 29 & 24
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16 2
17 22
18 19
62 9
63 4
6 15
3 14
7 69
20 11
10 75
5 13
67 68
74 73
71 8
70 1
72 66
21 65
64 12
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Note: Sidewalk gap closure projects
are included as projects 23 and 30-61,
see Figure 6. Rohnert Park and
Unincorporated County projects subject
to change.

Projects left to right
include 29 & 24
Existing 2024
Multi-Use Path
Bike Lane
Buffered Bike Lane
Bike Route
Bike Boulevard
Separated Bikeway
Traffic Calming
Corridor Study
Sidewalk Gap
Crossing Improvement
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 7
Existing and 2024 Planned
Active Transportation Network
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Engineering Treatments Toolbox
In designing and implementing the 2024 Active Transportation Network projects, and taking actions to fulfill the policies and goals identified in this Plan, City staff will use engineering treatments consistent with established industry resources and guidance published by reputable organizations such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD). The following exhibits include examples of the types of engineering treatments the City may use in the design and implementation of enhanced active transportation infrastructure.
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Programs & Policies
In addition to infrastructure improvements described above, the Cotati ATP also includes supportive programmatic and policy recommendations to support the Plan’s Vision and Goals.

Programs
The following describes the creation of an Active Transportation Program which would create dedicated, annual funding sources to support the implementation of the policies and projects identified in the Cotati Active Transportation Plan.

Active Transportation Program
The City will establish an Active Transportation Program that is comprised of:
• Staff assigned to lead and monitor the implementation of the City’s Active Transportation Plan, with responsibilities such as:
o (i) ensuring planned projects are incorporated into the City’s CIP list; o (ii) coordinating with SCTA, Sonoma County, Caltrans, and cities within the region regarding active transportation projects and topics including shared mobility programs and the Safe Routes to School Program; o (iii) oversight and management of all elements of the City’s Active Transportation Program;
o (iv) participating in and leading staff training related to industry guidance for planning, design, and maintenance of active transportation improvements making use of guidance from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO); and
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o (v) identifying and helping to pursue grant funding for larger active transportation investments.
• As funding becomes available, invest in the planning and design of planned projects identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan. • Pursue regional, state, or federal grant funds to support planning, design, and construction of planned projects identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan.
• Explore developing and implementing a quick build program to facilitate the design and implementation of low-cost active transportation improvements at planned project locations identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan.

This would include identifying improvements that could be implemented via the City’s repaving program and/or as part of other routine maintenance activities.
• Develop and implement a bike parking program consistent with the policies and actions identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan. • Partner with Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, the City Police Department, and Public Health to develop and distribute educational materials and/or host community events that promote safe road user behavior in support of improving walking, biking, and rolling for all ages and abilities.

Transportation Demand Management Supportive Programs
The City will work with SCTA to implement Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program objectives to encourage non-auto trips (such as walking, biking, and transit), and reduce single occupancy vehicle trips. This may include education and encouragement activities targeted at larger residential developments and employers.

Potential actions could include:
• Develop a local TDM ordinance based on SCTA’s Shift Model TDM Ordinance, including considerations for employers and developers, infrastructure, and programs.
• Coordinate with employers on the development and implementation of commute programs by engaging with employers, transit agencies, and shared mobility programs.
• Market existing TDM programs to employers and developers through business assistance programs, green business certifications, and commute fairs. • Assist employers with the development of commute programs and marketing alternative modes of transportation to employees.
• Coordinate countywide policy actions via the SCTA/RCPA.

Sidewalk/Crosswalk Maintenance and Gap Closure Program
The City will establish a local sidewalk maintenance and gap closure monitoring program, to achieve the goals outlined in Policies 1-3, 1-5 and 2-1. Program elements include:
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• Develop a sidewalk repair program to ensure the City maintains or enforces maintenance of current and future sidewalks.
• Prioritize closure of sidewalk gaps that connect people to activity centers, Thomas Page Academy, transit, parks, and the downtown area. • Regularly evaluate where new crosswalks may be needed and/or where there are needs for crosswalks enhancements (e.g., high visibility paint, RRFB, HAWK signals)
• Continue to engage with the community to prevent obstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities with parking, trash bins, signs, etc. • Monitor and update tracking of sidewalks built and/or percentage of roadways with sidewalks citywide.

Bicycle Parking Program
The City will establish a Bicycle Parking Program, aligned with Policy 1-8. The program will include the following activities:
• Establish a standard type or types of bike rack for use within the city. • Review and/or update Municipal Code to ensure adequate bike parking is included in all new development projects, multifamily and commercial remodels, and Use Permit approvals.
• Assess bike parking needs within the City’s parks and right-of-way and develop a program to provide adequate bike parking near amenities and at key destinations.
• Require temporary bike parking (e.g., racks, bike valet) at limited term and special events such as the Accordion Festival and Kid’s Day. • Create incentives for local businesses to install bike parking of their own (in accordance with city standards).

Policies
The City of Cotati also has a series of Policies and Actions to guide the implementation of the ATP including actions to promote active transportation within Cotati. The Policies and Actions support each of the Plan’s goals as shown below.

GOAL 1: Connected and Reliable
Deliver a continuous active transportation network that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.

POLICY 1-1: Prioritize and implement bike and pedestrian projects identified in the ATP, given the amount of funding available to Cotati.

Action 1-1.1: Continue to require project sponsors, as a part of their development proposals, to construct frontage improvements, internal bike and pedestrian circulation, and bike and pedestrian projects identified in the ATP that intersect or are adjacent to their property.
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Action 1-1.2: Identify current local, county, regional, state, and federal programs that would fund bike and pedestrian capital improvements and programs, along with specific funding requirements and deadlines.

Action 1-1.3: Identify non-governmental funding sources for bike and pedestrian capital improvements and programs such as non-profit or foundation grants, public-private partnerships, and community organizations.

Action 1-1.4: As opportunities present themselves, pursue multi-jurisdictional funding applications with Sonoma County, SCTA, neighboring cities, and other potential partners such as SMART, Sonoma Water, and Sonoma County Regional Parks.

Action 1-1.5: As budget allows, amend Cotati’s 2015 Traffic Impact Fee Study to include certain projects identified in the updated ATP.

POLICY 1-2: The City’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Program shall incorporate and include funding for bike and pedestrian improvements identified in the ATP, as well as maintenance of active transportation facilities.

POLICY 1-3: Prioritize closure of sidewalk gaps that connect people to activity centers, Thomas Page Academy, transit, parks, and the downtown area.

POLICY 1-4: Prioritize bike and pedestrian connections across Highway 101 to better connect east and west sides of the City.

POLICY 1-5: All public streets shall have a sidewalk connecting to the broader network, on a minimum of one-side, phased as City funding and/or nexus with private development allows. Determining the appropriate side shall be based on the existing sidewalk network, environmental conditions, and impediments to construction. In all cases, the City shall take into consideration unique roadway space, visibility, and topographical constraints in the area. Pedestrian walkways shall utilize context sensitive designs.

POLICY 1-6: As part of City or private development projects, enhance pedestrian and bike facilities along or adjacent to all arterial roadways, including East Cotati Avenue, Old Redwood Highway (between Hwy 116 and East Cotati Avenue), Redwood Drive, Highway 116, and Valparaiso Avenue. Class I multi-use path and Class IV separated bike lanes should be the first choice in the design of all new multi-modal infrastructure.

POLICY 1-7: Seek opportunities to separate existing and future bike facilities from motor vehicle traffic with buffers or greater protection such as a curb, flexible bollards, delineators, or other more durable barriers on streets where vehicle speeds are greater than 25 mph. Use best practices when designing bike facilities such as the bikeway design guidance published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). 100 of 157
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Action 1-7.1: Adopt a Complete Streets ordinance and typical cross-sections for different street typologies to guide construction of new streets and retrofitting of existing streets.

Action 1-7.2: Update the City’s Design Standards for streets and roadways to incorporate separated and/or protected bike lanes (i.e., Class IV) and pedestrian infrastructure by January 2026. Low stress bike facilities (e.g., Class I trails/paths, Class IV separated bike lanes, Class IIIB Bike Boulevards) should be the first choice in the design of new multi-modal infrastructure.

POLICY 1-8: Ensure adequate bike parking is available citywide.

Action 1-8.1: Establish a standard type or types of bike rack for use within the city.

Action 1-8.2: Ensure adequate bike parking is included in all new development projects, multifamily and commercial remodels, and Use Permit approvals per City’s Municipal Code.

Action 1-8.3: Assess bike parking needs within the City’s parks and right-ofway and develop a program to provide adequate bike parking near amenities and at key destinations.

Action 1-8.4: Require temporary bike parking (racks or bike valet) at limited term and special events such as the Accordion Festival and Kid’s Day.

Action 1-8.5: Create incentives for local businesses to install bike parking of their own (in accordance with city standards).

GOAL 2: Safe and Well-Maintained
Create and sustain a high-quality and low-stress active transportation network. Employ Vision Zero and Local Roadway Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal.

POLICY 2-1: Develop and operationalize a sidewalk repair program to ensure the City maintains or enforces maintenance of sidewalks. Continue to engage with the community to prevent obstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities with parking, trash bins, signs, etc. Investigate the feasibility of creating a “Pedestrian and Bicycle Pathway Condition Index”.

POLICY 2-2: Maintain all bike lane symbols, striping, green paint, and buffer paint and ensure all bike lanes have standard bike symbols. Ensure bike lanes are kept free of trash bins, vehicles, and debris.

POLICY 2-3: Increase pedestrian safety at crossings, where needed, to complete pedestrian networks and provide access to destinations. 101 of 157
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Action 2-3.1: Assess and prioritize additional crossings or improvements to existing crossings using established industry resources, such as FHWA Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) Guide, to inform decisions.

Action 2-3.2: Continue to utilize crossing enhancements such as Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) or Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs).

Explore additional safety measures for other crossing enhancements, such as reflective poles on crosswalk signs.

Action 2-3.3: As part of City or private development projects, upgrade crossings to meet accessibility standards such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant wheelchair ramps, push buttons with auditory or tactile aids for visual and hearing disabilities, or other improvements to accommodate all people.

Action 2-3.4: As part of City or private development projects, add sufficient lighting to light deficient crosswalks and assess any additional lighting needs.

Use established industry resources, such as Caltrans’ Roadway Lighting Manual, to inform decisions.

POLICY 2-4: Provide additional pedestrian safety improvements at intersections.

Action 2-4.1: Explore opportunities for painted intersections to increase safety and awareness at intersections with high pedestrian volumes or potential for pedestrian activity.

Action 2-4.2: Identify opportunities to utilize technology and signals to increase pedestrian safety at signalized intersections such as passive detection, leading pedestrian intervals, or pedestrian only “scramble” phases.

POLICY 2-5: Improve bike safety at controlled and uncontrolled intersections.

Action 2-5.1: Prioritize painting and maintaining a designated, marked space for the bike lane at all intersection approach as well as through intersections.

Action 2-5.2: As part of City or private development projects, apply green conflict zone markings through controlled and uncontrolled intersections for all bike lanes on arterial streets.

Action 2-5.3: As part of future intersection improvements, apply green conflict zone markings where bike lanes cross dedicated right turn lanes.

Action 2-5.5: Consider two-stage turn queue bike boxes where high rates of left turn bike movements are expected.

POLICY 2-6: Explore opportunities to utilize technology to improve bike safety and accommodation.
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Action 2-6-1: As part of City or development projects, upgrade bike detection system or other detection options at signalized intersections.

Action 2-6-2: Explore signal timing improvements for bicyclists such as leading intervals and bike only phases.

POLICY 2-7: Implement and incorporate actions in SCTA’s adopted Sonoma County Vision Zero (VZ) Action Plan.

Action 2-7.1: Support Safe Routes to School program and school districts to promote safe, active transportation through education, school policies, and pick-up/drop-off procedures (VZ Action 3.1).

Action 2-7.2: Prioritize low-cost quick-build projects to rapidly implement bike and pedestrian safety improvements along the High Injury Network (i.e., Old Redwood Highway) (VZ Action 4.1).

Action 2-7.3: Prioritize closing gaps in bike and pedestrian networks and design facilities for all ages and all abilities (VZ Action 4.6).

Action 2-7.4: Update street design standards to reflect latest research and best practices around safety and Complete Streets, with an emphasis on serving diverse road users of all ages and abilities (VZ Action 4.8).

GOAL 3: Community Oriented and Place-Based
Tailor projects to urban, suburban, and rural communities, that support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation.

POLICY 3-1: Cotati city staff shall work with the City of Rohnert Park, Sonoma State University (SSU), SCTA, Sonoma County Transit, and the SMART to explore the feasibility of an electric shuttle service connecting fixed points of interest/amenities in each City with SSU and the SMART rail stations.

POLICY 3-2: Explore areas that could be designated or converted into bike/pedestrianonly zones or designed to minimize automobile traffic impacts.

Action 3-2.1: Create and implement a Woonerf Street Design Standard for implementation in appropriate areas of new residential and commercial development by January 2026.

POLICY 3-3: Where possible and/or desirable, utilize alternative surfaces for pathways such as decomposed granite, crushed rock, or other natural-like materials.

POLICY 3-4: Make bicycling in Cotati intuitive through maps and wayfinding.

Action 3-4.1: Maintain and, where appropriate, add additional bike-oriented wayfinding to help cyclists navigate across Highway 101 and to nearby bike paths or other low volume bike routes.
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POLICY 3-5: Continue to work with the SCTA to develop a regional bike share/micromobility program.

POLICY 3-6: Achieve a Walk Friendly Community rating consistent with the Walk Friendly Communities program.

Policy 3-7: Achieve a Bicycle Friendly CommunitySM rating from the League of American Bicyclists.

POLICY 3-8: Encourage and incentivize more people to walk, bike, and roll through education and encouragement activities such as special events, Bike-to-Work, and social media campaigns.

POLICY 3-9: Coordinate with the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District and with the objectives in the Safe Routes to School action plans on communication, education, encouragement, and activities focused on children taking active transportation to school and for other trips.

POLICY 3-10: Coordinate with the Recreation Department to identify opportunities for increased bike and pedestrian education with a focus on youth education.

Policy 3-11: New development shall seek to increase the public benefit of Emergency Vehicle Access (EVA) routes by designing them to also serve as bike and/or pedestrian circulation features.
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6. Implementation: Local
Considerations
The following outlines a timeline and potential funding sources the City can use to make consistent, steady progress towards achieving its vision and goals for enhancing walking, biking and rolling.

Timeline
Policies and Programs
Putting into action the Active Transportation Plan policies and programs is a critical initial step in providing a foundation for buildout and utilization of the network. Many of the policies and the broader Active Transportation Program identified in this Plan are ongoing or recurring considerations and activities, that once initiated, will sustain investment in active transportation improvements as well as institutionalize designing streets for safe and comfortable walking, biking, and rolling.

Table 3 summarizes the timeline and the responsible party (or parties) or the mechanism for implementing the policy action or program.

Table 3. Implementation Timeline and Responsibility for Program & Policy Actions Program or Policy Action Timeline Responsible Party or
Mechanism for
Implementation
Active Transportation Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 2 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, City Council
Transportation Demand Management Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 3 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, City Council
Sidewalk Maintenance and Gap Closure
Monitoring Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 5 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works
Bicycle Parking Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 1 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, Recreation Manager
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Program or Policy Action Timeline Responsible Party or
Mechanism for
Implementation
Action 1-7.1: Action City’s Design Standards,
including Woonerf Street Standard (Action 3-

2.1) (Update Standards)
0 to 2 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, City Council
Policy 2-6: Active Transportation Signal
Improvements (e.g., improve bike detection
systems and signal timing)
0 to 3 years Director of Public Works

Planned Projects
Prioritization
Opportunities to advance specific projects towards implementation will be dependent on external factors (e.g., land use projects, successful grant applications). With this in mind, the planned projects identified in this Plan have been prioritized into three tiers:
• Tier 1 – High Priority
• Tier 2 – Medium Priority
• Tier 3 – Low Priority
The criteria used to sort the projects into each tier were:
• Safety – Extent to which the project is on a portion of the SCTA Vision Zero HIN and/or if it has been identified in the City’s Local Road Safety Plan as a priority location.
• Equity – Extent to which the project would improve active transportation access or conditions for an equity-focus population as defined at the regional, state, or federal level.
• Proximity to Existing and Future Transit – For a given project, the distance from existing or future bus stop or transit station.
• Proximity to Schools – For a given project, the distance from an existing school.
• Low-Stress Gap Closure – Scored based on whether the project would close a gap in the low-stress network, with extra points for projects on the Sonoma County Regional Routes network.

For each criterion, each project received a score based on the extent to which it fulfilled the criteria. The collective scores across the criteria were normalized into a single number or index. Tier 1, 2, and 3 were established to align with the top, middle, and bottom third of the project scores. Projects are presented by tier in Table 2. 106 of 157
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Once sorted into each of the three buckets, projects are not sorted within each tier to allow City staff discretion and flexibility to respond to various opportunities that arise and can facilitate implementation. Within the broader Countywide ATP, SCTA intends to establish project selection criteria for the GoSonoma funding program to be aligned with the criteria noted above.

Cost Estimates
This section presents the costs estimates for implementing the 2024 Active Transportation Plan. Project cost estimations were developed to provide a general idea of the anticipated cost for each proposed project type. These estimates are based on an engineering review of unit costs and quantities for the project types shown. They are based solely on construction costs and do not include other soft costs that may be associated with projects (e.g., design, environmental, permitting, construction management).

Table 4 summarizes project costs by project type and prioritization tier for the 2024 Active Transportation Network.

Table 4. 2024 Active Transportation Network - Cost Estimates Summary Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Tier 1 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path (Class I)1 $1,023,500/mile 2.7 miles $2,763,450 Bike Lane (Class II)2 $176,000/mile 0.7 miles $123,200
Buffered Bike Lane (Class
IIB)3
$574,000/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Route (Class III)4 $12,500/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Boulevard (Class IIIB)5 $87,500/mile 1.3 miles $113,750 Separated Bike Lanes
(Class IV)6
$1,655,000/mile 1.9 miles $3,144,500
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7
$8,000 to $60,000 2 locations $16,000 to
$120,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8
$8,000 to $120,000 1 location $8,000 to $120,000
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 8,468 linear feet $4,064,640 Corridor Study $300,000/mile 2.7 miles $810,000
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0.4 miles $30,000
Total Tier 1 Priority Projects11 $11M to $11.3M
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Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Tier 2 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path (Class I)1 $1,023,500/mile 2.8 miles $2,865,800 Bike Lane (Class II)2 $176,000/mile 0 miles $0
Buffered Bike Lane (Class
IIB)3
$574,000/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Route (Class III)4 $12,500/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Boulevard (Class IIIB)5 $87,500/mile 0.5 miles $43,750 Separated Bike Lanes
(Class IV)6
$1,655,000/mile 0 miles $0
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7
$8,000 to $60,000 2 locations $16,000 to
$120,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8
$8,000 to $120,000 0 locations $0
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 6,613 linear feet $3,174,240 Corridor Study $300,000/mile 0.3 miles $90,000
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0 miles $0
Total Tier 2 Projects11 $6.2M to $6.3M
Tier 3 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path (Class I)1 $1,023,500/mile 0.3 miles $307,050 Bike Lane (Class II)2 $176,000/mile 0.5 miles $88,000
Buffered Bike Lane (Class
IIB)3
$574,000/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Route (Class III)4 $12,500/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Boulevard (Class IIIB)5 $87,500/mile 0.7 miles $61,250 Separated Bike Lanes
(Class IV)6
$1,655,000/mile 0 miles $0
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7
$8,000 to $60,000 1 location $8,000 to $60,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8
$8,000 to $120,000 0 locations $0
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 5,360 linear feet $2,572,800 108 of 157
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Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Corridor Study $300,000/mile 0 miles $0
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0 miles $0
Total Tier 3 Projects11 $3M
2024 Active Transportation Network
Total All Projects11 $20.3M to $20.7M
Notes:
(1) 12’ wide AC path, 2’ gravel shoulders, striping and 4 signs per mile. (2) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. Striping, green thermoplastic for conflict markings at intersections and driveways (assumed to occur every 100feet and are 5’ wide x 20’ long), and 4 signs per mile. (3) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. Pavement marking in 3’ wide AC buffer lane along entire length, green thermoplastic for conflict markings at intersections and driveways (assumed to occur every 100feet and are 3’ wide x 20’ long), and 4 signs per mile. (4) “Sharrow” or similar type of pavement marking at 250-foot intervals and 8 signs per mile. (5) “Sharrow” or similar type of pavement marking at 250-foot intervals, 8 signs per mile, and a combination of traffic calming treatments which could include, but are not limited to, neighborhood traffic circles, raised crosswalks, high visibility crosswalk markings, speed humps, chicanes, and curb extensions. (6) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. 7’ wide AC Bikeway, concrete edge treatment/median in buffer, bikeway stripe, pavement marking, 4 signs per mile and three signalized intersection improvements per mile.
(7) Improvements at unsignalized intersections include, but are not limited to, pedestrian refuge islands, high visibility crosswalks, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, raised crosswalks, and curb extensions. (8) Improvements at signalized intersections include, but are not limited to, two-stage bike turn boxes, bike signals, high visibility crosswalks, cross-bike or bike conflict markings, pedestrian count down signals, and implementing directional curb ramps.
(9) Both sides of street. 7’ wide concrete sidewalk and underlying compacted base material, including curb and gutter.
(10) Traffic calming includes one, or a combination of improvements, including but not limited to treatments such as neighborhood traffic circles, raised crosswalks, added crosswalk markings, speed humps and curb extensions. (11) Price per mile assumes “blank slate” and includes new pavement improvements only. (i.e., no demo, drainage, etc.). Mobilization, traffic control, etc., are excluded. 109 of 157
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Funding
This section describes the funding sources available to fund the projects and programs identified in this plan. In addition to local funding sources such as the Capital Improvements Program and developer fees, Table 5 presents a list of competitive grants and formula-based funding programs have been reviewed for potential consideration to address financial needs of the projects identified in the plan. Further discussion of regional and federal funding options are included in the 2025 Countywide ATP.

Table 5. Potential Funding Sources, Competitive Grants, and Formula-Based Fundings
Regional Funding Sources
GoSonoma https://scta.ca.gov/measure-m/gosonoma/
Transportation Development Act, Article 3 (TDA3) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tda3 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tfca State of California Funding Sources
AHSC – Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities
https://sgc.ca.gov/programs/ahsc/
ATP – Active Transportation Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/active-transportationprogram CleanCA – Clean California https://cleancalifornia.dot.ca.gov/ HSIP – Local Highway Safety Improvement
Program
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fedand-state-programs/highway-safety-improvementprogram LPP – Local Partnership Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/local-partnershipprogram PROTECT – Promoting Resilient Operations for
Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving
Transportation
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fedand-stateprograms/protect REAP – Regional Early Action Planning https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-andfunding/programs-active/regional-early-actionplanning-grants-of-2021 RC:H2B – Reconnecting Communities: Highways
to Boulevards
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fedand-state-programs/rc-h2b 110 of 157
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
April 2024 41
RMRA & HUTA – Road Maintenance and
Rehabilitation Account & Highway Users Tax
Account
https://www.sco.ca.gov/aud_road_maintenance_sb1
.html
SCCP – Solutions for Congested Corridors
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/solutions-forcongested-corridors-program Federal Funding Sources
ATIIP - Active Transportation Infrastructure
Investment Program
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_ped
estrian/atiip/
CMAQ – Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement Program
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/cong
estionmitigation-and-air-quality-improvement-cmaqprogram RAISE – Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
Sustainability and Equity
https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants
RSTG – Rural Surface Transportation Grant
Program
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rural-surfacetransportation-grant SMART – Strengthening Mobility and
Revolutionizing Transportation
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SMART
SS4A – Safe Streets and Roads for All https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A STIP – State Transportation Improvement
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/state-transportationimprovement-program STP – Surface Transportation Block Grant https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/ 111 of 157
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
April 2024 42
Monitoring
Staff will track progress towards implementing this Plan’s content as well as achieving this Plan’s goals using the measures shown in Table 6. On an annual basis, as part of Staff’s update on the General Plan progress, they will report to the Planning Commission and City Council the most recent status for each measure below.

Table 6. Monitoring Progress
Measures Baseline Data
Source
Frequency
Goal: Connected & Reliable
Miles of bikeway facilities (total) 9.55 miles City data Annual Linear feet of sidewalk gaps (total) 56,347 feet City data Annual Goal: Safe & Well-Maintained
KSI pedestrian and bike involved collisions with
goal those are zero
2015-2019
Ped: 0/Bike: 0
SWITRS, TIMS Annual
Number of crossing improvements installed n/a City data Annual Community Oriented & Place Based
Number of active transportation improvements
within a 1/4 mile of transit/bus stop
n/a City data Annual
Number of new or upgraded bike parking facilities n/a City data Annual Notes:
“n/a” Indicates a baseline number for the measure is not applicable. 112 of 157
16 2
17 22
18 19
62 9
63 4
6 15
3 14
7 69
20 11
10 75
5 13
67 68
74 73
71 8
70 1
72 66
21 65
64 12
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Note: Sidewalk gap closure projects
are included as projects 23 and 30-61,
see Figure 6. Rohnert Park and
Unincorporated County projects subject
to change.

Background
During Strategic Planning for the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget, the City Council expressed concern about the state of broadband, calling out poor cellular reception as a particularly acute issue in Cotati. As part of the final project list, the City Council directed staff to look into "Countywide Broadband Improvements” and come back to City Council with background on the issue and potentially some recommendations.

Broadband is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as internet access with minimum download speeds of 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) and minimum upload speeds of 3 Mbps. This can be provided through any number of technologies, including cable, DSL, satellite, cellular wireless, and fiber optics. For Cotati in particular, the most common complaint is cellular reception, which can result in poor voice and data coverage. This is due to an inadequate number of cellular facilities in and around the City, as this technology is radio based and therefore relies on proximity for coverage. For broadband utilizing other technologies, staff is not aware of any significant coverage issues within the City.

The State of California (State) is also working on what it is calling its‘”middle mile” initiative.

In July 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 156 to create an open-access middle-mile network to bring high-speed broadband service to all Californians. SB 156 budgeted $3.25 billion (managed by the Middle Mile Advisory Committee) to build infrastructure to bridge the ”first” and ”last” miles and bring improved internet connectivity to homes, businesses and community institutions (see diagram below). Built as an open-access network, it’s intended 114 of 157
to give any provider or entity access to broadband infrastructure and the ability to connect on equal economic and service terms.

For reference, a map of the planned middle-mile infrastructure in Sonoma County is attached, as well as broadband and cellular coverage maps for Cotati. The broadband and cellular coverage maps can be found here: https://www.broadbandmap.ca.gov/. Additional maps published by the FCC can be found here: https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home. For wireless specifically, each cellular company maintains detailed coverage maps of it’s own infrastructure, which is not public access.

In Cotati, the in-ground infrastructure is primarily owned and operated by Comcast/Xfinity as well as AT&T.

Analysis/Discussion
Following the direction from strategic planning, staff have been meeting regularly with the County of Sonoma Economic Development Board (EDB) staff to discuss the state of available information on broadband speeds in Cotati and options to improve connectivity in Cotati.

The EDB has been focused on expansion of "in-ground“ infrastructure in parts of the County that are underserved. To do this, the EDB has been working with the Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) to expand infrastructure in ”unserved and underserved” areas of unincorporated Sonoma County, which to date has been northern and northwestern Sonoma County, based on median household income, population density, construction feasibility and other factors.

The GSCA is a joint powers authority comprised of 40 rural counties in California designed to increase access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet in those counties. SB 156 (aka the 115 of 157
“middle mile“ initiative) included explicit authority for county entities to operate internet systems, the creation of a state-owned, open-access middle mile network and establishment of programs to fund internet deployment in unserved and underserved areas of the state.

During the fiscal year, the City was also approached by T-Mobile to expand cellular service in Cotati. Specifically, in the City’s zoning code, cellular facilities on private property were only allowed in the industrial section of Cotati. The application by T-Mobile was leveraged to add cellular facilities as an allowable use in portions of the Downtown Specific Plan area, the East Cotati Avenue corridor and city properties. This was also an opportunity to modernize our municipal code to reflect current State and Federal changes in law. These changes will significantly broaden the potential locations for future cellular facilities and should generally improve cellular broadband performance.

Additionally, direct cellular to satellite, generally using existing cellular phones, continues to move forward. The first satellites were launched in January 2024 to test this technology, with rapid scaling expected soon. Initially, the service will begin with text messaging, with voice and data coverage to follow in the coming years. In the North American market, T-Moble has partnered with Starlink for this initial demonstration and service deployment. Presumably, other wireless carriers will join in the future, but plan details/costs to access satellites for coverage are unknown.

While cell phones are ubiquitous in our society, it’s possible that some residents don’t own a cell phone but have in-ground broadband available and are unable to afford it. For these residents, there are discounted options available for broadband and computers at:
https://broadbandforall.cdt.ca.gov/affordable-connectivity-program/.

Additionally, the Sonoma County Library also checks out free Wi-Fi hot spots (https://sonomalibrary.org/browse/libraryofthings/sonomafi ) as well as computers (https://sonomalibrary.org/browse/libraryofthings/chromekits ), both at no cost for up to 21 days at a time.

Summary
Given the rapidly evolving communications landscape, including the recent ordinance changes to allow cellular facilities in many more areas of Cotati, as well as projects that are currently moving forward in and around Cotati to expand wireless facilities, it is expected that wireless coverage will improve over the next several years as these facilities come on-line. Additionally, in the next couple of years, we should also start to see the public roll out of direct access to satellite services.

While cellular coverage is currently poor in parts of Cotati, the ”in-ground” broadband infrastructure appears to generally be good based on the available mapping as well as anecdotal community feedback.

If the City Council wishes to explore broadband further, it would require adding that to the work plan and budget for FY 24-25. As an initial step, it would require contracting with a company that specializes in broadband infrastructure to identify areas of broadband service gaps. With 116 of 157
that, the available options are to push private companies to expand wireless services, but it’s not clear that the mapping would improve the City’s ability advocate for new facilities as the companies have proprietary maps that already inform their expansion plans.

Alternatively, staff believes there could be value in pursing two avenues:

1. Elevating public knowledge about discounted and free options for broadband and computer access through the city website and social media.

2. Reach out to all of the wireless carriers that operate in this area and make them aware of the recent ordinance changes expanding potential locations for facilities as well as indicating our desire to work with them to facilitate better coverage for our residents and businesses.

Financial Considerations
Unless retaining contractors for the work is directed by the City Council, there are no financial considerations aside from the staff time to implement the recommendations above.

Environmental Issues
Not applicable
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: NOISE ORDINANCE REVIEW
Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council review and provide feedback to staff on potential changes to the City’s existing noise ordinance.

Background
During the current fiscal year, City Councl directed staff to add an update of the noise ordinance to a future agenda item, specifically to discuss noise generated by leaf blowers. This was reflected in the FY 24-25 Strategic Planning work plan and indicated as complete by the end of FY 23-24. Therefore, this item is being brought forward for an initial discussion with the City Council to get further direction.

Analysis/Discussion
Currently, the City’s noise ordinance does not specifically prohibit leaf blowers, but generally prohibits loud and unusual noises, based on noise standards in Chapter 17.30.050 Noise Standards, in the City’s municipal code. The significance criteria are ultimately supported by the noise analyses completed with the General Plan.

Leaf blowers are transitory, and like any transitory noise, they would be difficult to regulate.

Presumably, most nuisance noise issues would come up outside of normal working hours, which adds an additional complication for regulation. Therefore, staff reviewed other ordinances that regulate leaf blowers (Santa Rosa and City of Sonoma, attached for reference). City staff also spoke with staff in the City of Sonoma to understand how they are regulated. Sonoma is also a smaller community and now has the benefit of hindsight after implementing a very contentious leaf blower ordinance. Of particular concern was the potential issues that could arise if police were required to ticket and potentially fine landscapers, as they are the only staff available 123 of 157
outside normal business hours.

In discussions with City of Sonoma staff, the recommended approach to implement a leaf blower restriction is to initially reach out to landscape contractors that work in the area (in addition to the City’s own landscape contractor) and inform them of the change to put them on notice. For enforcement, the recommended practice is to rely on residents to report violations. For transitory or after-hours violations, it’s common practice for residents to document the issue and provide that the City for follow-up. In this case, the recommended process would be the same, with code enforcement following up with a warning letter followed by potential enforcement letters if violations do not cease. The resident would provide photos and times of the equipment in use, the address where the use is occurring, and photos of the door decals, etc. to identify the landscape contracting company. Both the landscape company and the owner of the address where the violation occurred would receive the city letters, and they would ultimately both be mutually liable for any fines and penalties if the parties were unresponsive and continued to violate the ordinance. In practice, City of Sonoma staff reported that the intial warning letter almost always resolves the issue.

Attached to this staff report is the City’s current noise ordinance section, with blue and red text indicating proposed additions. Primarily, this is to update the references to the latest General Plan as well as adding more robust standards for determining violations, expanding the emergency exemptions, adding definitions and specifically prohibiting gas powered leaf blowers in residential zones between the hours of 8 pm – 8 am during weekdays and 8 pm – 9 am on weekends. This is modeled after the Santa Rosa restriction, which sets hour limitations rather than trying to measure the noise of a transitory and moving source, which would not be feasible.

On January 1, 2024, California Assembly Bill 1346 also took effect, which prohibited the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other small off-road engines in California. This prohibition only applies to new purchases; homeowners and businesses can continue to use their gas-powered equipment until the end of the equipment's life. The text of the bill is attached for reference.

City staff are looking for feedback on the following questions:

1. Does the City Council want to restrict leaf blowers, regulate residential power equipment more broadly, or not specifically regulate either? If the City Council wishes to impose regulations on specific equipment or categories of equipment, Staff recommends regulating as narrowly as possible to avoid potential unintended consequences with other equipment or uses, like Santa Rosa which narrowly crafts each restriction under ”Special Noise Sources”.

2. If yes, does the City Council want to want to only restrict gas powered models or all equipment categorically? Staff recommends limiting the regulation to gas powered models, as these generally are louder than electric models. Santa Rosa only restricts gas powered models, but City of Sonoma restricts all leaf blowers, regardless of power source.
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3. If yes, does the City Council want to modify the hours of the restriction? Staff doesn’t have a particular recommendation on this item. The draft is based on the hours in Santa Rosa’s ordinance.

4. Feedback on any other elements of the ordinance for inclusion in a draft. Regardless of the feedback on items above, staff still intends to bring forward an update to the ordinance to update and clarify sections.

Next steps will be to incorporate City Council feedback in this initial draft, incorporate any remaining comments from code enforcement and complete legal review on the changes.

Financial Considerations
If a leaf blower restriction were included in the updated ordinance, it would result in some additional code enforcement and Community Development time to send warning letters. If any issues escalated to the point of an administrative hearing, it could result in significant costs and staff time.

Environmental Issues
Not applicable, as no action is being taken at this time. 125 of 157

17.30.050 Noise standards.

A. Purpose. This section implements the policies of the noise element of the general plan, and provides standards for noise mitigation that are intended to protect the community health, safety, and general welfare by limiting exposure to the unhealthful effects of noise.

B. Applicability. No use, activity, or process shall exceed the maximum allowable noise levels established by this section, except for the following noise sources:

1. Emergencies. Public safety warning devices (e.g., ambulance, fire, and police sirens), sound for alerting persons to the existence of an emergency, or the performance of authorized emergency work including but not limited to restore property to a safe condition following a public calamity or work and equipment required to protect persons or property from an imminent exposure to danger or work and equipment by private or public utilities when restoring utility service;

2. State or Federal Preempted Activities. Any activity regulated by state or federal law;

3. Public Health and Safety Activities. Construction, maintenance, and/or repair operations by public agencies and/or utility companies or their contractors that are serving public interests, and/or protecting the public health, safety, and general welfare;

4. Parks. Public agency sanctioned recreational activities and programs conducted in public parks; and

5. Solid Waste Collection. The authorized collection of solid waste.

C. Noise Source Standards.

1. Noise Level Limitations. No use, activity, or process within the city shall generate noise in excess of the levels identified by Tables 3-3 and 3-4, as the noise is measured at the property line of a noise sensitive land use identified in Tables 3-3 and 3-4. a. If the measured ambient noise level exceeds the applicable noise level standard in any category shown in Table 3-3, the applicable standards shall be adjusted to equal the ambient noise level.
b. If the intruding noise source is continuous and cannot reasonably be discontinued or stopped to allow measurement of the ambient noise level, the noise level measured while the source is in operation shall be compared directly to the applicable noise level standards identified in Table 3-3.

Notwithstanding the above requirements, no person shall allow or cause the generation of any noise of a type, volume, pitch, tone, repetition, or duration that would be found to be a nuisance by a reasonable person beyond the boundaries of the property where the noise is generated. 126 of 157
Table 3-3
Maximum Allowable Noise Level by Receiving Land Use
Outdoor Activity
Areas(1)(2)
Interior Spaces Noise Sensitive Land Use
dBA Ldn dBA Ldn dBA Leq
Residential 65 45 N.A.

Transient lodging 65 45 N.A.

Hospitals, extended care 65 45 N.A.

Theater, auditorium (3) 45 35
Meeting facility, public or private 65 45 40
Offices 75 45 45
School, library, museum 65 45 45
Playground park 70 N.A. N.A.

Notes:
(1) Where the location of outdoor activity areas is unknown, the exterior noise level standard shall be applied to the property line of the receiving land use.
(2) Where it is not possible to reduce noise in outdoor activity areas to 65 dB Ldn/CNEL or less using a practical application of the best-available noise reduction measures, an exterior noise level of up to 70 dB Ldn/CNEL may be allowed provided that available exterior noise level reduction measures have been implemented and interior noise levels are in compliance with this table. (3) Subject to an acoustical analysis in compliance with subsection (C)(2) of this section.

Table 3-4
Noise Standards for Short-Duration Events Near Residential Areas Maximum Allowable Sound Level(1)
Sound Level Day/Evening dB
(7 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
Night dB
(10 p.m. to 7 a.m.)
Hourly Leq dB 50 45
Maximum Level, dB 70 65
Maximum Level, dB, for Impulsive Noise 65 60
Notes:
(1) If the offensive noise contains a steady, audible tone (e.g., a screech or hum), is a repetitive noise (e.g., hammering), or contains speech or music, the maximum allowable sound level shall be reduced by 5 dB.

2. Acoustical Analysis Required. Where the director determines that a proposed project may generate noise in excess of any limit established by Table 3-3, and/or where the use may 127 of 157
generate noise in outdoor areas in excess of 60 dBA, the land use permit application for the use shall include an acoustical analysis by a qualified professional approved by the director. a. Contents. The analysis shall determine the potential for stationary source noise impacts to neighboring land uses, include field measurements to determine more precise locations for existing and projected future noise levels (based on traffic projections in the circulation element of the general plan or as otherwise accepted by the city), and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.
b. Preferred Mitigation Measures for Receptor Sites. When development is subject to high noise levels requiring mitigation, the following measures shall be considered and preference shall be given where feasible in the following order:
i. Site layout, including setbacks, open space separation and shielding of noisesensitive uses with non-noise-sensitive uses; ii. Acoustical treatment of buildings; or
iii. Structural measures such as constructed of earth berms and/or wood or concrete barriers; provided that no sound wall shall be located adjacent to a public street.

3. Limitation on Hours of Construction. In order to allow construction schedules to take advantage of the weather and normal daylight hours, and to ensure that nearby residents as well as nonresidential activities are not disturbed by the early morning or late night activities, the city has established the following limits on construction, in compliance with Table 3-5 or as required by conditions of approval.

Table 3-5
Allowable Hours of Construction
Day Allowable Hours
Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday,
Holidays
Construction activities may only be allowed by the review authority through conditions of approval between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

4. Limitation on Truck Deliveries. Truck deliveries to a commercial or industrial parcel adjacent to a residential zoning district shall be limited to the hours between seven a.m. and seven p.m., unless the director authorizes other delivery times based on the determination that there is either no feasible alternative, or there are overriding transportation and traffic management benefits to scheduling deliveries at night.

D. Noise Receptor Standards. Where noise-sensitive land uses are proposed in areas exposed to existing or projected noise levels in excess of the standards in Tables 3-3 and 3-4, the city shall require an acoustical analysis as part of the environmental review process so that noise mitigation may be included in the project design, so that proposed structures are designed to limit intruding noise in interior rooms to 45 dBA Ldn. At the discretion of the director, the requirement for an acoustical analysis may be waived if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
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1. The development is for less than five ten (10) single-family dwellings or less than ten thousand square feet of total gross floor area for office buildings, churches, or meeting halls;

2. The noise source in question consists of a single roadway or railroad for which up-to-date noise exposure information is available. An acoustical analysis will be required if the noise source is a stationary noise source, or if there are multiple noise sources that could affect the project;

3. The projected future noise exposure at the exterior of proposed buildings or outdoor activity areas does not exceed 65 dBA Ldn;

4. The topography of the area is essentially flat; and

5. Effective noise mitigation, as determined by the director, is incorporated into the project design. The measures can include, but are not limited to, the use of building setbacks, building orientation, or noise barriers. If closed windows are required for compliance with interior noise level standards, air conditioning or a mechanical ventilation system will be required.

E. Noise Measurement. Exterior noise levels shall be measured at the property line of the noisesensitive land use receiving the noise, or alternatively at the property line of the source emitting the noise. Noise measurement shall be made with a sound level meter using the “A” weighted scale at slow meter response. Fast meter response shall be used only for an impulsive noise. (Ord. 766 § 2 Exh. A (part), 2004).

F. Standards for determining violations.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and in addition thereto, it is unlawful for any person to willfully make or continue, or cause to be made or continued, any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area.

The standards which shall be considered in determining whether a violation of the provisions of this section exists shall include the significance criteria identified in Policy N 1.7 of the General Plan, the Land Use Compatibility Exterior Noise Exposure (Ldn) information in General Plan Table N-1, the Noise Level and Standards identified in Zoning Code Tables 3-3 and 3-4 as well as, but not limited to the criteria listed below:
(A) The level of noise;
(B) The intensity of the noise;
(C) Whether the nature of the noise is usual or unusual (D) Whether the origin of the noise is stationary and non-transportation or transportation noise; (E) The level and intensity of the background noise, if any; (F) The proximity of the noise to residential sleeping facilities; 129 of 157
(G) The nature and zoning of the area within which the noise emanates; (H) The density of the inhabitation of the area within which the noise emanates; (I) The time of the day or night the noise occurs;
(J) The duration of the noise;
(K) Whether the noise is recurrent, intermittent or constant; (L) Whether the noise is produced by a commercial or noncommercial activity.

G. Special Noise Sources

1. Leaf Blowers
Offense. It is unlawful for any person to operate any gas-powered leaf blowers in a residential zone between the hours of eight p.m. and eight a.m. on weekdays or between the hours of eight p.m. and nine a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

H. Violation
Any violation of this chapter may be enforced either as an infraction or as a misdemeanor, or by any remedy available to the city under this code, or under state law.

17.90.020 Definitions of specialized terms and phrases.

As used in this land use code, the following terms and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, unless the context in which they are used clearly requires otherwise:
“Ambient Noise” - The all-encompassing noise associated with a given environment, being usually a composite of sounds from many sources near and far. For the purpose of this chapter, ambient noise level is the level obtained when the noise level is averaged over a period of 15 minutes without inclusion of noise from isolated, identifiable sources, at the location and time of day near that at which a comparison is to be made.
“Decibel” - a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale. In zoning use a degree of loudness. “Frequency” -is the measurement of the number of times that a repeated event occurs per unit of time. The frequency of wave-like patterns including sound, electromagnetic waves (such as radio or light), electrical signals, or other waves, expresses the number of cycles of the repetitive waveform per second.
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“Person” means a person, firm, association, co-partnership, joint venture, corporation or an entity, public or private in nature.
“Sound level” (noise level), in decibels (dB) is the sound measured with the “A” weighting and slow response by a sound level meter.
“Sound level meter” means an instrument including a microphone, an amplifier, an output meter and frequency weighting networks for the measurement of sound levels which satisfies the pertinent requirement in American Standard Specifications for sound level meters, S1. 4-1971 or the most recent revision thereof.
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7/12/23, 11:48 AM Chapter 17-16 NOISE
https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 1/10 Santa Rosa, California City Code
Title 17 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 17-16 NOISE
Article I. General Provisions
17-16.010 Definitions.
17-16.020 Sound level measurement criteria.
17-16.030 Ambient base noise level criteria.
17-16.040 Standards for determining violations.
17-16.050 Violation.
17-16.060 Violation—Other remedies.

Article II. Special Noise Sources
17-16.070 Radios, television sets and similar devices.
17-16.080 Hawkers and peddlers.
17-16.090 Drums and other instruments.
17-16.100 Schools, hospitals and churches.
17-16.110 Animals.
17-16.120 Machinery and equipment.
17-16.125 Leaf blowers.

Article III. Vehicles
17-16.130 Pandemoniac vehicles defined—Prohibited—Violation—Penalty. 17-16.140 Vehicle repairs.
17-16.150 Motor-driven vehicles—Noise.
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7/12/23, 11:48 AM Chapter 17-16 NOISE
https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 2/10 Article IV. Amplified sound
17-16.160 Purpose of article.
17-16.170 Regulations generally.
17-16.180 Registration—Required.
17-16.190 Registration—Requirements—Approval or disapproval. 17-16.200 Appeals.
17-16.210 Fees.

Article I. General Provisions
17-16.010 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise clearly indicates, the words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:
(A) “Ambient noise” is the all-encompassing noise associated with a given environment, being usually a composite of sounds from many sources near and far. For the purpose of this chapter, ambient noise level is the level obtained when the noise level is averaged over a period of 15 minutes without inclusion of noise from isolated, identifiable sources, at the location and time of day near that at which a comparison is to be made.
(B) “Decibel” means a unit of level when the base of the logarithm is the 10th root of 10 and the quantities concerned are proportional to power.
(C) “Emergency work” means work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition following a public calamity or work required to protect persons or property from an imminent exposure to danger or work by private or public utilities when restoring utility service. (D) “Frequency” of a function periodic in time means the reciprocal of the primitive period. The unit is the hertz and shall be specified.
(E) “Hertz” means the complete sequence of values of a period quantity which occurs during a period.
(F) “Microbar” means a unit of pressure commonly used in acoustics and is equal to one dyne per square centimeter.
(G) “Period” of a periodic quantity means the smallest increment of time for which the function repeats itself.
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7/12/23, 11:48 AM Chapter 17-16 NOISE
https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 3/10 (H) “Periodic quantity” means oscillating quantity, the values of which recur for equal increments of time.
(I) “Person” means a person, firm, association, copartnership, joint venture, corporation or any entity, public or private in nature.
(J) “Sound level” (noise level), in decibels (dB) is the sound measured with the “A” weighting and slow response by a sound level meter.
(K) “Sound level meter” means an instrument including a microphone, an amplifier, an output meter and frequency weighting networks for the measurement of sound levels which satisfies the pertinent requirement in American Standard Specifications for sound level meters, S1. 4-1971 or the most recent revision thereof.
(L) “Motor vehicles” include all-terrain vehicles including minibikes, go-carts, motorbikes, motorcycles and other such vehicles.
(M) “Sound amplifying equipment” means any machine or device for the amplification of the human voice, music or any other sound. Sound amplifying equipment shall not include standard automobile radios when used and heard only by the occupants of the vehicle in which the automobile radio is installed. “Sound amplifying equipment,” as used in this chapter, shall not include warning devices on authorized emergency vehicles or horns or other warning devices on any vehicle used only for traffic safety purposes.
(N) “Sound truck” means any motor vehicle, or any other vehicle regardless of motive power, whether in motion or stationary, having mounted thereon, or attached thereto, any sound amplifying equipment.
(O) “Commercial purpose” means and includes the use, operation or maintenance of any sound amplifying equipment for the purpose of advertising any business, or any goods, or any services, or for the purpose of attracting the attention of the public to, or advertising for, or soliciting patronage or customers to or for any performance, show, entertainment, exhibition or event, or for the purpose of demonstrating such sound equipment.
(P) “Noncommercial purpose” means the use, operation or maintenance of any sound equipment for other than a commercial purpose. “Noncommercial purpose” means and includes, but is not limited to, philanthropic, political, patriotic and charitable purposes. (Q) “Intensive commercial” means those office and commercial zones within the City which exhibit ambient noise levels in excess of the “Office and Commercial” areas defined in Section 17-16.030. (Prior code § 27.1)
17-16.020 Sound level measurement criteria.

Any sound level measurement made pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be measured with a sound level meter using the “A” weighting. (Prior code § 27.2) 17-16.030 Ambient base noise level criteria. 134 of 157 7/12/23, 11:48 AM Chapter 17-16 NOISE
https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 4/10 The following criteria will be used as a base (ambient noise level) from which noise levels can be compared.

Zone Time
Sound Level A (decibels)
Community Environment
Classification
R1 and R2 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. 45
R1 and R2 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 50
R1 and R2 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 55
Multi-family 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. 50
Multi-family 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 55
Office & Commercial 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. 55
Office & Commercial 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 60
Intensive Commercial* 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. 55
Intensive Commercial 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 65
Industrial Anytime 70
* See Appendix B as set forth on a map on file in the office of the City clerk. (Prior code § 27.3) 17-16.040 Standards for determining violations.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and in addition thereto, it is unlawful for any person to wilfully make or continue, or cause to be made or continued, any loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or which causes discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area.

The standards which shall be considered in determining whether a violation of the provisions of this section exists shall include, but not be limited to the following:
(A) The level of noise;
(B) The intensity of the noise;
(C) Whether the nature of the noise is usual or unusual; (D) Whether the origin of the noise is natural or unnatural; (E) The level and intensity of the background noise, if any; (F) The proximity of the noise to residential sleeping facilities; (G) The nature and zoning of the area within which the noise emanates; 135 of 157 7/12/23, 11:48 AM Chapter 17-16 NOISE
https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 5/10 (H) The density of the inhabitation of the area within which the noise emanates; (I) The time of the day or night the noise occurs;
(J) The duration of the noise;
(K) Whether the noise is recurrent, intermittent or constant; (L) Whether the noise is produced by a commercial or noncommercial activity. (Prior code Ch. 27, Art. I, Div. 5)
17-16.050 Violation.

Every person who violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. Each day a violation is committed, or permitted to continue after notification to desist, is a separate offense. (Ord. 3238 § 28(b), 1996; prior code § 27.4)
17-16.060 Violation—Other remedies.

As an additional remedy, the operation or maintenance of any device, instrument, vehicle or machinery in violation of any provision of this chapter, which operation or maintenance cause discomfort or annoyance to reasonable persons of normal sensitiveness or which endangers the comfort, repose, health or peace of residents in the area, shall be deemed and is declared to be, a public nuisance and may be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. (Prior code § 27.5)
Article II. Special Noise Sources
17-16.070 Radios, television sets and similar devices.
(A) Use Restricted. It is unlawful for any person within any residential zone of the City to use or operate any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph, television set or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring residents or any reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area. (B) Prima Facie Violation. Any noise level exceeding the ambient base level at the property line of any property (or, if a condominium or apartment house, within any adjoining apartment) by more than five decibels shall be deemed to be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. (Prior code § 27.15)
17-16.080 Hawkers and peddlers.

It is unlawful for any person within the City to sell anything by outcry within any area of the City zoned for residential uses. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit the selling by outcry of merchandise, food and beverages at licensed sporting events, parades, fairs, circuses and other similar licensed public entertainment events. (Prior code § 27.16) 136 of 157
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(A) Use Restricted. It is unlawful for any person to use any drum or other instrument or device of any kind for the purpose of attracting attention by the creation of noise within the City. This section shall not apply to any person who is a participant in a school band or duly licensed parade who has been otherwise duly authorized to engage in such conduct. (Prior code § 27.17) 17-16.100 Schools, hospitals and churches.

It is unlawful for any person to create any noise on any street, sidewalk or public place adjacent to any school, institution of learning or church while the same is in use or adjacent to any hospital, which noise unreasonably interferes with the workings of such institution or which disturbs or unduly annoys patients in the hospital; providing conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets, sidewalk or public place indicating the presence of a school, church or hospital. (Prior code § 27.18) 17-16.110 Animals.

No person shall keep or maintain, or permit the keeping of, upon any premises owned, occupied or controlled by such person any animal or fowl otherwise permitted to be kept which, by any sound, cry or behavior, causes annoyance or discomfort to a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness in any residential neighborhood. (Prior code § 27.19)
17-16.120 Machinery and equipment.

It is unlawful for any person to operate any machinery, equipment, pump, fan, air-conditioning apparatus or similar mechanical device in any manner so as to create any noise which would cause the noise level at the property line of any property to exceed the ambient base noise level by more than five decibels. (Prior code § 27.20)
17-16.125 Leaf blowers.
(A) Offense. It is unlawful for any person to operate any gas-powered leaf blower or lawn broom in a residential district between the hours of eight p.m. and eight a.m. on weekdays or between the hours of eight p.m. and nine a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
(B) Penalty. A violation of this section shall constitute an infraction with a maximum penalty of a fine not to exceed $100.00. (Ord. 2773 § 1, 1989)
Article III. Vehicles
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https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 7/10 17-16.130 Pandemoniac vehicles defined—Prohibited—Violation— Penalty.
(A) Defined. A “pandemoniac motor vehicle” is a motor vehicle of any appearance, performance or capability, designed, constructed or operated in such a manner as to create audible noise related to tire friction by accelerating said vehicle.
(B) Prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to operate a pandemoniac motor vehicle on any street or in any other place within the City.
(C) Exemption. This section shall not apply to an area expressly designated by ordinance or resolution as a “raceway” or “dragstrip.”
(D) Penalty. A first violation of this section shall constitute an infraction with a maximum penalty of $25.00. Upon execution by the suspect of a written promise to appear, said suspect may be released from custody. A second and subsequent violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor. (Prior code § 27.24)
17-16.140 Vehicle repairs.

It is unlawful for any person within any residential area of the City to repair, rebuild or test any motor vehicle in such manner that a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance. (Prior code § 27.25)
17-16.150 Motor-driven vehicles—Noise.

It is unlawful for any person to operate any motor-driven vehicle within the City in such a manner that a reasonable person of normal hearing sensitivity residing in the area is caused discomfort or annoyance. Motor vehicles shall not exceed the noise levels set forth and provided for in Section 23130 of the California Vehicle Code. (Ord. 3238 § 29, 1996; prior code § 27.26) Article IV. Amplified sound
17-16.160 Purpose of article.

The Council enacts this legislation for the sole purpose of securing and promoting the public health, comfort, safety and welfare of its citizenry. While recognizing that the use of sound-amplifying equipment is protected by the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and assembly, the Council nevertheless feels obligated to reasonably regulate the use of sound-amplifying equipment in order to protect the correlative constitutional rights of the citizens of this community to privacy and freedom from public nuisance of loud and unnecessary noise. (Prior code § 27.30) 138 of 157
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The commercial and noncommercial use of sound-amplifying equipment shall be subject to the following regulations.
(A) The only sounds permitted shall be either music or human speech, or both. (B) The operation of sound-amplifying equipment shall only occur between the hours of nine a.m. and six p.m. each day except on Sundays and legal holidays. No operation of sound-amplifying equipment for commercial purposes shall be permitted on Sundays or legal holidays. The operation of sound-amplifying equipment for noncommercial purposes on Sundays and legal holidays shall only occur between the hours of 10 a.m. and six p.m. The City Manager or his or her designee may waive the provisions of this subsection upon a determination that a particular event will not cause an unreasonable disturbance to neighboring uses.
(C) Sound level emanating from sound-amplifying equipment shall not exceed 15 decibels above the ambient base noise level.
(D) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (C), sound-amplifying equipment shall not be operated within 200 feet of churches, schools or hospitals (see Section 17-16.100). (E) In any event, the volume of sound shall be so controlled that it will not be unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing or a nuisance to reasonable persons of normal sensitiveness within the area of audibility. (Ord. 3238 § 30, 1996; Ord. 2472 § 1, 1985; prior code § 27.35) 17-16.180 Registration—Required.

It is unlawful for any person, other than personnel of law enforcement or governmental agencies, to install, use or operate within the City a loudspeaker or sound-amplifying equipment in a fixed or movable position or mounted upon any sound truck for the purposes of giving instructions, directions, talks, addresses, lectures or transmitting music to any persons or assemblages of person in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, park, place or public property without first filing a registration statement and obtaining approval thereof as set forth in this article. (Prior code § 27.31) 17-16.190 Registration—Requirements—Approval or disapproval. (A) Registration Statements—Filing. Every user of sound-amplifying equipment shall file a registration statement with the Police Department three days prior to the date on which the soundamplifying equipment is intended to be used, which statement shall contain the following information:
(1) The name, address and telephone number of both the owner and user of the sound-amplifying equipment;
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https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_rosa_ca/pub/city_code/item/title_17-chapter_17_16?view=all 9/10 (2) The maximum sound-producing power of the sound- amplifying equipment, which shall be the wattage to be used, the volume in decibels of sound which will be produced, and the approximate distance for which sound will be audible from the sound-amplifying equipment; (3) The license and motor number if a sound truck is to be used; (4) A general description of the sound-amplifying equipment to be used; (5) Whether the sound-amplifying equipment will be used for commercial or noncommercial purposes.
(B) Registration Statements—Approval. The Police Department shall return to the applicant an approved certified copy of the registration statement unless he finds that:
(1) The conditions of the motor vehicle movement are such that in the opinion of the Police Chief or his representative use of the equipment would constitute a detriment to traffic safety; or (2) The conditions of pedestrian movement are such that the use of the equipment would constitute a detriment to traffic safety; or
(3) The registration statement required reveals that the applicant would violate the provisions set forth in Section 17-16.170 or any other provisions of this code. (C) Disapproval. In the event the registration statement is disapproved, the Police Chief or representative shall endorse upon the statement his or her reasons for disapproval and return it forthwith to the applicant. (Prior code § 27.32)
17-16.200 Appeals.

Should any applicant for a permit pursuant to this chapter be dissatisfied with the action of the City Police Department not to grant a permit or for the revocation of a permit, then the applicant may make written objection to the Council of the City, setting up the grounds of dissatisfaction. Upon receipt of such objection, the Council shall set the matter for hearing at its next regular meeting, giving written notice thereof to the applicant. Upon such hearing, the City Council may sustain, suspend or overrule the decision of the Police Department and its decision shall be final and conclusive. Pending the hearing before the Council, the decision of the Police Department shall remain in full force and effect and any reversal thereof by the City Council shall not be retroactive, but shall take effect as of the date of the Council’s decision. (Prior code § 27.33)
17-16.210 Fees.

Prior to the issuance of the registration statement, a fee in the amount of five dollars per day, or any portion thereof, shall be paid to the City if the loudspeaker or sound-amplifying equipment is to be used for commercial purposes. No fee shall be required for the operation of a loudspeaker or sound-amplifying equipment for noncommercial purposes. (Prior code § 27.34) 140 of 157
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City Clerk: 707-543-3015. For code interpretation or subject matter understanding, please contact the related city department.

Published by Quality Code Publishing, Seattle, WA. By using this site, you agree to the terms of use. 141 of 157
City of Sonoma Noise Ordinance
Chapter 9.56
NOISE
Sections:

9.56.010 Declaration of policy.

9.56.020 Definitions.

9.56.030 Loud or unusual noises prohibited.

9.56.040 General noise limits.

9.56.050 Standard exceptions to general noise limits.

9.56.060 Exceptions allowed with permit.

9.56.070 Exemptions.

9.56.080 Other limitations.

9.56.090 Additional restrictions.

9.56.095 Signage requirements for landscape contractor vehicles.

9.56.100 Violations, penalties.

9.56.010 Declaration of policy.

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the city of Sonoma, in the exercise of its police power, to protect the peace, health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Sonoma from excessive, unnecessary and unreasonable noises from any and all sources in the community. It is the intention of the city council to control the adverse effect of such noise sources on the citizens by prescribing standards prohibiting detrimental levels of noise and by providing a remedy for violations. The provisions of this chapter and the remedies contained in this code shall be cumulative and are not intended to replace any otherwise available remedies for public or private nuisances, nor any other civil or criminal remedies otherwise available. In addition, the regulations contained herein are not intended to substitute for any noise analysis conducted as a part of the city’s environmental review process for discretionary permit approvals, nor is it intended to limit more strict noise control requirements for discretionary permit approvals when stricter measures are found to be necessary in order to maintain noise levels that are not detrimental to the health and welfare of the citizens of the city. (Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.020 Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:
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A. “A-weighted sound level (dBA)” means a decibel scale that approximates the way the human ear responds to various acoustic frequencies.

B. “Backup emergency generator” means a machine or device which produces electricity when the primary power from an electrical utility provider or other electrical power source is temporarily unavailable.

C. “Commercial property” means property zoned as “Commercial,” “Gateway Commercial,” or “Winery,” as provided in the city of Sonoma development code.

D. “Constant” noise means a continuous noise produced where there is no noticeable change in the level of the noise source. Examples would include such noises as those associated with air conditioners and pool equipment.

E. “Daytime” for purposes of this chapter means the period between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

F. “Decibel” means the measurement unit used for the level of sound/noise.

G. “Electrical power outage” is when primary power from an electrical utility provider or other permanent electrical power source is temporarily unavailable.

H. “Essential emergency service” means a service, without which the life, health or safety of the community or a section of the community would be endangered.

I. “Holidays, city-designated” means those holidays designated as such by the city of Sonoma, including: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day following Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

J. “Intermittent” noise means repetitive noises where there is a distinction between the onset and decay of the sound. Examples would include hammering and dog barking.

K. “Leaf blower” means a machine, powered by a gasoline engine or electric motor, used to blow, displace, or vacuum leaves, dirt, and debris.

L. “Mixed use property” means property zoned as “Mixed Use” as provided in the city of Sonoma development code.
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M. “Multifamily residential structure” means any dwelling structure where two or more dwellings are separated by a common wall, floor, or ceiling, including but not limited to apartments, condominiums and townhouses.

N. “Nighttime” for purposes of this chapter means the period between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

O. “Noise level” means the maximum constant or intermittent sound level produced by a source or group of sources as measured with a sound level meter using fast response and A-weighting. In order to measure a noise level, the controls of the sound level meter should be arranged to the setting appropriate to the type of noise being measured.

P. “Sound level meter” means a device for measuring sound level in decibel units within the performance specifications in the American National Standards Institute Standard S1.4, “Specification for Sound Level Meters.”
Q. “Property plane” means a vertical plane including the property line that determines the property boundaries in space.

R. “Public property” means property zoned as “Public” or as “Park” as provided in the city of Sonoma development code, or any public street, right-of-way, or easement.

S. “Residential power equipment” means any mechanically powered saw, sander, drill, grinder, leaf blower, lawnmower, hedge trimmer, edger, or any other similar tool or device, when used in or on any residential property.

T. “Residential property” means property zoned for residential use as provided in the city of Sonoma development code, or properties zoned for mixed use or as where the principal use is residential. (Ord. 03-2020 § 2, 2020; Ord. 01-2016 § 3, 2016; Ord. 02-2011 §§ 1(A), (B), 2011; Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.030 Loud or unusual noises prohibited.

No person shall maintain, emit or make, or cause, suffer or permit to be maintained, emitted or made, any noise or sound produced by human, animal, mechanical or other means, which by reason of its raucous or nerve-wracking nature shall disturb the peace or comfort or be injurious to the health of any person or persons; and such a noise or sound may be deemed in violation of this section regardless of whether it is found to be within the 144 of 157
noise limits established elsewhere in this chapter for the location or type of noise or sound. (Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.040 General noise limits.

Subject to the exceptions and exemptions set forth in SMC 9.56.050 and 9.56.060, the general noise limits set forth in this section shall apply. A summary of the general noise limits set forth in this section is set forth in Table 1. Where two or more noise limits may apply, the more restrictive noise limit shall govern. For purposes of determining sound levels from any source of sound, a sound level measurement shall be made at any point on any receiving private or public property. Sound level measurements shall be made with a sound level meter (Type 1 or 2) set to A-weighting, and “fast” response for intermittent sound. Slow or fast response may be used for constant noise sources. For intermittent sound, the one-second rms maximum level (Lmax) shall be used. For constant sound, the average level (Leq) shall be used.

A. Residential Property Noise Limits.

1. No person shall produce, suffer or allow to be produced by any machine, animal or device, or by any other means, a noise level greater than the following, when measured on any residential property:
a. Daytime: 60 dBA
intermittent
50 dBA constant
b. Nighttime: 50 dBA
intermittent
40 dBA constant

2. No person shall produce, suffer or allow to be produced by any machine, animal, or device, or by any other means, a noise level greater than the following, when measured on any mixed use property:
a. Daytime: 65 dBA
intermittent
55 dBA constant
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b. Nighttime: 55 dBA
intermittent
45 dBA constant
B. Commercial Property Noise Limits. No person shall produce, suffer or allow to be produced by any machine, animal, or device, or by any other means, a noise level greater than 65 dBA intermittent or 55 dBA constant, when measured on any commercial property, unless specifically authorized by a use permit.

C. Public Property Noise Limits. No person shall produce, suffer or allow to be produced by any machine, animal or device, or by any other means, a noise level, when measured on any public property, that is greater than the most restrictive noise standard applicable under this chapter to any private property adjoining the receiving public property.

Table 1 – General Noise Limits
Property Type or Zone Daytime Limits Nighttime Limits
Residential 60 dBA Intermittent
50 dBA Constant
50 dBA Intermittent
40 dBA Constant
Commercial/Mixed Use 65 dBA Intermittent
55 dBA Constant
65 dBA Intermittent
55 dBA Constant
Public Property Most restrictive noise limit applicable to adjoining private property
(Ord. 03-2020 § 2, 2020; Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.050 Standard exceptions to general noise limits.

The following standard exceptions to the provisions of SMC 9.56.040 shall be allowed as of right, to the extent and during the hours specified. A summary of the standard exceptions provided in this section is set forth in Table 2.

A. Construction. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (B) of this section, or by the planning commission or city council as part of the development review for the project, on any construction project on property within the city, construction, alteration, demolition, maintenance of construction equipment, deliveries of materials or equipment, or repair activities otherwise allowed under applicable law shall be allowed as follows: (1) between 146 of 157
8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, (2) between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and (3) between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays; however, the noise level at any point outside of the property plane of the project shall not exceed 90 dBA.

For any construction project involving the construction of two or more new residences within the city, or when required by the planning commission or city council as part of their development review for the property, the property owner or occupant shall post a sign at all entrances to the construction site upon commencement of construction for the purpose of informing all contractors and subcontractors, their employees, agents, materialmen and all other persons at the construction site of the basic requirements of this chapter.

1. Said sign(s) shall be posted in a conspicuous place visible from the public right-ofway near the entrance to the job site, at least five feet above ground level, and shall be of a white background, with legible black lettering, which lettering shall be a minimum of one and one-half inches in height.

2. Said sign shall read as follows (or as consistent with other hours approved by the planning commission or city council):

CONSTRUCTION HOURS
(includes any and all deliveries)
MONDAY – FRIDAY 8:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m.

SATURDAY 9:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m.

SUNDAY/CITYDESIGNATED HOLIDAYS10:00 a.m.
to 6:00 p.m.

B. Residential Power Equipment. The operation of residential power equipment other than leaf blowers shall be allowed as follows: (1) between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, (2) between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and (3) between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. The decibel level generated by residential power equipment, including leaf blowers, shall not exceed 70 dBA measured from 50 feet of the noise source.
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C. Leaf Blowers. The operation of leaf blowers shall be governed by Chapter 9.60 SMC.

D. Occasional outdoor gatherings, public dances, shows, and sporting or entertainment events, provided such events are conducted pursuant to a permit or license issued by the city relative to the staging of such events.

E. Within the Winery zoning district, the operation of mechanical devices, apparatus, equipment, and vehicles related to the annual grape crush, within the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.

F. The cleaning and maintenance of parking areas and sidewalks within the Commercial, Gateway Commercial and Mixed Use zones, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

G. Training activities conducted by emergency services personnel between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

H. During an electrical power outage or during testing of backup emergency generators, backup emergency generators may exceed the general noise limits prescribed in SMC 9.56.040 by not more than five dBA. Backup emergency generators permanently or temporarily connected to an electrical panel, electrical switchgear or building wiring by other than a plug and cord connection shall not be operated unless lawfully installed and approved with a city building permit.

Table 2 – Standard Exceptions to General Noise Limits
Type of Activity Maximum Noise
Level
Days/Hours Permitted
Construction and
operation of residential
power equipment
(except for leaf blowers)
70 dBA, as
measured from
50 feet of the
noise source
Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00
p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, city-designated holidays:
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Leaf blowers 70 dBA, as
measured from
In all areas of the city, gas-powered
leaf blowers are prohibited.
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Table 2 – Standard Exceptions to General Noise Limits
Type of Activity Maximum Noise
Level
Days/Hours Permitted
50 feet of the
noise source
In all areas of the city, electricallypowered leaf blowers are prohibited except from Monday through Saturday,
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on citydesignated holidays.

Outdoor events (with
permit or license)
As restricted by
permit
As restricted by permit
Crush activities N.A. Monday – Sunday: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Maintenance and
cleaning within
Commercial and Mixed
Use zones
N.A. Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00
p.m.

Training activities
conducted by emergency
services personnel
N.A. Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00
p.m.
(Ord. 03-2020 § 2, 2020; Ord. 01-2016 §§ 2, 4, 2016; Ord. 02-2011 §§ 1(C) – (F), 2011; Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.060 Exceptions allowed with permit.

A. In addition to the standard exceptions permitted pursuant to SMC 9.56.050, the city planner or his designee may grant a permit allowing an exception from any or all provisions of this chapter where the applicant can show that a diligent investigation of available noise abatement techniques indicates that compliance with the requirements of this chapter would be impractical or unreasonable. Any such permit shall be issued with appropriate conditions to minimize the public detriment caused by the permitted exceptions. Any such permit shall be of such duration as approved by the city planner or his designee, up to a maximum period of three months, but shall be renewable upon a showing of good cause, and shall be conditioned by a schedule for compliance and details of methods thereof in appropriate 149 of 157
cases. In the discretion of the city planner or his designee, an exception permit may be issued and reissued for successive short periods of time in order to allow monitoring of the adverse noise impacts of the excepted activity, and additional conditions may be imposed upon reissuance of the permit, if the city planner or his designee determines that such additional conditions are necessary to mitigate noise impacts from the excepted activity to a level he deems acceptable under all the circumstances.

B. Any application for an exception permit under this section shall be accompanied by a fee to be set by resolution of the city council.

C. Any person aggrieved with the decision of the city planner or his designee may appeal to the city council, by writing filed with the city clerk within 10 business days after the date of such decision, however, such appeal shall not stay the effective date of the permit. (Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.070 Exemptions.

The following shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter:

A. Warning devices which are required by law to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community;
B. Emergency vehicle responses and all necessary equipment utilized for the purpose of responding to an emergency, or necessary to restore, preserve, protect or save lives or property from imminent danger of loss or harm;
C. Aviation, railroad, and public transit operations;
D. The operation of any municipal or public utility vehicles; E. Uses established through any applicable discretionary review process containing specific noise conditions of approval and/or mitigation measures; F. Work on capital improvements or repairs and maintenance on public property by employees or contractors of the city;
G. The maintenance of public parks and playing fields, including school grounds; H. Vehicle noise subject to regulation under the California Vehicle Code; 150 of 157
I. Emergency repair work performed by, or at the request of, a property owner on his or her private property, where the delay required to obtain an exception permit under this chapter would result in substantial damage, personal injuries, or property loss to the owner; provided, that such emergency work shall be subject to such reasonable conditions as may be imposed by authorized city employees to mitigate the noise level of the activity; J. Athletic and recreational events and other activities performed on public parks, property owned by the school district, and other properties zoned as “Public”; K. Refuse collection conducted by the city’s franchised waste collection service; L. Backup emergency generators required to carry out an essential emergency service or otherwise necessary to protect life, health or safety as determined by the city manager or the city’s director of emergency services. (Ord. 03-2020 § 2, 2020; Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.080 Other limitations.

A. Limitations on the Idling of Commercial Vehicles. When parked within 100 feet of a residential zoning district, a driver of a commercial vehicle shall not cause or allow an engine to idle for more than five consecutive minutes, except as necessary for the loading or unloading of cargo within a period not to exceed 30 minutes.

B. Public Rights-of-Way. The direction of any amplified, transmitted or recorded sound toward a public right-of-way from a business adjacent to such right-of-way is prohibited. (Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.090 Additional restrictions.

Additional restrictions on noise, including limits on hours of operation, noise-making activities, and maximum decibel levels, may be imposed by the planning commission or the city council through approval of a use permit or tentative map. Any such restrictions shall be fully enforceable as a provision of this chapter. (Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).

9.56.095 Signage requirements for landscape contractor vehicles.

When in service, vehicles used for commercial landscape maintenance shall be identified as such by a sign affixed to the vehicle indicating the name and telephone number of the contracting service, with a minimum letter height of one inch. (Ord. 02-2011 § 1(G), 2011). 151 of 157

9.56.100 Violations, penalties.

Any violation of this chapter may be enforced either as an infraction or as a misdemeanor, or by any remedy available to the city under this code, or under state law. (Ord. 03-2006 § 2, 2006).
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Assembly Bill No. 1346
CHAPTER 753
An act to add Section 43018.11 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to air pollution.
[Approved by Governor October 9, 2021. Filed with Secretary of State October 9, 2021.]
legislative counsel’s digest
AB 1346, Berman. Air pollution: small off-road engines.

Existing law imposes various limitations on the emissions of air contaminants for the control of air pollution from vehicular and nonvehicular sources. Existing law assigns the responsibility for controlling vehicular sources of air pollution to the State Air Resources Board.

This bill would require the state board, by July 1, 2022, consistent with federal law, to adopt cost-effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, as defined by the state board. The bill would require the state board to identify and, to the extent feasible, make available funding for commercial rebates or similar incentive funding as part of any updates to existing applicable funding program guidelines to local air pollution control districts and air quality management districts to implement to support the transition to zero-emission small off-road equipment operations.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) Small off-road engines (SORE), which are used primarily in lawn and garden equipment, emit high levels of air pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen (NOx), reactive organic gases (ROG), and particulate matter (PM). NOx and ROG together contribute to formation of ozone, a criteria pollutant with a national ambient air quality standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and a California ambient air quality standard and that has adverse impacts on health. Currently, California exceeds U.S. EPA and state standards for ozone in many areas, including the South Coast Air Basin, the San Francisco Bay area, and the County of Sacramento. NOx also contributes to formation of PM, which, along with directly emitted PM, has direct negative health impacts. PM also has an air quality standard set by the U.S. EPA and the state. Many areas in California also currently fail to meet PM standards, including the South Coast Air Basin and the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin.

95 STATE OF CALIFORNIA

AUTHENTICATED

ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL
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(2)  In 2020, California daily NOx and ROG emissions from SORE were higher than emissions from light-duty passenger cars. SORE emitted an average of 16.8 tons per day of NOx and 125 tons per day of ROG. Without further regulatory action, those emission levels are expected to increase with increasing numbers of SORE in California. Regulations of emissions from SORE have not been as stringent as regulations of other engines, and one hour of operation of a commercial leaf blower can emit as much ROG plus NOx as driving 1,100 miles in a new passenger vehicle. (3)  Currently, there are zero-emission equivalents to all SORE equipment regulated by the State Air Resources Board. The battery technology required for commercial-grade zero-emission equipment is available and many users, both commercial and residential, have already begun to transition to zero-emission equipment.
(4)  The Governor’s Executive Order No. N-79-20 of September 23, 2020, directs the state board to implement strategies to achieve 100 percent zero emissions from off-road equipment in California by 2035, where feasible and cost-effective. The state will not achieve that goal without further regulation of SORE, including a mandate to transition all sales of new equipment to zero-emission equipment.
(b)  It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage the state board to act expeditiously to protect public health from the harmful effects of emissions of small off-road engines.

SEC. 2. Section 43018.11 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
43018.11. (a)  (1)  By July 1, 2022, the state board shall, consistent with federal law, adopt cost-effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, as defined by the state board. Those regulations shall apply to engines produced on or after January 1, 2024, or as soon as the state board determines is feasible, whichever is later.
(2)  In determining technological feasibility pursuant to paragraph (1), the state board shall consider all of the following:
(A)  Emissions from small off-road engines in the state. (B)  Expected timelines for zero-emission small off-road equipment development.
(C)  Increased demand for electricity from added charging requirements for more zero-emission small off-road equipment.
(D)  Use cases of both commercial and residential lawn and garden users. (E)  Expected availability of zero-emission generators and emergency response equipment.
(b)  Consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to this section and relevant state law, the state board shall identify, and, to the extent feasible, make available, funding for commercial rebates or similar incentive funding as part of any updates to existing, applicable funding program guidelines 95 Ch. 753 — 2 —
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for districts to implement to support the transition to zero-emission small off-road equipment operations.

O
95 — 3 — Ch. 753
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED To: City Council
Subject: INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED Date: May 14, 2024
Written by: Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
Recommendation
Information or written comments pertaining to this meeting, and which was received after the agenda was posted, is attached below.

Pursuant to City Council Policy 2023-01: City Council Rules section IV A., written Communications, interested persons or their authorized representative may address the Council by written communication on any matters concerning the City’s business, or any matters over which the Council has control.

1. To be considered for inclusion in the agenda packet, such written communication shall be delivered to the Deputy City Clerk no later than 11:00 a.m. of the Wednesday the week preceding the regular Council meeting for which such written communication is intended.

2. If received after the above date and time, but no later than noon the day before the meeting, written communications received by the Deputy City Clerk shall be posted on the website by the end of that day and notification provided to the electronic Agenda mailing list by the end of the day. All written communications received by the Deputy City Clerk by 5 pm on the City Council meeting day shall be made available to the City Council and public at the City Council meeting.

City Council Policy 2023-01 is available at the online meeting portal at www.cotaticity.org or by request from the Deputy City Clerk at 707-665-3622 or [email protected]. 157 of 157

Cotati City CouncilMay 14, 2024

Cotati City Council
May 14, 2024