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 27, 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 Absent
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 Lieutenant Paul Goodin, 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 – JAN 13, 2026 No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
3. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
Mayor Lemus requested to move item 7A to after 7C. There being no objection from the Council, the item was moved.
Cotati City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
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
George Barich of Cotati
Michael Ceremello
5. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS AS REPRESENTATIVES AND LIAISONS TO VARIOUS COMMITTEES FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026
B. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2026 CITY
OF COTATI CLIMATE READY COTATI FAIR
C. MEASURE S ANNUAL REPORT AND LETTER FROM OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024/25
D. ENDORSEMENT OF THE CITY OF COTATI’S APPLICATION FOR THE WHALE
TAIL GRANT FUNDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
6. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Ford requested a future agenda item for the Council to discuss topics they would like agendized for the Community-Police Advisory Committee.
7. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
B. RANCHO ADOBE FIRE DISTRICT LEASE EXTENSION - COTATI FIRE STATION Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Jeff Velliquette of Rancho Adobe Fire District
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Cotati City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
George Barich of Cotati
Council asked Staff to investigate options for striping the parking area adjacent to the Lion’s Club on E. Sierra Ave.
C. APPROVAL OF 2026 COTATI CULTURAL GRANT AWARDEES
Before the presentation of this item, Mayor Lemus announced that she would recuse herself due to family connections with some of the groups applying for the cultural grant.
Presentation by Recreation Manager Ashley Wilson.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Tom Kearney
Lilia Gonzalez
Maria Lemus
RESULT: Approve [3 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
RECUSED: Lemus
A. 120 EAST COTATI AVENUE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT This item was moved to after item C during Agenda Review.
Before the presentation of this item, Councilmember Ford announced that he would recuse himself due to owning property near the project site.
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid and Robin Zimbler of FreeBird Development.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
George Barich of Cotati
Aaron Hadzess
Katie Stupian
Chris Palomo
Chrissy
Damon H.
Cotati City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
RESULT: Adopt [3 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
RECUSED: Ford
After this item, Council took a brief recess.
D. FOOD AND MOBILE BUSINESS ORDINANCE WORKSHOP
Presentation by Director of Community Development Noah Housh.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
George Barich of Cotati
Michael Ceremello
Jessica N of Cotati
Council provided general feedback to Staff for a potential ordinance, including:
-Support for expansion of community gardens, market gardens, and chicken keeping -Limitations on operating hours for food trucks parked next to residential parcels -Limitations on operating locations for food trucks, to not interfere with existing restaurants -Limitations on operating hours for outdoor dining/parklets that abut residential/mixed use parcels
E. REVIEW OF THE CITY OF COTATI’S DRAFT CYBERSECURITY AND DATA
PROTECTION POLICIES
Presentation by Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
Council recommended that Staff reach out to Cal Cities and/or CIRA to inquire if they have a model policy.
8. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & 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 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.
9. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT & COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Cotati City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
10. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lemus adjourned the meeting at 10:07pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk