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, December 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 Absent
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
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 – SPECIAL MEETING – NOV 18, 2025 Corrected minutes added to the packet prior to the meeting.
No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
3. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
Cotati City Council Minutes December 09, 2025
Vice Mayor Lemus requested to move item 8A to directly after item 6. There being no objection from the Council, the item was moved.
No public comment.
4. 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
5. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14 OF THE COTATI MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPLEMENT THE 2025 CALIFORNIA
BUILDING STANDARDS CODE WITH AMENDMENTS
B. ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TRANSFER
FUNDS FOR THE EMERGENCY WATER AND SEWER REPAIRS CONTRACTS FOR WORK LOCATED AT E. COTATI AVENUE AT LANCASTER DRIVE AND ON
CHARLES STREET
C. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION DECLARING INTENTION TO ANNEX CERTAIN PROPERTY TO COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO. 2017-01 (PUBLIC
SERVICES)
D. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A MINOR CONSTUCTION
AGREEMENT TO REPLACE THE FLOOR OF THE COTATI ROOM IN THE RAY
MILLER COMMUNITY CENTER
E. APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS AND ASSOCIATES TO DESIGN THE 2026
PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROJECT
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
6. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
8A. REORGANIZATION OF CITY COUNCIL FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026 Cotati City Council Minutes December 09, 2025
This item was moved to directly after item 6 during agenda review.
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
The City Council selects Sylvia Lemus as Mayor.
No public comment.
The City Council selects Susan Harvey as Vice Mayor.
No public comment.
After this item was complete, Council took a brief recess.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0] Mayor Sylvia Lemus
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0] Vice Mayor Susan Harvey
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Sylvia Lemus, Vice Mayor
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
A. INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 17 (LAND USE) OF THE COTATI MUNICPAL CODE TO CREATE THE SANTERO
WAY (SW) AND TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITIES (TOC) ZONING DISTRICTS,
IMPLEMENT TOC-RELATED POLICY REQUIREMENTS AND MAKE OTHER
CLARIFYING CHANGES TO THE COTATI MUNICIPAL CODE
Presentation by Director of Community Development Noah Housh.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Cindy Stefi
Evan
Laurie-Ann Barbour of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Cotati City Council Minutes December 09, 2025
Council voted to introduce the ordinance, making the following modifications:
-Amend to remove unbundled parking.
-Request a case study on the potential impact of the TOC zoning on the Oliver’s Shopping Center property be prepared for the second reading.
RESULT: Introduce [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
8. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
B. COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS AS REPRESENTATIVES AND LIAISONS TO VARIOUS COMMITTEES FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
Council had an initial discussion, tentatively appointing Councilmember John Savage as the primary representative to the Mayors and Councilmembers Legislative Committee, and Mayor Lemus as the alternate. Additionally, Vice Mayor Lemus expressed a desire to be the representative to the Sonoma County Homeless Coalition Board of Directors for Cotati-Rohnert Park. City Manager O’Bid stated that he would follow up with Rohnert Park to initiate the discussion to mutually agree on the joint representative for 2026. Council asked for the item to come back in January for a final vote.
C. PROCLAMATION SCHEDULE FOR 2026
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
After this item, Council took a brief recess.
D. 2026 VERONDA-FALLETTI RANCH WORKPLANS AND NEW LICENSE Cotati City Council Minutes December 09, 2025
AGREEMENT WITH AGRI-CULTURE AND EXTENSION OF THE SANDY LOAM
LICENSE
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
E. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A NEW CROSS-CONNECTION
CONTROL PLAN FOR THE CITY OF COTATI PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD'S CROSS-CONNECTION
CONTROL POLICY HANDBOOK
Presentation by Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Neil Hancock of Cotati
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Savage
F. 2025 CALPERS UNFUNDED ACTURARIAL LIABILITY REVIEW, POLICY
COMPLIANCE AND FUNDED STATUS
Presentation by Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter and Dmitry Semenov of Ridgeline Municipal Strategies.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
G. 2025 STATE OF THE CITY
Cotati City Council Minutes December 09, 2025
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
9. 10.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE
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 9:30pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk