Cotati City Council
January 27, 2026

City Council
Workshop on Potential Zoning
Code Updates for Food and
Mobile Businesses
Community Development
Department
January 27, 2026
Background and Goals of Workshop
 Sidewalk Vendors, food trucks, Microenterprise
Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs), parklets
and outdoor dining
 State law allows sidewalk vendors with minimal
regulation
 New County law allows MEHKOs
 Food-related and mobile businesses present
both opportunities and challenges
 Discuss and provide input on standards for a
potential zoning code ordinance
 Planning Commission workshop January 20
 Future public hearings on a draft ordinance
Sidewalk Vendors—Background
 State law allows mobile vending on sidewalks
and in public parks—both food and
merchandise
 Non-motorized pushcarts, wagons, stands, etc.
 May be roaming or stationary
 Permission of adjacent property owners not
required
 Very limited local regulation is allowed
 Adoption of an ordinance = increase in
authority to regulate and ability to enforce
law, levy fines
Sidewalk Vendors—Potential Standards
 City business license + County health
permit and/or State seller’s permit
 Locational standards
Not on private property
No blocking sidewalks, must maintain
accessibility
Maintain distance from street furniture,
intersections, events, building entrances,
other vendors, etc.
Stationary vendors prohibited in RR and
RVL
Roaming vendors may not be limited to
certain areas
Sidewalk Vendors—Potential Standards
 Operating standards
Hours: Residential zones--8am-30 minutes
before sunset; other zones--7am-11pm
Clean up litter and spills
Odor, noise, nuisance performance
standards
Access to restroom (stationary vendors
1+ hour)
Roaming vendors—Stop only for sales,
then move to new location
Signage limitations (size, type)
No dining area
 No sidewalk vending permit at this time
MEHKOs
 Restaurants operated in a home by the
resident
 Authorized by State law, County “opted in”;
minimal opportunity for local regulation
Define MEHKO in land use code
Allow only in residential uses
Exempt from home occupation standards
Clarify that nuisance standards apply
(noise, illegal parking, blocking street,
solid waste disposal, et.
Business license and health permit required
 County-led staff working group on food biz
Food Trucks
 Not currently a land use in CMC;
considered “outdoor dining” allowed
accessory to restaurants only
 However, food trucks have grown in
popularity and prevalence over past
decade
Economic opportunity
Culinary choice
Enliven commercial areas
 City has jurisdiction; no State law
Food Trucks—Potential Standards
 Self-contained trucks or trailers/wagons, etc.
 City business license and County health permit
 Allow on private properties in commercial,
industrial, specific plan (DSP, TOC, SW) zoning
districts?
By-right if comply with standards (zoning
clearance)
MUP if property abuts residential use, in DSP
Historic Core, or multiple trucks at once (food
truck park)
Any business type as primary use on site
Consider allowing on vacant properties
Food Trucks—Potential Standards
 Outdoor dining area—limited size—12’x12’?
Allow, with removal each night, OR
Allow as permanent installation (with MUP?)
 Operating standards
Remove truck from site each night
(exceptions with MUP?)
Maintain parking minimums
No blocking primary use or emergency access
Hours between 7am and 11pm
Signage size and type limitations
Litter and spill cleanup, trash/recycling
containers, noise/odor standards, no
polysterene
Temporary Parklets
 Parklet is outdoor dining on public or private
parking spaces, operated by an adjacent
restaurant
 City approval required—safety and accessibility
 City policy allows permanent or temporary
 Some additional options for temporary parklets:
 Food trucks
 Food carts or other small-scale food
preparation
 Any type of business host
 Maximum number of days/year (40?)
 Maximum 3 consecutive days, 4 days between
Outdoor Dining
 Current code requirement:
Outdoor dining allowed by-right for
restaurants
Exception: An MUP is required if dining
is on private property abutting a
residential use in CD, DSP, TOC, or SW
On public property, a license
agreement is required, not an MUP
 Confirm commitment to this approach
MUP introduces expense, time,
uncertainty
May be deterrent to restaurants
installing outdoor dining
Other Potential Code Updates
 Chicken-keeping
 Accessory to a residential use
 Current code language allows in residential
or commercial zoning district
 Residential uses also occur in specific plan
districts—extend to those zones?
 Market Gardens and Garden Stands
 Accessory to a residential use
 Current code language allows in residential zoning only  Residential uses also occur in commercial and specific plan districts—extend to those zones?
 Classify as home occupation, allow outdoors
Other Potential Code Updates
 Community Gardens
Current code language allows in
residential zoning only
Community gardens are most successful
near multifamily which is allowed in
commercial and mixed-use zoning—
extend to those zones?
 Home Occupations
Current code language limits activity of
home occupation to 25% of areas of
ground floor
Maintain 25% but allow on any floor?
Planning Commission Comments
Next Steps
Direction to staff
Staff develop draft ordinance
Public hearings
Planning Commission
City Council
Questions?