Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE SCHEMATIC
DESIGN CONTRACT FOR THE VERONDA FALLETTI
RANCH BARNS
Date: August 26, 2025
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a motion authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement amendment with ArchiLOGIX for the schematic design of the Veronda Falletti Ranch barn and brooder house.
Background
The City purchased the 4.37-acre Veronda-Falletti Ranch (Ranch) in 2008 through the Open Space and Agricultural Preservation District’s (Open Space District) Matching Grant Program. As part of this program, the funding recipient (the City in this case) is required to provide a 50% match for the property purchase, which is memorialized in the matching grant agreement and agree to the recordation of a conservation easement on the property. Both documents have certain restrictions and requirements that the City must comply with.
In 2016, the City completed the initial phase of work to begin allowing more public access to the Ranch, which consisted of a new walking path along the East School and El Rancho sides of the property, a new picnic area at the corner of El Rancho and East School Street, and some related crosswalk, sidewalk, and landscaping improvements at the community center building across East School Street from the Ranch. In 2020, the City refurbished the ranch house, demolished and reconstructed the water tower, and performed related access improvements, including ADA parking and installation of a motorized access gate. Subsequent improvements to the ranch house include the addition of a fire sprinkler system to permit children's programming.
The remaining major infrastructure improvements at the Ranch include rebuilding the barn and brooder house. The City held a public workshop on December 9, 2022, to gather community input on the barn, brooder house and general site circulation. The City held a second public workshop on October 14, 2023 to continue to gather community input, followed by a meeting with the Board of the Cotati Historical Society.
On February 13, 2024, the City Council authorized a schematic design agreement with ArchiLOGIX for the barn and brooder house. The intent was to work through the space design and overall Ranch planning and position the City for the next step of construction level design and fundraising. After continuing to work with the Ranch stakeholders on design development, the City held a public workshop on May 17, 2025 to gather additional input on the draft designs.
Analysis/Discussion
Due to more design iterations than was anticipated, the agreement with ArchiLOGIX has run overbudget. While the schematic design is complete, the associated renderings and cost estimate are not yet complete. These renderings and a cost estimate will be necessary effectively be able to fund raise for the project. Once sufficient funds are received, the City can move the schematic design to full construction documents to bid and build the project.
The matching grant agreement for the purchase of the Ranch requires the City to match the Open Space District contribution of $3,650,000. There is no timeline to provide the City match, but staff have been told that the City will not receive any new matching grants until this obligation is satisfied. The intent is to provide the City match through on-going capital and operation and maintenance expenditures.
Total expenses for the Ranch, through July 31, 2025, are as follows:
CAPITAL PROJECT EXPENSES $1,195,133.24
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE $ 862,162.30
Grand Total $2,057,295.54
Financial Considerations
The original scope of work was not to exceed $57,000. The design amendment requires an additional not-to-exceed $10,000. The current fiscal budget includes $200,000 for final design of the Veronda-Falletti Barns in account 605-00-91300-27PWGL. As such no additional appropriations are currently required from the General Fund.
Environmental Issues
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.