Agenda packet — Cotati City Council, July 9, 2024 (part 2 of 2)

Method of Assessment Spread
The assessment shall be equally divided among the seventy (70) dwelling units. A more detailed description of the method of apportionment is in Attachment A.

Assessment Spread
Seventy (70) parcels in assessment area
Annual
Charge
$236.40
Lot No. Assessor's Parcel Number
1 144-770-001
2 144-770-002
3 144-770-003
4 144-770-004
5 144-770-005
6 144-770-006
7 144-770-007
8 144-770-008
9 144-770-009
10 144-770-010
11 144-770-011
12 144-770-012
13 144-770-013
14 144-770-014
15 144-770-015
16 144-770-016
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
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17 144-770-017
18 144-770-018
19 144-770-019
20 144-770-020
21 144-770-021
22 144-770-022
23 144-770-023
24 144-770-024
25 144-770-025
27 144-770-027
28 144-770-028
29 144-770-029
30 144-770-030
31 144-770-031
32 144-770-032
33 144-770-033
34 144-770-034
35 144-770-035
36 144-770-036
37 144-770-037
38 144-770-038
39 144-770-039
40 144-770-040
41 144-770-041
42 144-770-042
43 144-770-043
44 144-770-044
45 144-770-045
46 144-770-046
47 144-770-047
48 144-770-048
50 144-770-050
CAP 1A 144-770-051
CAP 1B 144-770-052
CAP 2A 144-770-053
CAP 2B 144-770-054
CAP 3A 144-770-055
CAP 3B 144-770-056
CAP 4A 144-770-057
CAP 4B 144-770-058
CAP 5A 144-770-059
CAP 5B 144-770-060
CAP 6A 144-770-061
CAP 6B 144-770-062
CAP 7A 144-770-063
CAP 7B 144-770-064
CAP 8A 144-770-065
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
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CAP 8B 144-770-066
CAP 9A 144-770-067
CAP 9B 144-770-068
CAP
$236.40
$236.40
$236.40
144-770-069 $236.40 10A
CAP
10B 144-770-070 $236.40
Total Annual Assessment $16,075.20
Zone 10: Altman Acres
Background
On October 9, 2002, the City Council of the City of Cotati adopted Resolution No. 02-91 granting tentative approval for the Altman Acres Subdivision. Condition No. 59 of said Resolution requires that a landscape and street light maintenance assessment Zone be formed to provide funds for the maintenance of landscaping and street lighting within the Altman Acres Subdivision, in accordance with the provision of Streets and Highways Code, Section 22500, et seq. (the Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972). Then, on October 9, 2002, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 02-94 forming the Altman Acres Subdivision.

The Zone is maintaining landscaping and lighting in the Altman Acres Subdivision City Right-of-Way and along Old Redwood Highway Right-of-Way fronting Lots 1 through 7. All funds shall be used for electrical, landscape, and incidental expenses within the Altman Acres Subdivision.

This Zone includes 11,750 square feet of landscape area and five LED, 120-volt, 100 watt street lights.

The City provides landscape maintenance within the City Right-of-Way for this Zone including weekly general clean-up of the area, monthly pruning and weed control, and annual fertilization and structural pruning.

Streetlights are inspected once per month and repaired as needed. Street landscape remediation improvements were completed in FY22/23. A 10 percent increase in the assessment is proposed for continued landscaping effort and building the reserve for plant replacement and irrigation repairs anticipated to be needed in the next several years.

Projected Costs of Assessment Zone
The projected annual cost of maintaining the landscaping and lighting for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 is $4,990.00
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Zone 10: Altman Acres
Utility Charges
FY 22/23 Actuals FY 23/24 Estimated FY 24/25 Projected
$2,390.60
$441.00
$29,275.00
$2,275.00
$0.00
$1,236.60
$2,400.00
$100.00
$0.00
$1,300.00
$2,520.00
$110.00
$0.00
Contract Services
Capital Projects
City Labor
Investment Expenses
Annual Zone Administration
General Fund Loan Repayment
Total Expenses
$0.00 $0.00
$593.88
$0.00
$1,245.00
$0.00
$1,060.00
$0.00
$34,975.48 $4,981.60 $4,990.00
Zone Reserve Used
General Fund Loan
Total Assessment
Assessment Interest
Total Revenue
$28,860.01
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$6,383.44
$370.00
$5,390.00
$725.47
$5,803.00
$350.00
$34,975.48 $6,153.00 $6,753.44
Estimated Fund Balance FY 2023-24 (Est.) FY 2024-2025 (Proj.) Estimated Starting Reserve Fund Balance July 1 $7,273.25 Estimated Assessment Revenue
$6,101.85
$6,153.00
$4,981.60
$7,273.25
$6,753.44
Estimated Expenses $4,990.00
Estimated Ending Reserve Fund Balance June 30 $9,036.69 The total proposed assessment for FY 24-25 is $6,383.30. Which is a 10% increase over FY 23-24.

Method of Assessment Spread
The assessment shall be equally divided among the fourteen (14) dwelling units. A more detailed description of the method of apportionment is in Attachment A.

Assessment Spread
Fourteen (14) parcels in assessment area
Lot
No.

Annual
Charge Assessor's Parcel Number
1 046-640-001
2 046-640-002
3 046-640-003
4 046-640-004
5 046-640-005
6 046-640-006
7 046-640-007
8 046-640-008
9 046-640-009
10 046-640-010
11 046-640-011
12 046-640-012
13 046-640-013
14 046-640-014
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
$455.96
Total Annual Assessment $6,383.44 272 of 349
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ENGINEER’S REPORT ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A -
Attachment B -
Attachment C -
Method of Apportionment of Assessment - A statement of the method used by Engineer of Work to determine the amount proposed to be assessed against each parcel within the Assessment District.

Assessment Diagrams – An Assessment Diagram (maps) showing all of the parcels of real property within the boundaries of the ten Assessment Zones. The A.P.N.’s are shown in the Assessor’s Maps available at the County of Sonoma Assessor’s Office.

Improvement Plans – This portion of the Engineer’s Report describes any improvement plans that may be needed for the installation of the improvements. If plans exist, they are filed with the City Clerk. Although separately bound, the plans and specifications are part of this Engineer’s Report and are included in it by reference.
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ATTACHMENT A

METHOD OF APPORTIONMENT OF ASSESSMENT
The following is a brief description of the manner in which the annual assessment has been apportioned to each parcel within the Assessment Zones:

Each parcel within each of the zones of the Assessment District receives a direct special benefit from improvement covered by this assessment as follows:

Valparaiso Vista Zone 1 - Zone 1 includes the maintenance of 7,416 square feet of landscaping along Redwood Highway and Valparaiso Avenue and five street lights within the development. The parcels within this zone receive a direct special benefit from these amenities that are an asset to the values of the homes.

Quail Hollow IV Zone 2 - Zone 2 funds the annual costs associated with the operation and maintenance of Quail Hollow, the back-on landscaping along portions of Myrtle Avenue. Additionally, maintenance of the landscaping provides a direct benefit for the parcels as maintaining the landscaping adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

Sommers Zone 3 - The related Assessment Zone improvements in Zone 3 include six driveway lights. Additionally, the lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

Macklin Zone 4 - The related improvements in Zone 4 includes 1,170 square feet of “back-on” landscaping along Myrtle Avenue. Residentswithin this zone directly benefit from maintenanceof the landscaping, as maintaining the landscaping adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

Sierra Meadows Zone 5 - The related improvements in Zone 5 include nine street lights within the development. Residents within this zone directly benefit from the lighting, as maintaining the lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial lighting features specific to residents within this zone.

Oak Knoll Zone 6 - The related improvements in Zone 6 include the island landscape maintenance on Christensen Court and five street lights. Residents within this zone directly benefit from maintenance of the landscaping and lighting, as maintaining the landscaping and lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

Garden Gate Zone 7 - The related improvements in Zone 7 include 2,900 square feet of “back-on” landscape along a portion of East Cotati Avenue and five street lights. Residents within this zone directly benefit from maintenance of the landscaping and lighting, as maintaining the landscaping and lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features 275 of 349
specific to residents within this zone.

Park Meadows Zone 8 - The improvements in Zone 8 include 38,475 square feet of “back-on” landscape along a portion of East Cotati Avenue and eleven street lights. Residents within this zone directly benefit from maintenance of the landscaping and lighting, as maintaining the landscaping and lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

Santero Way Zone 9- The improvements in Zone 9 include a 31,000 square feet landscaped park and seventeen street lights. Residents within this zone directly benefit from maintenance of the landscaping and lighting, as maintaining the landscaping and lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

Altman Acres Zone 10- The improvements in Zone 10 include a 11,750 square feet landscaped area along Old Redwood Hwy and five street lights. Residents within this zone directly benefit from maintenance of the landscaping and lighting, as maintaining the landscaping and lighting adds to property values and provides beneficial landscape features specific to residents within this zone.

The method of apportionment (spread) equates all parcels in Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 , 7, 8, 9 and 10 within the boundaries of the Assessment Zone to an Equivalent Single-Family Dwelling (ESD) unit use, or portion thereof. The following basic use units reflect the relative benefit accruing to parcels of land within a City of Cotati Landscaping and Lighting Assessment Zone:

1. Single dwelling parcel 1 unit

2. Multiple dwelling unit parcel 1 unit per dwelling
Once the total number of ESD units is determined for each of the Zones, the total number of ESD units within each Zone shall be divided into each respective Zone’s operation and maintenance expenses for the upcoming fiscal year (see Part B). This will result in the proposed annual assessment per ESD for the upcoming fiscal year. The annual assessment per ESD shall be multiplied by the total use units established for each parcel, or portion thereof, to determine the proposed total annual assessment for each parcel within each Zone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Annual assessments are apportioned in this manner due to the relative benefit of the improvements to each of the parcels within each separate Zone. Since the improvements are easily accessible to all the parcels within each Zone, the level of benefit is equally spread to each parcel.

Although Section 22663 of the Streets and Highways Code typically requires that public property 276 of 349 not be assessed, Article XIII, Section 4(a) of Proposition 218 now requires that public agencies shall not be exempt from assessment. However, the creek area, wetlands and public rights-of-way and easements within various Zones preclude construction of structures for other uses that conflict with the allowable zoning of these areas. Therefore, these publicly owned areas without a dwelling and used exclusively for greenbelt, or open space, or the common area of any planned unit development, receive no special benefit and do not receive an annual assessment. 277 of 349

ATTACHMENT B

ASSESSMENTDIAGRAMS
Attached are the Assessment Diagrams (Maps) for the tenAssessment Zones. Please note the lines and dimensions of each parcel, as well as the distinctive Assessor’s Parcel Number, are shown on the Assessor's Maps for the City of Cotati available at the County of Sonoma Assessor's Office. The attached pages also provide the reference to the appropriate Assessor Books at the County of Sonoma Assessor’s Office for the respective subdivisions in each of the ten Zones. 278 of 349
Zone 1 - Valparaiso:

Lots 51 through 65 (15 total) and associated right-of –way street frontages lying within the Valparaiso Vista PUD Subdivision filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in book 144 of Maps, Page 40.

Zone 2 - Quail Hollow:

Lots 17-47 (31 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within the Quail Hollow IV Subdivision are filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in book 46 of Maps, Page 61.

Zone 3 - Sommers:

Lots 20-27 (8 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within The Sommer Subdivision are filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in book 144 of Maps, Pages 28.

Zone 4 - Macklin:

Lots 1-39 (39 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within MacklinSubdivision, filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in Book 46 of Maps, Page 62.

Zone 5 - Sierra Meadows:

Lots 1-26, 29, and 31-33 (30 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within the Sierra Meadow Subdivision, filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in Book 144 of Maps, Page 73.

Zone 6 - Oak Knoll:

Lots 1-26, 29, and 31-33 (30 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within the Oak Knoll Subdivision, filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in Book 144 of Maps, Page34.

Zone 7 - Garden Gate:

Lots 42-53, 58-60 (15 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within the Garden Gate Subdivision, filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in Book 144 of Maps, Page72.

Zone 8 - Park Meadows:

All the land lying within the Park Meadows Subdivision, filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in Book 144 of Maps, Page47.

Zone 9 - Santero Way:

The boundary of the Santero Way Developments Landscape and Lighting Assessment Zone coincides with the exterior boundaries of the Cotati Station Subdivision, Phase 1, recorded in Book 654 at Pages 44 through 49, Sonoma County Records. All individual Lots 1-50 and twenty (20) Condominium units 279 of 349
within the boundaries of the Cotati Station Subdivision, Phase 1 (for a total of 70 dwelling units) are included in the assessment Zone.

Zone 10 - Altman Acres:

Lots 1-14 (14 total) and associated right-of-way street frontages lying within the Altman Acres Subdivision are filed in the recorder’s office of the County of Sonoma in Book 46 of Maps, Pages 64.
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Landscape and Lighting
Assessment District Annual
Report
Appendix B
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ATTACHMENT C

IMPROVEMENT PLANS
If improvement plans exist, they are filed with the City Clerk. Although separately bound, the improvement plans are part of this Engineer’s Report and are included in it by reference. 293 of 349
Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: APPROVAL OF A LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR AN INTERIM

LIVESTOCK OPERATOR AT THE VERONDA FALLETTI
RANCH
Date: July 9, 2024
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council approve by motion the work plan for the Veronda Falletti Ranch and authorize the City Manager to execute a 6-month license agreement with the proposed operator.

Background
The Veronda Falletti Ranch (Ranch) is a City owned ranch that is intended to serve as a venue for a wide variety of agricultural-based education and events. Currently, the Ranch is operated by two licensees, Farmster (manages the city-owned livestock, compost program, horticulture and high school/adult education) and Sandy Loam (manages K-8 childhood education, chickens and open farm events for all ages).

The City recently received notice that Farmster was winding down operations, effective July 31, 2024. As a result, the City began a search for an interim licensee until a full request for proposals could be conducted.

Analysis/Discussion
Upon learning that Farmster was winding down operations, the City immediately began a search for a new interim licensee. In particular, the priorities are keeping the City-owned animals happy and healthy, keeping the crops on track for the Fall Festival and managing the monthly free compost program. After reaching out to several well-respected people in the agricultural community, the consensus recommendation was Tomi Henry with Fern Homestead in Penngrove (https://fernhomestead.com/ ). The City reached out to Tomi Henry, and after several conversations and site visits, she offered to assist the City at the Ranch. 294 of 349
The proposal for this interim (6 month) work is attached, which largely fulfills the original Farmster work plan except for the addition of a farmstand. This work has been delayed until a permanent operator is selected through an RFP process.

The work would be performed under a 6-month license agreement, similar in form to the existing license agreements with Farmster and Sandy Loam. One outstanding issue is insurance coverage, which Tomi is unable to secure. Staff are currently working with CIRA on potential options but are optimistic that a solution can be found.

Financial Considerations
The proposed interim work plan has a cost of $40,495, which is within the expected remaining budget authorized for Farmster in 2024. As mentioned earlier, obtaining insurance is an outstanding question and there is expected to be an additional cost for insurance during the interim period. The cost of this is currently unknown but is expected to be under $10,000.

Environmental Issues
The proposed approval of a work plan and related license agreement has no effect on the environment. Where it can be determined with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA review. This general rule can be applied to activities which could be subject to the CEQA process, but which logic dictates should not be subject to CEQA review. Therefore, based on the information provided above, the proposed resolution is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 14.03.021 of the CEQA Guidelines in that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant impact on the environment.
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Veronda-Falletti
Ranch
PRESENTED BY: TOMI HENRY
Interim Work Plan
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A
Overview
Vision B Strategy C Tactics
Maximize
community
engagement and
education
Produce food on
the farm and
invite the
community to
participate
Community
events,
facilitated
engagement with
livestock, social
media marketing
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Vision
This farm belongs to the people of
Cotati and our goal is to facilitate
their participation, and foster a
sense of community and shared
ownership.
“Your” Farm
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Strategy
Hands-on Activities
The farm will produce food and distribute it to the
community directly via u-picks and plant sale/donation
as part of other existing events such as Fall Fest. We
will provide support for Sandy Loam’s events and
initiate additional educational activities within those events.
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Each community member will want to
participate in their own way, so we plan to
offer a variety of different ways to engage. We’ll track KPIs like attendee numbers and social media engagement to continue honing
our sense of what the community wants to
see.

Variety
Tactics
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A
Priority Projects
B
C
Rotational
Grazing
Events
Social Media
Managed grazing will immediately begin to
improve the soil and vegetation quality in the
pasture. To increase engagement, we’ll install a
mobile feed wagon in areas where the public
can feed hay and learn about the project.

Support planned on-farm events and initiate
additional activities and engagement
opportunities within these events.

Establish and maintain social media accounts to
create community engagement and feedback
opportunities.
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Ranch Manager/Coordinator
Tomi has a background in public engagement and event planning with UC Berkeley’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies. She has been a farmer since 2014 and earned her A.S. in Sustainable Agriculture in 2023.

Tomi Henry
Callie Warne
Meet the Team
Social Media/Marketing
Callie founded social media marketing agency Sonoma Soil because she is passionate about educating the public about sustainable food sources. She is finishing her Bachelor’s in Applied Business Management and holds certificates in Marketing and Agribusiness.

Bryce Nahas
Project Manager/Garden Coordinator
Bryce has a background in construction project management, environmental education, and small-scale crop production. Bryce has a passion for integrating ecological components into efficient agricultural systems. 302 of 349
Ranch Manager/Coordinator
Tomi Henry
Callie Warne
Contact
Social Media/Marketing
Bryce Nahas
Project Manager/Garden Coordinator
[email protected]
www.fernhomestead.com
IG @ fernhomestead
[email protected]
IG @ farmer_nahas
[email protected]
www.sonomasoil.com
IG @ sonoma.soil
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Veronda-Falletti
Ranch
PRESENTED BY: TOMI HENRY
Interim Budget
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Item Supplier Cost for Interim Details
Ranch Manager Salary Tomi Henry $15,600 Coordination, logistics, events, long term planning
Livestock care- labor Tomi Henry $8,400 daily animal care Animal Feed Rivertown Feed $1,800 hay, protein blocks
Livestock Medical Care var. $900
vet visits, shearing, hoof
trimming
TOTAL $26,700
Ranch Operation Costs
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Project Supplier Cost Details
Rotational grazing- equip. Premier 1 $935
Enables regenerative
grazing practices
Rotational grazing- Mobile
hay feeder
Bryce Nahas $1,800 Moves with the livestock,
provides information.

Social Media Sonoma Soil $3,200
Setup and maintenance of
social media accounts
Culinary garden- labor Bryce Nahas $7,200 Crop planning and implementation
Culinary garden- supplies var. $1,160 trays, seeds
TOTAL $14,295
Project Costs
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Item Cost
Ranch Manager Salary $15,600
Livestock Care $11,100
Culinary Garden $8,360
Social Media $3,200
Rotational Grazing $2,735
TOTAL $40,495
Total Budget
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: CITIZEN'S INITIATIVE MEASURE - ROUNDABOUT BAN
REPEAL
Date: July 9, 2024
Written by: Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
Recommendation
It is recommended the City Council adopt a resolution placing a proposed ordinance on the ballot for November 5, 2024, to repeal Chapter 11.11 of the City of Cotati Municipal Code, removing the existing ban on constructing roundabouts, traffic circles, and other similar traffic features in the City of Cotati
Background
In 2012, a majority of Cotati voters passed Measure U, which prohibited the construction of roundabouts, traffic circles, and other similar traffic features anywhere within the City of Cotati city limits. Upon certification of the results of the election, Chapter 11.11 was added to the City of Cotati Municipal Code, reading:

The city is prohibited from constructing or utilizing, and is prohibited from requiring any public or private person or entity to construct or utilize, the traffic features commonly known as “roundabouts,” “traffic circles,” or any similar traffic feature on or with respect to any public street or roadway anywhere within city limits. In no event shall the city’s standard or other street specifications or improvement requirements include any requirement requiring the construction and/or utilization of any roundabouts, traffic circles, and/or any similar feature. In no event shall the city carry out or approve a project to construct any roundabouts, traffic circles, and/or any similar features as a condition to the approval of any project or the issuance of any permit or permission.

Analysis/Discussion
This citizen’s initiative seeks to repeal Chapter 11.11 in its entirety. The City Clerk’s Office has certified that this initiative meets the formatting standards for initiative petitions as spelled out in 308 of 349
California Elections Code Sections 9200-9226. According to the most recent Report of Registration (ROR) by the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, there are 4,962 registered voters in the City of Cotati. According to California Elections Code Section 9215, the petition must be signed by not less than 10% of registered voters in order for the Council to take action. On July 2, the petition was submitted to the City Clerk’s Office, with a total of 718 signatures, exceeding the required 497. The petition was submitted to the Registrar of Voters on July 2 for signature verification. Verification of the signatures is expected to be available prior to the July 9 City Council meeting and will be added to the packet at that time.

Once signature verification is complete, CA Elections Code Section gives the Council three options:

1. Adopt the Ordinance, without alteration, at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented, or within 10 days after it is presented. However, because the existing language banning roundabouts was previously imposed by the voters, staff believe that this option is not available to the City Council.

2. Submit the ordinance, without alteration, to the voters pursuant to Section 1405.

3. Order a report pursuant to Section 9212 at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented. When the report is presented to the legislative boy, the legislative body shall either adopt the ordinance within 10 days or order an election pursuant to subdivision (b).

The deadline for governing bodies to submit measures to the Registrar for the November 5, 2024 ballot is Friday, August 9. If the City Council adopts the attached resolution, it will place this measure on the ballot for the voters on November 5, 2024.

The resolution also includes a City Council endorsement of the measure.

Financial Considerations
The Registrar of Voters has estimated the election costs for the November 2024 election at $2.00-$6.00 per voter, for a range of $11,413-$34,238. This is the cost for the entire election, including the three Council seats up for re-election. There may be incremental additional costs associated with the ballot measure, but it is not quantifiable.

There will also be incidental City Attorney costs for preparing an impartial analysis of the ballot measure. The combined total costs are estimated to be less than $5,000.

There are unquantifiable societal costs due to the current roundabout ban, as roundabouts reduce the severity of traffic incidents, result in fewer injuries and fatalities and generally improve the flow of traffic (reduced wait times).

Environmental Issues
Citizen’s initiatives are exempt from CEQA. Any potential future roundabout project will be subject to analysis under CEQA and related mitigations. 309 of 349
RESOLUTION NO. (XX)

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI

ORDERING THE SUBMISSION TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY

OF A CERTAIN MEASURE RELATING TO THE REPEAL OF THE PROHIBITION

OF ROUNDABOUTS AND OTHER SIMILAR TRAFFIC FEATURES WITHIN THE

CITY OF COTATI AT THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024
WHEREAS, a Regular Municipal election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, has been called by Resolution No. XX, adopted on July 9, 2024; and WHEREAS, the City Council has received a qualified citizen’s initiative petition proposing to the voters of the City of Cotati a question relating to the repeal of the prohibition of roundabouts and other similar traffic features within the City, and the Elections Code requires the City Council to submit the question to the voters at the November 5, 2024 election.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Cotati, pursuant to its right and authority, does order submitted to the voters at the Regular Municipal Election the following question(s):

Shall an ordinance be adopted repealing the prohibition YES of the construction of roundabouts, traffic circles and other similar traffic features anywhere within the City of Cotati city limits? NO
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the proposed citizen’s initiative submitted to the voters is as follows:

Section 1. Purpose
The purpose of this initiative is to repeal the prohibition the construction of roundabouts, traffic circles, and other similar traffic features anywhere in the City limits of the City of Cotati.

Section 2. Amendment to Title 11 of the Cotati Municipal Code Title 11 of the Cotati Municipal Code is hereby amended by removing “Chapter

11.11 – Roundabouts and Traffic Circles”, in its entirety. Chapter 11.11, Section

11.11.101, currenty reads as follows:

11.11.101 – Roundabouts and Traffic Circles Prohibited.

Page 2 of 3 ends

improvement requirements include any requirement requiring the construction and/or utilization of any roundabouts, traffic circles, and/or any similar feature. In no event shall the City carry out or approve a project to construct any roundabouts, traffic circles, and/or any similar features as a condition to the approval of any project or the issuance of any permit or permission.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the text of the citizen’s initative shall be published in the voter information portion of the sample ballot.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council requests that the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County consolidate the election on the initiative with the November 5, 2024 election and issue instructions to the Registrar of Voters of the County of Sonoma to take any and all steps necessary for the holding of the consolidated election.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council recognizes that additional costs may be incurred by the County by reason of the citizen’s initiative and agrees to reimburse the County for such costs. The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to pay for the City’s cost of placing the citizen’s initiative on the ballot.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby endorses this citizen’s initiative to restore an important traffic engineering tool, which will ensure that all potential engineering options are available for a safe and well functioning road network for our community.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the deadline for filing arguments in favor of or against the citizen’s initiative shall be August 16, 2024. The deadline for filing rebuttal arguments shall be August 23, 2024.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Attorney is directed to prepare an impartial analysis of the citizen’s initiative by August 16, 2024.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in all particulars not recited in this resolution, the election shall be held and conducted as provided by law for holding municipal elections.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the consolidated election shall be held and conducted in the manner prescribed in Section 10418 of the Elections Code.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that notice of the time and place of holding the election is given and the City Clerk is authorized, instructed and directed to give further or additional notice of the election, in time, form and manner as required by law.

IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk is hereby directed to file a certified copy of this resolution with the Board of Supervisors and the Registrar of Voters of the County of Sonoma.
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Resolution No. ________

Page 3 of 3 ends

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and enter it into the book of original Resolutions.

IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Cotati held on the 9th day of July, 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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From: Laurie-Ann Barbour < >
Sent: Tuesday, July 2, 2024 11:35 PM
To: Kevin Patterson <[email protected]>
Subject: Statement re: Roundabout Initiative
City Council Members,
My name is Laurie-Ann Barbour and I live in Cotati. Along with Neil Hancock and Eris Weaver, I submitted the petition to the City of Cotati to repeal the ban on roundabouts and coordinated the effort to gather signatures to have this initiative put on the ballot. More than 20 people collected over 700 signatures of Cotati residents who would like to repeal the ban on roundabouts.. I personally spent many hours walking the streets of Cotati gathering signatures. I had lovely conversations with neighbors and met new people. It was a very positive experience and I found a lot of support for repealing the ban on roundabouts. Many people were surprised to learn there was a a ban and thought it was silly. Quite a few people thanked me for the effort. Of course, I met some people who don’t like roundabouts but they were definitely in the minority.

Why am I in favor of removing the ban? As we stated on the petition:

In many situations, roundabouts improve traffic safety and cause less congestion and delay than stop signs and traffic lights. By design the safe speed reduces the number and severity of collisions for all road users. They keep traffic moving in a steady flow, reducing air pollution, noise, and fuel use. They require no power to operate, and little maintenance.

To our knowledge, the existing ban on roundabouts in Cotati is unique in the world, yet neighboring communities have installed them successfully. For the safety of our community, we want to ensure that every possible traffic control solution can be considered in any given situation. Repealing this ban allows for roundabouts to be considered as a potential traffic control solution in Cotati, alongside all other traffic devices, as in all other communities in Sonoma County and the USA.

I’d also like to mention some of the other people who spent their time meeting their fellow citizen neighbors and collecting signatures: Paul Burke, Peggy Carr, John DelOsso, Terry Dutra, Marlina Eckel, Ed Gilardi, Ellen Gordon, Neil Hancock, Val Kingsbury, Mark Landman, Sylvia Lemus, Ryan Long, Amy Lyman, Nancy O'Donnell, Kay Rivers, MaryJane Salberg, John Savage, Laura Sparks, Suzanne Whipple, Carol Williams. This was truly a Cotati group effort and I appreciated working with so many wonderful people.

I hope the time has come for Cotati citizens to allow roundabouts in our midst.

Under the Public Records Act (California Government Code §7920.000-7931.000), e-mail messages of local agencies are public records which are subject to disclosure to the public or may be subpoenaed.

COMMENTS FROM PETITION

ORGANIZER
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Roundabouts save lives. They are safer and more efficient than stop sign or signalcontrolled intersections, significantly reducing fatal and injury collisions by up to 90%., according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Roundabouts reduce collision points, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

While initial construction costs may be similar, maintenance and operation costs of a roundabout are significantly cheaper.

With less idling, roundabouts are better for the environment, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) Because the number of vehicle stops are reduced, roundabouts keep traffic flowing smoothly, reducing congestion and delays by as much as 89%.

There are no roundabouts currently proposed in town; reversing the ban merely ensures that Cotati has access to the full range of traffic control and safety tools. 315 of 349
Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT FOR BUDGET WORKSHOP

FACILITATION
Date: July 9, 2024
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council approve by motion an agreement for facilitation of a budget workshop and authorize the City Manager to execute said agreement.

Background
During the budget workshops for the FY 24-25 budget, the City Council indicated that they were interested in exploring a 2 year budget, beginning with the FY 25-26 budget cycle. The timing would allow any new City Council members to participate in the 2 year budget process at the beginning of their terms.

The City Council also indicated that given the longer time horizon for the budget, it would be important to have a robust conversation about priorities upfront before moving into the more detailed strategic planning and budget workshops.

Analysis/Discussion
Given the well-received team building workshop conducted by Baker-Tilly (formerly Management Partners), staff began exploring options for a facilitated workshop format in preparation of the 2-year budget. Ultimately, staff developed the attached proposed scope of work in collaboration with staff from Baker Tilly.

While not specifically cited in the attached scope of work, it would be beneficial to ensure that questions around housing priorities be part of the interviews and workshop discussion, as well as a bigger picture discussion around mission and vision that will feed into the more operational goals and objectives. Staff confirmed that these could be included within the existing scope and 316 of 349
fee.

Financial Considerations
The proposed work would be performed for $25,000, which is included in the adopted FY 24-25 budget. No additional appropriations are requested.

Environmental Issues
The proposed budget engagement process will not have any effect on the enviroment. Where it can be determined with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA review. This general rule can be applied to activities which could be subject to the CEQA process, but which logic dictates should not be subject to CEQA review. Therefore, based on the information provided above, the proposed resolution is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 14.03.021 of the CEQA Guidelines in that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant impact on the environment.
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Client Name
September 29, 2022
1 May 28, 2024
Damien O'Bid
City Manager
City of Cotati
201 W. Sierra Avenue
Cotati, CA 94931
Delivered electronically
Dear Mr. O’Bid:

Thank you for discussing the City of Cotati’s current budget process and your desire to add a workshop with Al Zelinka and Michelle New as you transition to a two-year budget cycle. We have prepared this proposal to facilitate a Council governance and priority-setting workshop in early 2025.

We know there is great value to a Council and City Manager when there is clear direction and alignment about priorities and expectations. Convening in a workshop setting is an opportunity for the Council and City Manager to discuss important issues and initiatives and reach consensus about top priorities for the City Manager and staff to focus time and attention on in the coming years. This will enable the Council and staff to focus the City’s limited resources (both time and money) to make meaningful progress on a few important projects and initiatives. There are many assignments that compete for staff time and other resources, and it is essential to establish priorities.

Setting priorities is difficult but necessary and requires choices to be made. Our facilitation team will lead a discussion with Council members about identifying priorities and the importance of making choices. We will utilize vision boards to visualize the various projects and initiatives under consideration, making it easier for Council members to see the potential impact and benefits of each option. They will then go through a narrowing process to establish several Council priorities, using the visualized projects on the vision boards to guide their decisions and ensure a clear, shared understanding of the priorities being set.

This workshop will be planned using a collaborative approach between our team, you, and your staff to ensure it is productive and meets the objectives of the Mayor and Council. To optimize Council participants’ time during the session, we are proposing careful advance planning. This includes meeting with you to discuss the workshop and your desired outcomes, conducting interviews with the Mayor and each Council member, preparing an agenda and other materials, and coordinating workshop logistics with your staff. Following the session, we will prepare a report that documents the direction provided by the Council as a body.

The plan of work anticipated for the engagement is described below. It will be conducted in person in a half-day session. All preparation will be done remotely.

Proposed plan of work
The following describes the plan of work anticipated for the engagement.

Activity 1 – Gather background information and conduct interviews We will start by having a conversation with you to discuss the work plan and schedule. We will then conduct remote interviews with each Council member. We will ask questions such as:
• What are the key accomplishments of the City over the past year? • What are the key challenges facing the City in the coming year? Baker Tilly US, LLP
2570 W El Camino Real
Suite 640
Mountain View, CA 94040
+1 (949) 222 2999
bakertilly.com
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The City of Cotati
May 28, 2024
2 • What goals and objectives would you like to see discussed at the workshop? • What are your top three priorities for the City in the next year? • What do you see as impediments to accomplishing Council priorities? • What will help the upcoming Council priority setting workshop be successful? What could get in the way?
• What is their role in ensuring effective governance?
• What other issues would you like to discuss at the workshop? We will ask each Council member to consider their vision of the projects that they would like to see accomplished within the next two years and bring pictures to help illustrate their ideas. These visual aids will not only provide clarity but also help in fostering a shared understanding among all members of the Council, ensuring that we can collaboratively prioritize and strategize the most impactful initiatives.

The results of our interviews will be summarized for discussion during the workshop.

Activity 2 – Design and prepare for priority-setting workshop We will prepare a draft agenda and identify materials that will be helpful during workshop discussions. We will then review the draft agenda with you and finalize it, along with other workshop materials. Based on the information provided by Council members, we will create vision boards to visually represent their ideas and priorities. We will also prepare a PowerPoint presentation to aid in the workshop process, incorporating elements from the vision boards to enhance engagement and clarity. Participants will include Council members and the management team.

Activity 3 – Facilitate priority-setting workshop
Our team will facilitate the workshop with the Mayor, Council members and you. We suggest three to four hours be devoted to this session to provide sufficient time for discussion and consensus. The session will be facilitated in such a way to enable all members of Council to equally participate and engage in a collaborative conversation, with the goal of reaching consensus direction.

In addition to facilitating discussions, we will prepare vision boards in advance based on the information provided by Council members. These vision boards will visually represent their ideas, priorities and preferred projects, enhancing the workshop's interactive nature and fostering creativity in decisionmaking.

We will begin by reviewing the Council’s feedback, including their perceptions of the City’s key accomplishments, challenges and preferred priorities. Using the information provided by staff, we will review projects, initiatives, and priority areas that are already being implemented or addressed.

We will then facilitate a discussion of the Council’s desired priority projects, with the intention of identifying specific projects, programs or initiatives that fit within the consensus priorities. To aid this process, we will use the vision boards, enhancing the workshop's interactive nature and fostering creativity in decision-making. It is likely that the outcome of the interviews will be many proposed priorities, and there may not be a clear consensus around a reasonable number (four to five). If that is the case, we will use a process (such as dot voting) to reduce the number of priorities to a reasonable number.

When we facilitate these types of priority-setting workshops, the City Manager actively participates. This is essential so that the result is a realistic and achievable set of established priorities. The discussion needs to be collaborative.
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3 The workshop will result in a consensus by the Mayor and Council on the priorities for the coming year.

We will also facilitate a discussion about how the Council and staff will work together to stay on course with the consensus priorities throughout the year.

After the session, we will prepare a report summarizing the results, including the established priorities and follow-up steps to be taken, integrating insights from the prepared vision boards to provide a comprehensive overview of the workshop outcomes.

About Baker Tilly
Celebrating more than 90 years serving our valued clients As a future-looking firm, we celebrate more than 90 years in the marketplace by honoring our roots and continuing to shape our future. We embrace the fact that local governments can’t stand still — and we won’t stand still. As we help our clients identify new needs and opportunities, we innovate and change to work better.

Effective on or around June 1, 2024, all consulting and tax engagements will be performed by Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP. All assurance engagements will continue to be performed by Baker Tilly US, LLP.

Delivering specialized expertise to our public sector clients State and local government is a complex, unique environment shaped by fiscal, regulatory and operational considerations not found in other industries. We recognize this complexity, and we are eager to serve as a truly valued advisor to the public sector. Nationwide, our state and local government practice has served nearly 4,000 state and local governmental entities, including municipalities, special districts, counties, public utilities, school districts and transit.

SUPPORTING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE The City of Cotati will benefit from the insight Baker Tilly has gained from serving thousands of public sector clients across the United States.

Comprehensive services for local governments
Your team is ready to help you find solutions to overcome the obstacles that stand between you and your goals. We provide a full range of service offerings for state and local governments, including those listed below.
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4 FULL RANGE OF SERVICE OFFERINGS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Accounting services and assurance Housing and economic development Capital planning Human capital services
Cybersecurity consulting Management services
Classification and compensation study Organizational assessment Efficiency studies Organizational development
Executive coaching Process improvement
Executive performance assessment Rate and user fee studies Executive recruitment Risk advisory and internal audit
Federal funding advisory Service sharing and service consolidation Financial planning, budgeting and analysis Strategic planning

Aligning key engagement team members with your goals
We believe in strong personal relationships, and this means a personal interest in the City of Cotati from some of our most experienced team members. Engagement team members are introduced below.

ENGAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE CITY OF COTATI
Al Zelinka – Director
Role: Project director and facilitator
Al brings a wealth of experience in both local government leadership and consulting to his work with Baker Tilly’s public-sector advisory team. He served most recently as city manager for the California cities of Huntington Beach and Riverside. Key accomplishments in those roles include overhauling outdated administrative policies and procedures, improving financial health, developing public infrastructure, advancing strategic planning and succession planning, advancing policies on equity and homelessness, and promoting community engagement. Al also served as community development director for the cities of Riverside and Fullerton, creating more efficient and effective processes and improving operations.

Michelle New – Manager, Consulting
Role: Relationship manager and facilitator
Michelle assists public sector clients with strategic plans, city council workshops, organization assessments and comparison analysis studies. She spent 15 years with the City of Santa Maria, where she worked first as a management analyst in the City Manager’s Office and then as the human resources manager, responsible for oversight of all aspects of the human resources function. During her tenure, Michelle developed an award-winning succession planning program, overhauled multiple paper processes, actively participated in employee negotiations, coordinated the city’s performance, disciplinary and investigative issues and was involved in the citywide budget. Michelle served as a Central Coast regional co-chair of the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) and is the founding member of the region’s annual Women in Leadership event. Michelle is also a graduate of Leadership Santa Maria and served on its board for three years including one year as vice chair. 321 of 349
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5 References
We encourage you to connect with the clients below to learn more about the value of their relationship with Baker Tilly. Each client will offer a different perspective as you consider your own needs.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
Name Howard Chan Title City Manager
Phone +1 (916) 808-7488 Email [email protected] Description Baker Tilly was engaged to conduct a workshop to establish City Council priorities for the City Manager’s attention. Through individual interviews with the mayor and each member of City Council, we distilled the seven core goal areas of the City Council. In collaboration with the executive team, we then identified major ongoing projects (strategies) that aligned with the goal areas for which each of the members of City Council would vote on their top priorities. City Council members engaged in in-depth discussions about the challenges faced by city staff, participated in priority-setting exercises, and collaborated on developing a focused action plan to better align council goals with staff capacity and resources.

The workshop resulted in a clear report reaffirming the four top priorities set by the Council and set the stage for the City Manager to lead a productive offsite meeting with the executive team to develop practical work plans in line with the established priorities.

This approach reflects the collaborative spirit of the Council and lays a solid foundation for effective governance.

TOWN OF WINDSOR, CALIFORNIA
Name Travis Hopkins Title Assistant City Manager
Phone +1 (714) 475 4112 Email [email protected]
Description Baker Tilly assisted the City of Huntington Beach with the development of a four-year strategic plan and implementation action plan. Baker Tilly conducted interviews with each Council Member, Charter officers and City Manager to identify top priorities that became the eight goals at the center of the 2023-27 Strategic Plan. With guidance provided by Baker Tilly, City staff prepared an environmental scan to identify factors important to consider during the strategic planning process (i.e., demographics, economic trends, funding, and key changes in recent years). Baker Tilly also led a focus group with the department heads to identify the City’s strengths and challenges from an operational perspective. A gap analysis was also completed. Baker Tilly conducted a strategic plan workshop with City Council, received public comments, confirmed the eight goals, and prioritized the strategies identified by the department heads. Ongoing collaboration between Baker Tilly and Huntington Beach staff resulted in City staff identifying key steps required to complete each strategy as incorporated into an implementation action plan, City staff’s roadmap to carry out the policy direction embodied in the strategic plan.
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6 TOWN OF WINDSOR, CALIFORNIA
Name Jon Davis Title Town Manager
Phone +1 (707) 838 5335 Email [email protected]
Description In this engagement, Baker Tilly facilitated a half-day governance workshop with the Town Council to review and discuss governance best practices, Council norms, and approaches to working together collaboratively for the benefit of Town residents. In advance of the workshop, the facilitator conducted confidential interviews with Council members, prepared handouts and a slide deck to guide the workshop and coordinated with the Town Manager and staff to ensure a productive meeting. Town Council members engaged in rich discussion about what is working well and what needs to improve and spent time getting to know each other better and strengthening teamwork and cohesion.

Professional fee
The total cost of this project is $25,000, which includes all fees and expenses. The ultimate test of a quality project is that the client is pleased with the results, and we are committed to achieving that goal.

Conclusion
The City of Cotati will continue to be a valued client of Baker Tilly, and I will be personally involved in all aspects of our relationship, from planning through completion. Thank you for the opportunity to make tangible contributions to your success. Our team is excited to maintain your trust, and we look forward to discussing your questions and feedback.

Sincerely,
Carol Jacobs, Managing Director
Baker Tilly US, LLP
+1 (949) 809 5588 | [email protected]
Accepted for the City of Cotati by:

Name: _____________________________________
Title: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Baker Tilly US, LLP is currently undergoing a restructuring of its organization which is anticipated to occur on or around June 1, 2024. Following the closing of such restructuring, all consulting and tax engagements will be performed by Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP. All assurance engagements will continue to be performed by Baker Tilly US, LLP.

The information provided here is of a general nature and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any individual or entity. In specific circumstances, the services of a professional should be sought. © 2024 Baker Tilly US, LLP.

Baker Tilly US, LLP, trading as Baker Tilly, is an independent member of Baker Tilly International. Baker Tilly International Limited is an English company. Baker Tilly International provides no professional services to clients. Each member firm is a separate and independent legal entity, and each 323 of 349 The City of Cotati
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7 describes itself as such. Baker Tilly US, LLP is not Baker Tilly International’s agent and does not have the authority to bind Baker Tilly International or act on Baker Tilly International’s behalf. None of Baker Tilly International, Baker Tilly US, LLP nor any of the other member firms of Baker Tilly International has any liability for each other’s acts or omissions. The name Baker Tilly and its associated logo is used under license from Baker Tilly International Limited.
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: DISCUSS COTATI CULTURAL EVENT GRANT PROGRAM
Date: July 9, 2024
Written by: Ashley Wilson, Recreation Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council review and discuss the proposed Cotati Cultural Event Small Grant Program and provide direction to staff, if any.

Background
At the November 11, 2022 City Council Meeting, the City Council approved a list of measures and projects created by the Equity Ad Hoc Committee, with a goal of improving equity in the City. One of the measures directed staff to create a small grant program to bring more multicultural community events to Cotati.

Outside of the Council’s equity goals, the City of Cotati also has a long history of approving fee and staff time waivers for events in La Plaza Park, no-cost license agreements (Lions Club, Rancho Coati Fire Station, Historical Society, and Chamber of Commerce), as well as supporting the Chamber of Commerce with direct grants.

The City also has an old Donation Policy (1990-01), which is attached for reference.

Analysis/Discussion
The Cotati Cultural Event Grant Program is proposed to be held on an annual cycle, with applications due by all interested parties in January, reviewed in February, and announced in March of each year. Applications will open for the following year’s grant cycle in April. Given that this is a pilot year, applicants would have a shorter application period for this first year, if approved.
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Applications will be reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by an internal staff committee. The committee will recommend projects to the City Council, who will make the final decisions on which grants will be awarded.

The program is proposed to be open to new and existing events, but each event can only be awarded once. Existing events could include Oktoberfest, Accordion Festival, Shop and Stroll, Music Fest and the Farmers Market. The priority is to provide support for the first year of an event, with the hope that they will be successful and return in the future. However, given that several of the current annual community events are hosted by non-profit groups and are multicultural, it is recommended that they are also eligible to apply for the grant.

Applicants may apply for multiple events per year but only one event per applicant can be awarded per cycle. They can reapply during the following cycle for any events not awarded.

The rubric to measure grant proposals for new or ongoing multicultural events would evaluate if the proposals are promoting events that reflect the diversity of our community. A draft of the scoring rubric is shown below. If the City Council has input/suggestions on the criterion categories, staff will incorporate those into a final scoring rubric brought back to the City Council for approval.
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This grant program will not take the place or change the current fee waiver options in the Park Permit and Special Event Policy. The current fee waiver options allow annual events to request a full rental fee waiver during the first year of their event and a 50% fee waiver during the second year of their event, with the hopes that the event will be established enough to come back for a third year with fully assessed fees. In addition, IRS recognized non-profit groups and government organizations may request a 50% fee waiver for permit fees in any year of their event, given that the event is free to the public to attend. The Council did make an exception to this process last year for the Cotati Accordion Festival. If an application for the small grant program is not awarded, they are still permitted to apply for a fee waiver through the park permitting process. In addition to these fee waivers and the proposed small community grant, the City is also able to provide free refuse service for community events through the franchise agreement with Recology. At this time, Recology also provides up to three (3) porta-potties for community events.

City park fees are affordable and in staffs’ experience, have not typically been a barrier to events.

The time required to plan and organize an event is generally the primary barrier that prevents people/groups from hosting community events. However, the proposed grant program may entice individuals/groups to propose an event in Cotati. It also has the potential for event organizers to retain more profits/revenue from their events. Regardless, to ensure that the grant program meets the goals of the City Council, any proposed grant program should be a limited term pilot.

Further details of the grant program are provided in Exhibit A, attached to this report.

Staff will return at a future meeting with updates, including an application and evaluation form, and a new donation policy, incorporating City Council feedback. The old donation policy (1990- 01) will be repealed and replaced with a new policy accompanied by the grant program. 327 of 349
Once finalized, staff will promote the new grant program on the City’s website, social media accounts, downtown marquee, monthly newsletter, and through further outreach to known community groups.

Financial Considerations
The financial considerations for the Cotati Cultural Event Small Grant Program would be $10,000 annually. Funding would come from the City Council annual allotment through the City’s General Fund. The existing fee waiver program is not reflected in this expense account but is reflected in reduced revenue in the General Fund. No additional appropriation is required.

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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Exhibit A – Cotati Cultural Event Grant
What is the Cotati Cultural Event Grant? What is the purpose of the program? The Cotati Cultural Event Grant is the City of Cotati’s community grant program. Its purpose is to encourage organizations and groups to host new and multicultural events in Cotati that promote an equitable, compassionate, and healthy community, that honor diversity as a source of strength.

Funding comes from the City of Cotati’s General Fund and is non-guaranteed annually.

What will the grant fund?
The grant can be used to fund new or ongoing cultural community events in Cotati.

How much can we apply for?
Applicants can apply for up to $5000, which is the maximum grant award. Up to $10,000 in awards may be granted in each annual cycle of funding, dependent upon budget availability. The amount of the grant award will be determined by the amount available. Funding for the Cotati Cultural Event Grant is limited; not all applications will be awarded.

Who can apply?
Any local organization or non-profit or individuals or small groups who are partnering with an organization or non-profit with event experience is eligible to apply for the grant. Grants will not be awarded to groups who propose events that promote hate, discrimination of any kind, or political lobbying.

What is the grant cycle time frame?
Applications will open in April and close in January. All applications are reviewed in February and awards will be announced in March. Awards will be sent out in April, following the announcements, and completion of required paperwork.

How will grants be selected?
Applications will be reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by an internal staff committee. The committee will recommend projects to the City Council, who will make the final decisions on which grants will be awarded.

Can grants be awarded to the same applicant more than once? To provide a diverse use of funds, applicants can only receive one award per cycle. Groups may submit multiple applications per cycle, but only one per group may be awarded.

Can applicants apply for on-going funding?
No. Each event can be awarded one time. Applicants can apply for multiple events, but each event is only eligible for one award. Applicants who are not selected for an award may apply multiple times.
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When must the event take place?
Each award must be used by the end of the grant cycle each year, between April and March of each year.

What happens if an awardee cancels their event after receiving a grant? If a grant recipient does not follow through with the proposed event after being awarded, the awardee will be responsible for returning all grant funds to the City and may be ineligible to receive additional grant awards.

If awarded, will the City of Cotati waive permit and other fees associated with the event? Awarded applicants should include applicable City fees with their application. Waivers may be considered for City permits addressed in the application, to be approved by the City Council on a case-by-case basis.

How will awardees be notified?
Grant awardees will be notified via email, phone, or post when selected. The City will communicate with the primary contact listed on the application.

Applicants not selected to receive grant funds will be notified as well.

How will the grant funding be dispersed?
Checks will be mailed to the awardees at the address listed on the grant application. 330 of 349
Y:\POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SOPS
(CCLK)\CCPolicyCover.merge.docx
City Council Policy No. 1990-01
Policy for Allocating Funds for Community Promotion
Adopted August 28, 1990 Resolution No. 90-47
City of Cotati
City Council Policy No. 1990-01

Policy for Allocating Funds for Community Promotion
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Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: DISCUSS AND POTENTIALLY TAKE A POSITION ON
SENATE BILL (SB) 1298, CERTIFICATION OF THERMAL
POWERPLANTS: DATA CENTERS.

Date: July 9, 2024
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council review and discuss SB 1298 and determine if the City Council will issue a letter of opposition to this bill.

Background
At the June 25, 2024 City Council meeting, under Future Agenda Items, the City Council requested that staff agendize a discussion on SB 1298 for the July 9, 2024 City Council meeting.

Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with the exclusive power to certify all locations on which an electrical transmission line or thermal powerplant is constructed, or is proposed to be constructed, and related electrical transmission lines or thermal powerplants. Existing law authorizes the commission to exempt from certification a thermal powerplant with a generating capacity of up to 100 megawatts, and modifications to existing generating facilities that do not add capacity in excess of 100 megawatts, if the commission finds that no substantial adverse impact on the environment or energy resources will result from the construction or operation of the proposed facility or from the modifications.

Under California Public Resources Code, Section 25120, a “Thermal powerplant” means any stationary or floating electrical generating facility using any source of thermal energy, with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more, and any facilities appurtenant thereto. Exploratory, development, and production wells, resource transmission lines, and other related facilities used in connection with a geothermal exploratory project or a geothermal field development project are not appurtenant facilities for the purposes of this division. 337 of 349
“Thermal powerplant” does not include any wind, hydroelectric, or solar photovoltaic electrical generating facility.

Analysis/Discussion
This bill would additionally authorize the commission to exempt from certification a thermal powerplant with a generating capacity of up to 150 megawatts if specified requirements are met, including that it is used solely as a backup generation facility for a data center, it is located on the customer side of the meter and is not interconnected to the distribution system, a skilled and trained workforce is used to perform all construction work on the facility, as specified, the commission finds that no substantial adverse impact on the environment or energy resources will result from the construction and operation of the facility, and the commission obtains a determination from the applicable air pollution control district or air quality management district that the facility’s backup generation technology meets the best available control technology. requirements. The bill would automatically repeal its provisions on January 1, 2030.

At the time of publication of this agenda item, SB 1298 has passed out of the Senate and is in the Assembly policy committee. As indicated on the attached documents, Cal Cities has taken a ”watch” position on this bill, so is neither supporting or opposing the bill in its current form.

If the City Council wishes to issue a letter of opposition, the attached template opposition letter is the suggested template to use.

Financial Considerations
There is no direct financial impact to the City by issuing a letter of opposition.

Environmental Issues
If a letter of opposition is issued by the City Council, it will not have a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be determined with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA review. This general rule can be applied to activities which could be subject to the CEQA process, but which logic dictates should not be subject to CEQA review. Therefore, based on the information provided above, the proposed resolution is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 14.03.021 of the CEQA Guidelines in that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant impact on the environment.
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Search Results
Friday, June 28, 2024
SB 1298 (Cortese D) Certification of thermal powerplants: data centers.

Current law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with the exclusive power to certify all locations on which an electrical transmission line or thermal powerplant is constructed, or is proposed to be constructed, and related electrical transmission lines or thermal powerplants. Current law authorizes the commission to exempt from certification a thermal powerplant with a generating capacity of up to 100 megawatts, and modifications to existing generating facilities that do not add capacity in excess of 100 megawatts, if the commission finds that no substantial adverse impact on the environment or energy resources will result from the construction or operation of the proposed facility or from the modifications. This bill would additionally authorize the commission to exempt from certification a thermal powerplant with a generating capacity of up to 150 megawatts if specified requirements are met, including that it is used solely as a backup generation facility for a data center, it is located on the customer side of the meter and is not interconnected to the distribution system, a skilled and trained workforce is used to perform all construction work on the facility, as specified, the commission finds that no substantial adverse impact on the environment or energy resources will result from the construction and operation of the facility, and the commission obtains a determination from the applicable air pollution control district or air quality management district that the facility’s backup generation technology meets the best available control technology requirements.

Cal Cities Position: Watch Primary Lobbyist: Melissa Sparks-Kranz Policy Committee : EQ Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Desk Policy Fiscal Floor Conf.

Conc. Enrolled Vetoed Chaptered
1st House 2nd House
Total Measures: 1
1400 K Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814-3916 | www.calcities.org | (916) 658-8200 6/28/2024 2:53:00 PM
6/28/24, 2:54 PM ctweb.capitoltrack.com/public/search.aspx?id=ad485199-37cd-42cd-8217-d19b4d257119&session=23&s=sb 1298&t=bill https://ctweb.capitoltrack.com/public/search.aspx?id=ad485199-37cd-42cd-8217-d19b4d257119&session=23&s=sb 1298&t=bill 1/1 339 of 349
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 24, 2024
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 3, 2024
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 16, 2024
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 22, 2024
SENATE BILL No. 1298
Introduced by Senator Cortese
February 15, 2024
An act to amend amend, repeal, and add Section 25541 of the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.
legislative counsel’s digest
SB 1298, as amended, Cortese. Certification of thermal powerplants:
data centers.

This bill would additionally authorize the commission to exempt from certification a thermal powerplant with a generating capacity of up to 150 megawatts if specified requirements are met, including that it is used solely as a backup generation facility for a data center, it is located

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on the customer side of the meter and is not interconnected to the distribution system, a skilled and trained workforce is used to perform all construction work on the facility, as specified, the commission finds that no substantial adverse impact on the environment or energy resources will result from the construction and operation of the facility, and the commission finds obtains a determination from the applicable air pollution control district or air quality management district that the facility’s backup generation technology meets the best available control technology requirements set by the applicable air pollution control district or air quality management district. requirements. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2030.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.

State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
line 1 SECTION 1. Section 25541 of the Public Resources Code is line 2 amended to read:
line 3 25541. The commission may exempt from this chapter both line 4 of the following:
line 5 (a)  Thermal powerplants with a generating capacity of up to line 6 100 megawatts and modifications to existing generating facilities line 7 that do not add capacity in excess of 100 megawatts, if the line 8 commission finds that no substantial adverse impact on the line 9 environment or energy resources will result from the construction line 10 or operation of the proposed facility or from the modifications. line 11 (b)  (1)  Thermal powerplants with a generating capacity of up line 12 to 150 megawatts, subject to all of the following conditions:
line 13 (A)  The facility is used solely as a backup generation facility line 14 for a data center.
line 15 (B)  The facility is located on the customer side of the meter and line 16 is not interconnected to the distribution system. line 17 (C)  A skilled and trained workforce will be used to perform all line 18 construction work on the facility pursuant to paragraph (2). line 19 (D)  The commission finds that no substantial adverse impact line 20 on the environment or energy resources will result from the line 21 construction and operation of the facility.
line 22 (E)  The commission finds obtains a determination from the line 23 applicable air pollution control district or air quality management line 24 district that the facility’s backup generation technology meets the 95 SB 1298 — 2 —
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line 1 best available control technology requirements set by the line 2 requirements, as defined in Section 40405 of the Health and Safety line 3 Code. The applicable air pollution control district or air quality line 4 management district. district shall report its determination to the line 5 commission pursuant to this subparagraph.
line 6 (F)  The commission finds that energy efficiency technologies, line 7 including Energy Star appliances and demand response options, line 8 have been considered first to reduce data center load. line 9 (G)  The applicant provides a report to the commission on the line 10 expected energy use of the facility, including, but not limited to, line 11 energy intensities, peak factors, load profiles, and other related line 12 information.
line 13 (2)  An application for an exemption pursuant to this subdivision line 14 shall include the applicant’s certification that a skilled and trained line 15 workforce will be used to perform all construction work on the line 16 facility and all of the following apply:
line 17 (A)  The applicant shall require in all contracts for the line 18 performance of work that every contractor and subcontractor at line 19 every tier will individually use a skilled and trained workforce to line 20 construct the facility.
line 21 (B)  Every contractor and subcontractor shall use a skilled and line 22 trained workforce to construct the facility.
line 23 (C)  Except as provided in subparagraph (E), contractors and line 24 subcontractors that fail to use a skilled and trained workforce shall line 25 be subject to the penalties provided in Section 2603 of the Public line 26 Contract Code. Penalties for a contractor’s or subcontractor’s line 27 failure to comply with the requirement to use a skilled and trained line 28 workforce may be assessed by the Labor Commissioner within 18 line 29 months of completion of the facility using the same procedures line 30 for issuance of civil wage and penalty assessments pursuant to line 31 Section 2603 of the Public Contract Code. Penalties shall be paid line 32 to the State Public Works Enforcement Fund.
line 33 (D)  For purposes of this subparagraph, an applicant shall be line 34 considered to be an “awarding body” under Chapter 2.9 line 35 (commencing with Section 2600) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the line 36 Public Contract Code. Except as provided in subparagraph (E), line 37 the applicant shall retain records, including copies of monthly line 38 reports, that demonstrate compliance with Chapter 2.9 line 39 (commencing with Section 2600) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the line 40 Public Contract Code while the facility or contract is being 95 — 3 — SB 1298
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line 1 performed and for three years after completion of the facility or line 2 contract. The applicant shall submit these records immediately line 3 upon request of the commission. When submitted to the line 4 commission, these records shall be a public record under the line 5 California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with line 6 Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code) and shall line 7 be open to public inspection.
line 8 (E)  Subparagraphs (C) and (D) do not apply if all contractors line 9 and subcontractors performing work on the facility are subject to line 10 a project labor agreement. The project labor agreement shall also line 11 include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
line 12 (i)  Provisions requiring compliance with the skilled and trained line 13 workforce requirement and for enforcement of that obligation line 14 through an arbitration procedure.
line 15 (ii)  Targeted hiring provisions, including a targeted hiring plan, line 16 on a craft-by-craft basis to address job access for local, line 17 disadvantaged, or underrepresented workers, as defined by a local line 18 agency.
line 19 (iii)  Apprenticeship utilization provisions that commit all parties line 20 to increasing the share of work performed by state-registered line 21 apprentices above the state-mandated minimum ratio required in line 22 Section 1777.5 of the Labor Code.
line 23 (iv)  Apprenticeship utilization provisions that commit all parties line 24 to hiring and retaining a certain percentage of state-registered line 25 apprentices that have completed the Multi-Craft Core line 26 preapprenticeship training curriculum referenced in subdivision line 27 (t) of Section 14005 of the Unemployment Insurance Code. line 28 (c)  This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, line 29 and as of that date is repealed.
line 30 SEC. 2. Section 25541 is added to the Public Resources Code, line 31 to read:
line 32 25541. (a)  The commission may exempt from this chapter line 33 thermal powerplants with a generating capacity of up to 100 line 34 megawatts and modifications to existing generating facilities that line 35 do not add capacity in excess of 100 megawatts, if the commission line 36 finds that no substantial adverse impact on the environment or line 37 energy resources will result from the construction or operation of line 38 the proposed facility or from the modifications. 95 SB 1298 — 4 —
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line 1 (b)  This section shall become operative on January 1, 2030.

O
95 — 5 — SB 1298
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July 3, 2024
The Honorable Dave Cortese
Senator, District 15
1021 O Street, Suite 6630
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Opposition to SB 1298
Dear Senator Cortese:

The undersigned organizations must regrettably OPPOSE SB 1298, which poses a serious threat to our state’s ambitious and world-leading climate goals.

SB 1298 is responding to a real issue: our outdated and unreliable electric grid is failing to bring new clean energy resources online fast enough to reliably serve customers during extreme weather conditions. Our organizations are working with the California Legislature on this serious problem and are eager to identify potential solutions. We understand why data center owners and operators are concerned and understand the need to keep facilities running at all hours and under all conditions.

Unfortunately, SB 1298 would take our state backwards in its pursuit of developing a clean, reliable, and equitable energy system for all Californians. This legislation would authorize the Energy Commission to “exempt from certification” backup generation for new data centers, up to 150 MW in size. The Energy Commission conducts this certification process before authorizing new power plants specifically in order to review potential environmental impacts and other relevant factors. While SB 1298 contains several references to environmental protection, this legislation is clearly aimed at allowing new fossil fuel-powered generation to come online faster while bypassing necessary Energy Commission oversight and accountability. The bill text does not include any requirement that new generation authorized under this section be renewable or carbon-free, even past 2045 – the year the state aims to achieve carbon neutrality.

Authorizing these new fossil fuel-powered generators – which are big enough to power a small city – to come online with no environmental review will have several negative impacts:
• SB 1298 functionally exempts a rapidly growing sector from California’s clean energy goals. Data centers are likely to become one of the largest electricity users in our economy over the decades to come. SB 1298 would essentially exempt this entire sector’s backup generation from the 100% clean energy goal, indefinitely. While this legislation is nominally targeted at “backup” power, there is nothing in the bill to prevent the operator of one of these generators from using it for backup power every day if they so choose. This will only become more of a problem as data centers increase in number and associated power demand grows.
• SB 1298 endangers public health in California’s most vulnerable communities. These generators – which exceed many large power plants in size – are likely to be sited in 345 of 349
communities already experiencing a significant environmental burden. Removing essentially any environmental review whatsoever from the approval process for these generators is not appropriate when they will likely have significant negative effects on local air and water quality and human health. In addition, there is also nothing in SB 1298 that would prevent a data center operator from siting multiple facilities side-by-side, meaning that much more than 150 MW of “backup” generation could be located in a single community.
• SB 1298 writes a blank check for data centers to develop dirty backup generation before the full impacts are understood. As noted by numerous experts in a recent Energy Commission Electricity Load Growth workshop,1 the rapid development of data centers in California introduces significant uncertainty in forecasting energy demand. As of now, it is unclear how many data centers will appear, where they will be, or what the total energy demand for those centers will be, although it is likely they will become a significant percentage of total electricity use over time. SB 1298 aims to exempt an unspecified number of large, polluting backup generators from the state’s environmental laws before we even understand the magnitude of the potential impacts.

As mentioned above, passage of SB 1298 will blow a gaping hole in the state’s climate goals, particularly the goal of reaching 100% clean energy by 2045. We respect that SB 1298 is attempting to address a real issue, and we look forward to working together to build a more reliable electric grid while achieving California’s climate goals on schedule. Should you have any questions or concerns, or wish to discuss these issues further, please do not hesitate to contact any of our organizations directly.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
1 IEPR Commissioner Workshop on Electricity Load Growth Areas. May 16, 2024. https://www.energy.ca.gov/event/workshop/2024-05/ieprcommissioner-workshop-electricity-load-growthareas#:~:text=The%20California%20Energy%20Commission%20(CEC,electricity%20demand%20for%20hydrogen%20production. 346 of 349
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: July 9, 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]. 349 of 349

Cotati City CouncilJuly 9, 2024

Cotati City Council
July 9, 2024