Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
1 www.consultingstonecreek.com
May 12, 2026
Mr. Craig Scott
City Engineer
City of Cotati
201 West Sierra Avenue
Cotati, CA 94931
Subject: Proposal for Storm Water Support Services, Fiscal Year 2026/2027 Dear Mr. Scott:
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting (Stone Creek) is pleased to present this proposal and fee estimate to provide stormwater support services to the City of Cotati (City).
Colleen Hunt, owner, is a Certified Professional in Municipal Stormwater Management and brings direct regulatory compliance experience with municipal stormwater permit requirements. She has worked with dozens of municipal stormwater Permittees during her time with the Regional Water Board and for the past six years as a consultant.
Colleen has been providing storm water assistance to the City since 2018.
The City is subject to requirements of the Regional Water Board’s Waste Discharge Requirements Order No. R1-2015-0030, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. CA0025054 for discharges from the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) (Permit). The Permit became effective January 6, 2016, and expired on January 5, 2021. The Permit is administratively extended until the Regional Water Board renews the Permit. The Regional Water Board anticipates that the Permit will be renewed in the 2026/2027 fiscal year. Until a new Permit is adopted, the City must continue implementing the requirements of the expired Permit.
The tasks in this proposal are to assist the City with the ongoing requirements of the expired Permit. This includes:
Sediment Reduction Effectiveness Tracking
Construction Site Inspections
Municipal Staff Training
Annual Reporting
Co-Permittee Meeting Assistance
Low Impact Development Maintenance
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
2 www.consultingstonecreek.com
Trash Implementation Plan
This proposal includes a scope of work to assist the City with these Permit requirements as outlined below.
Scope of Work
Task 1. Asset Management Planning
Future MS4 permit requirements are expected to include asset management planning.
While the specific requirements are not yet known, the City will likely need a complete inventory of its stormwater assets to comply. To help begin this effort, Stone Creek will advise the City on updates to its current asset management program. This task will focus on outfalls and will include developing a list of required outfall attributes, a visual inspection form, and a maintenance form. The goal is to provide the information needed for the City to enter data into its asset management system and generate work orders that guide maintenance staff in collecting and using that data.
Task 1 Deliverables: Excel spreadsheet with asset management data fields.
Task 2. Construction Site Inspections
Section VI.F4.e of the Permit requires the City to conduct routine inspections of active construction site projects which disturb one acre or more of land. Inspections are required to take place in September, after the first significant rain event, and monthly during the rainy season. Under this task, Stone Creek will assist the City with construction site inspections. This includes tracking the project inventory, conducting inspections, documenting inspection findings, providing recommendations to improve BMP management, issuing corrective actions, and coordinating follow-up with City staff. Stone Creek will continue to use the 2NForm software platform to track construction site projects. Project budget includes direct costs such as mileage and 2NForm licensing fee. Direct hours for each project will be itemized individually, enabling the City to recover those costs directly from the project.
Assumptions: Up to five projects to be included for inspection.
Task 2. Deliverable: Monthly PDF inspection reports.
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
3 www.consultingstonecreek.com
Task 3. Municipal Staff Training
Section G.12. of the Permit requires the City to annually train staff whose interactions, jobs, and activities may affect stormwater quality. Stone Creek will provide training on stormwater topics selected by the City. This may include illicit discharge, nonstormwater discharges, municipal activities BMP requirements, and/or integrated pest management. Training will be provided in-person at a location provided by the City.
Task 3. Deliverable: Stormwater training, including preparation of a PowerPoint presentation and training materials.
Task 4. Annual Report
Section J of the Permit requires the City to submit an Annual Report for each fiscal year.
The Annual Report for the 2025/2026 reporting period is due October 15, 2026. At the beginning of the new Permit term, the Regional Water Board developed an annual report template for Permittee use. The template provides a streamlined method for annual reporting. Completing the template satisfies the annual reporting requirements specified in Section J.
Under this task, we will assist the City with populating the template and gathering information needed for reporting. The City will need to complete sections of the report with data that is not readily available to us to adequately complete the report. The City will be responsible for submitting the final report to the Regional Water Board.
Schedule:
August 14, 2026 Staff to provide data to complete Annual Report September 15, 2026 Draft Annual Report submitted to the City for review October 1, 2026 City comments on the draft Annual Report due back to Stone Creek October 9, 2026 Stone Creek to provide the final Annual Report for submittal to the Regional Water Board
Assumptions:
Schedule assumes the Agreement for this Scope of Work will be executed no later than August 1, 2026.
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
4 www.consultingstonecreek.com
City staff provides data to complete the Annual Report according to the schedule.
Task 4 Deliverable: Draft Annual Report as an excel spreadsheet; Final Annual Report as a PDF.
Task 5. Low Impact Development Maintenance Inspections
Permit Section VI.D.12. requires the City to track and inspect all new development and redevelopment projects with LID BMPs. Inspections are required to be conducted on a two-year cycle. Post-construction BMPs were last inspected in 2026 and are due again in 2028. Under this task, Stone Creek will assist the City with conducting the required LID inspections. This task will include inspecting LID BMPs to assess functionality, with particular attention to BMP maintenance including failure, invasive vegetation, health of desired vegetation and excessive mowing, vector risk, trash and debris, sediment clogging, improper modifications, solids removal, pump-out, and blockage. As specified in the Permit, inspections address LID BMPs that are in the public right of way or at locations that would not require entering private property. Each inspection will be documented on an inspection checklist, which will include recommendations for follow-up, as applicable. A photo record of the BMPs will be provided as part of the inspection summary report.
Budget includes direct costs for mileage and 2NForm licensing fee and assumes inspections for up to six projects.
Task 5. Deliverable: Inspection summary reports.
Task 6. Co-Permittee Meeting Assistance
This City is scheduled to act as notetaker for the Co-Permittee meetings October, November, and December of 2026. Under this task, Stone Creek is available to attend Co-Permittee meetings on behalf of the City, including assisting with notetaker responsibilities. This includes preparing meeting notes and distributing them to meeting attendees.
Task 6. Deliverable: Attend up to six meetings; up to three sets of meeting notes.
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
5 www.consultingstonecreek.com
Task 7. Trash Implementation Plan
The Regional Water Board is anticipated to approve the City’s Trash Implementation Plan (TIP) and require implementation starting July 1, 2026. Under this task, Stone Creek will assist with the City TIP implementation as follows:
1. Develop education and outreach materials to distribute to residents living in Trash Management Area 6 (TMA 6) and businesses within TMA 2 through TMA
5. This will include selecting outreach materials focused on trash, print materials, and distribution.
2. Conduct On Land Visual Trash Assessments (OVTAs). This City is required to conduct periodic OVTAs at one set of assessments at TMAs 2 through TMA-6.
The Water Board has reduced the requirement to perform OVTAs from three per year to one every other year. However, Stone Creek recommends performing at least one OVTA during the 2026/2027 fiscal year to continue to track progress and demonstrate compliance. Under this task, Stone Creek will conduct 1 set OVTAs at up to five assessment locations, document findings, and track compliance progress. A summary report will be provided subsequent to the completion of all OVTAs.
3. Develop a trash progress and compliance tracking system for BMPs implemented under the Trash Implementation Plan. The City is required to track the implementation and effectiveness of trash reduction BMPs and report findings in the Annual Report. Under this task, Stone Creek will develop a framework to track progress towards meeting trash reduction requirements, which may be used by the City to maintain compliance with this permit requirement.
4. Conduct Rapid Trash Assessments. The City is required to conduct one Rapid Trash Assessment during the 2026/2027 fiscal year at Cotati Creek. Stone Creek will conduct the Rapid Trash Assessment using the methodology provided by the Water Board and used in previous creek assessments. The purpose of the Rapid Trash Assessment is to monitor trash accumulation and document the effects of episodes that affect trash levels such as storms and creek cleanup events. To complete the Rapid Trash Assessment, Stone Creek staff will walk along the banks and streambeds of multiple reaches at Cotati Creek and tally the number of trash items found, evidence of illegal dumping, threats to human health and other data points. Stone Creek will document the results of the survey and provide a summary of findings, which will be used in the Annual Report.
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
6 www.consultingstonecreek.com
Assumptions:
The TIP will be approved by the Regional Water Board by June 30, 2026 with unsubstantial changes. Should the changes of the TIP approval result in substantial changes, Stone Creek will revise this task as needed. Assumes two meetings with the City to discuss the TIP and the steps needed to implement the plan over the next 3-5 years.
Task 7 Deliverables: Education and outreach materials distributed; OVTA Summary Report as a pdf; meeting notes; Rapid Trash Assessment summary report.
Task 8. Consulting Services
Throughout the duration of this contract, the City may identify additional tasks or areas where assistance is needed. This may include the need for consultation type services to discuss project requirements, advise on compliance options, review grading plans, review Low Impact Development plans, or provide other technical information. This task will be managed as an “on-call” task. The task will be used as needed, based on the City’s initiation of assistance with a task not already covered under this scope of work.
Suggested on-call assistance may include:
Education and outreach strategies
Review of LID plans
Russian River Pathogen TMDL planning
Draft permit review assistance
New permit implementation planning
Task 8. Deliverable: TBD by client.
Task 9. Program Management
This task will include general project management tasks such as project schedule, managing budget, monthly invoices, routine communications with City staff, meetings to report progress and discuss key recommendations and decisions.
Assumptions: Up to four check in meetings, including a kick-off meeting at the beginning of the contract and three meetings to discuss task progress.
Task 9. Deliverable: Invoices
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
7 www.consultingstonecreek.com
Fee Estimate and Level of Effort
The Scope of Work will be conducted as described above for an estimated not-to-exceed budget of $65,800. The estimated fee and associated level of effort are summarized below.
Task Level of Effort,
hours Estimated Fee, $
Task 1. Sediment Reduction
Effectiveness Tracking
16 5,000
Task 2. Construction Site
Inspections
9 4,000
Task 2a. Project #1 32 6,250
Task 2b. Project #2 32 6,250
Task 2c. Project #3 32 6,250
Task 2d. Project #4 32 6,250
Task 2e. Project #5 32 6,250
Task 3. Municipal Staff Training 30 2,750
Task 4. Annual Report 12 2,000
Task 5. Low Impact Development
Maintenance Inspections
27 7,000
Task 6. Co-Permittee Meeting
Assistance
12 3,300
Task 7. Trash Implementation Plan 33 6,500
Task 8. Consulting Services 4 1,100
Task 9. Project Management 16 3,000
Total 302 65,800
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting
8733 Lakewood Drive, Suite B
Windsor, CA 95492
[email protected]
707-318-9415
8 www.consultingstonecreek.com
Billing rates for the estimate are provided below. Rates will be valid for the duration of the contract:
Classification 2026
Quality Assurance $305
Principal Compliance Specialist $275
Compliance Specialist II $194
Compliance Specialist I $174
Field Inspector $185
Intern $110
Administrative Assistance $110
Direct Costs Cost + 10%
Mileage Standard Federal Rate
Any services not included in this Scope of Work will be performed only after receiving written authorization and a corresponding budget augmentation from the City.
I am looking forward to working with you on this important work. Please feel free to contact me at 707-318-9415 or [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to discuss this proposal further.
Sincerely,
Colleen Hunt, CPMSM #343
Professional Consultant