MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE COTATI CITY COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE
FORMER COTATI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
City Council Chamber, City Hall 201 W. Sierra Avenue
Tuesday, September 09, 2025
6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING
1. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
Mayor Ford called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Attendee Name Title Status
Ben Ford Mayor Present
Sylvia Lemus Vice Mayor Present
Susan Harvey Councilmember Present
Laura Sparks Councilmember Present
John Savage Councilmember Present
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, City Attorney John Bakker, City Clerk Kevin Patterson, Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter, Director of Community Development Noah Housh, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons, Engineering Technician Henry Babits
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND NOTICE OF WAIVING OF READING OF ALL
RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES INTRODUCED AND/OR ADOPTED UNDER THIS
AGENDA (ACTION)
A. COTATI CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING – AUG 26, 2025 No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Sylvia Lemus, Vice Mayor
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
3. PROCLAMATIONS
A. LATINO HERITAGE MONTH
Cotati City Council Minutes September 09, 2025
Vice Mayor Sylvia Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by members of the MEChA Club at Rancho Cotate High School.
B. CREEK WEEK
Mayor Ben Ford read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Jenny Blaker and Paul Burke of the Cotati Friends of the Laguna.
4. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
No changes. No public comment.
5. CITIZEN BUSINESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS Any member of the public wishing to speak to the Council on any item(s) listed on the Consent Calendar or any matter(s) not listed on the agenda that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council may do so at this time. Pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council is not allowed to consider issues or take action on any item not listed on the agenda. Pursuant to City Council Policy 2025-03, comments of any member of the public are normally restricted to a total of three (3) minutes in length per person for matters not on the agenda and a total of three (3) minutes per person in length for any and all items on the Consent Calendar. The Mayor may extend the time limit for a reasonable time where a disability accommodation has been requested. To facilitate public comment, timer indicator lights will turn yellow when there are thirty (30) seconds remaining, and red when time has expired.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Neil Hancock of Cotati
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING AFFORDABILITY AGREEMENTS FOR THE COTATI VILLAGE 1 AND COTATI VILLAGE 2
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
B. CONSIDERATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 ANNUAL REPORT OF DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ACTIVITY (AB1600)
C. CONSIDERATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE 2025 STREET
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
D. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE CONSOLIDATING INFLATIONARY
INDICES FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES (DIF), ADJUSTING TIMING OF DIF
PAYMENTS ON RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, AND MODIFYING PARK IN LIEU
LANGUAGE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE ADOPTED DIF NEXUS STUDY RESULT: Approve [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
7. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Cotati City Council Minutes September 09, 2025
Councilmember Sparks requested a future agenda item on sending a letter of support for the Make Polluters Pay super fund legislation.
8. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. FINALIZE DESIGN OPTION FOR THE LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA CLASS 1
PATHWAY MAINTENANCE PROJECT
Presentation by Engineering Technician Henry Babits and Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Jenny Blaker of Cotati
Neil Hancock of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
After discussion, Council directed Staff to move forward with an aggregate surface for the Class I Pathway maintenance project, instead of repairing the existing asphalt surface.
9. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The City of Cotati recognizes that we’re on the ancestral lands of the Coastal Miwok, who are the original caretakers of this area. We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have been stewarding and maintaining a relationship on this land as knowledge keepers for millennia. This acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities but serves as a gesture of respect to the land we are on.
10. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT & COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
11. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
12. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ford adjourned the meeting at 7:14pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk