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, October 14, 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 Community Development Noah Housh, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons, Recreation Manager Ashley Wilson
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 – SEP 23, 2025 RESULT: Approved [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
3. PROCLAMATIONS
A. PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF COTATI IN SUPPORT OF NORTH BAY ZERO WASTE WEEK OCTOBER 11TH THROUGH 18TH, 2025
Mayor Ford read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Leslie Lukacs of Zero Waste Sonoma.
Cotati City Council Minutes October 14, 2025
4. PRESENTATIONS
A. ZERO WASTE SONOMA UPDATE
Presentation by Leslie Lukacs of Zero Waste Sonoma.
B. PRESENTATION BY THE RANCHO ADOBE FIRE DISTRICT
Presentation by Chief Jeff Velliquette of Rancho Adobe Fire District.
5. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
No changes.
6. 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, the timer indicator lights will display yellow when there are thirty seconds remaining, and red when time has expired.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Neil Hancock of Cotati
7. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
Councilmember Sparks requested to pull item 7D from the Consent Calendar. There being no objection from the Council, the item was moved to directly after the Consent Calendar.
A. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE 2025
AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY EVENTS FARMERS MARKETS - DOWNTOWN
SHOP AND STROLL HOLIDAY EVENT IN DOWNTOWN COTATI
B. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2025 CITY
OF COTATI HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY
C. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CITY OF COTATI’S 2025 COTATI CANDYLAND EVENT
RESULT: Adopted [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
7D. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2026 COTATI ACCORDION
FESTIVAL AND ASSOCIATED SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, AMPLIFIED
MUSIC, AND TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURES
Pulled from the Consent Calendar at the request of Councilmember Sparks.
Cotati City Council Minutes October 14, 2025
Presentation by Recreation Manager Ashley Wilson.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Scott Goree
RESULT: Approve [5 TO 0]
MOVER: John Savage, Councilmember
SECONDER: Sylvia Lemus, Vice Mayor
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
8. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
9. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
A. CONSIDERATION, INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING OF DRAFT
ORDINANCE UPDATING THE RULES OF CONDUCT FOR PARKS AND OTHER
PUBLIC AREAS AND ADDING PERMIT PROCEDURES BY AMENDING CHAPTERS
4.04 (FEES FOR USE OF FACILITIES), 7.12 (LICENSING AND KEEPING OF DOGS AND CATS), 7.24 (ANIMAL RESTRICTIONS), 7.28 (DOGS IN PARKS DURING FESTIVALS), 9.33 (PUBLIC URINATION, DEFECATION AND EXPOSURE), 9.36 (CONDUCT IN PARKS, PLAZAS, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND OTHER PLACES) AND 9.40 (OBSTRUCTING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS) OF THE COTATI
MUNICIPAL CODE
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
Council voted to introduce the ordinance, making the following changes:
-Removing the waiver for the first dog license for people over 55 given the new significantly lower $6 fee for seniors, for consistency with Rohnert Park in DocuPet, and to avoid the refund process currently necessary for the first license (Delete 9.12.120.C). -Clarifying miscellaneous unlawful acts and removing outdated language (9.36.030.D). -Editing to refer to other City Council adopted policies (e.g. Park Rules) to establish specific enforceable park open hours (9.36.060)
-Other miscellaneous spelling corrections.
RESULT: Introduce [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Sylvia Lemus, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
Cotati City Council Minutes October 14, 2025
10. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE POLLUTERS PAY CLIMATE SUPERFUND
LEGISLATION
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Neil Hancock of Cotati
Jenny Blaker of Cotati
RESULT: Adopted [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
11. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
12. 13.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS
Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-ACTION AGENDA ITEMS
No public comment.
14. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
15. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ford adjourned the meeting at 8:06pm, after a moment of silence for Mark Milberg, City of Novato Councilmember, who had recently passed.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk