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, January 13, 2026
6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING
1. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
Mayor Lemus called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Attendee Name Title Status
Sylvia Lemus Mayor Present
Susan Harvey Vice Mayor Present
Ben Ford Councilmember Present
Laura Sparks Councilmember Present
John Savage Councilmember Present
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, Assistant City Attorney Kimia Mahalatti, 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, Senior Planner JP Harries
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 – DEC 9, 2025
RESULT: Approve [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
No public comment.
3. RECEPTION
A. RECOGNITION OF OUT-GOING MAYOR AND RECEPTION FOR INCOMING
MAYOR AND VICE-MAYOR
Cotati City Council Minutes January 13, 2026
Mayor Lemus opened the item for public comment.
Public Comment:
George Barich of Cotati
Laurie-Ann Barbour of Cotati
Adrienne Lauby of Cotati
Neil Hancock of Cotati
Jenny Blaker of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Unidentified Speaker
After this item, Council took a brief recess.
4. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
No changes.
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, 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
Leslie of Cotati
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. APPROVE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE STANDARD SERVICES AGREEMENTS
FOR RECENTLY IMPROVED HELEN PUTNAM AND SUNFLOWER PARKS
Prior to adoption of the Consent Calendar, Councilmember Sparks requested that Staff ensure that the contractor follows leaf blower hours, the integrated pest management policy, and pull out plastic waddles (if in park maintenance areas after winter).
RESULT: Adopt [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
7. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
A. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING PRELIMINARY AND FINAL Cotati City Council Minutes January 13, 2026
DESIGN REVIEW, VARIANCES, AND A TREE REMOVAL PERMIT TO ALLOW
CONSTRUCTION OF TWO BUILDINGS CONTAINING A TOTAL OF FIVE RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND 890 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL RETAIL SPACE AT 8150 LA PLAZA AND FINDING THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
CONSISTENT WITH THE COTATI GENERAL PLAN AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT AND EXEMPT FROM FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15183 AND 15332
(PA# 25-10 / APN 144-273-009)
Before the presentation of this item, Councilmember Ford announced that he was recusing himself, due to owning property close to the project site.
Presentation by Senior Planner JP Harries and Emil Heuko, owner of 8150 La Plaza.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Thomas Trujillo of Cotati
Jenny Blaker of Cotati
Linell Hardy of Cotati
Adrienne Lauby of Cotati
Shelly Berman of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
After discussion by the Council, Mayor Lemus elected to re-open the item for public comment.
Public Comment Part 2:
Emil Heuko
Brent Russell
Adrienne Lauby of Cotati
Linell Hardy of Cotati
Jessica N of Cotati
Council approved the Planning Commission recommendations. Council also added two conditions to the project, requiring the applicant to provide a parking management plan to City staff for review and approval prior to issuance of building permits, and requiring the proposed trees on the eastern property line to be 24” box trees.
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
RECUSED: Ford
B. CONSIDERATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN PROPERTY TO COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO. 2017-01 (PUBLIC SERVICES) AND TAKING ASSOCIATED ACTIONS
Presentation by Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott.
Cotati City Council Minutes January 13, 2026
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Jessica N of Cotati
RESULT: Adopt [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
9. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. SANTERO WAY AND TOC REZONING ORDINANCE
Before the presentation of this item, Councilmember Savage announced that he would recuse himself from items 9A and 9B, due to owning property within the Santero Way District.
Presentation by Director of Community Development Noah Housh.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Omar Lopez
Michael Hischak
Neil Rudolph
Council voted to adopt the ordinance, excluding the Oliver’s shopping center property. Council also directed staff to return at a later date with a clean-up ordinance to allow conversions of for rent units to condominiums in the event of a bank foreclosure on a multi-family property.
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks
NAYS: None
RECUSED: Savage
B. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, SANTERO WAY APARTMENTS
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
Cotati City Council Minutes January 13, 2026
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks
NAYS: None
RECUSED: Savage
C. NOR CAL OAKS LICENSE AGREEMENT AMENDMENT
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Jason Chickering of Nor Cal Oaks
RESULT: Adopt [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
D. DISCUSSION ON AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR TO ADVOCATE FOR
INFRASTRTURE FUNDING WITH ABAG/MTC
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment, and suggested that the letter should reflect that ABAG/MTC’s uncertainty regarding infrastructure funding impacted the willingness to make TOC zoning changes (e.g. Oliver’s Shopping Center).
No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [5 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
10. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE
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 millenia. 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.
Cotati City Council Minutes January 13, 2026
11. After this item, Council took a brief recess.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT & COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
12. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
13. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lemus adjourned the meeting at 10:02pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk