Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: APPROVAL OF ANNUAL STORM WATER SUPPORT
SERVICES AGREEMENT
Date: June 23, 2026
Written by: Craig Scott, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Recommendation
It is recommended the City of Cotati City Council adopt a resolution to approve a professional services agreement with Stone Creek Environmental Consulting, LLC for Storm Water Support Services.
Background
The City is subject to the State’s Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Waste Discharge requirements Order Number R1 2015-30 for the operation and maintenance of its municipal separate storm sewer system (a.k.a. MS4 Permit). The Order’s requirements consist of multiple tasks and responsibilities including conducting water monitoring, public outreach, reporting requirements and enforcement authority to safeguard the natural waterways in and around the City from pollution. The State allows for permittees in the same region to combine efforts. The City works together with neighboring cities and the County to regionally address the stormwater permit requirements.
Analysis/Discussion
The proposed FY26/27 services include services to assist Staff in implementing its MS4 permit and attending the Committee meetings and cost recovery inspections of private development construction sites. The City is subject to the requirements of the regional Water Board’s Waste Discharge requirements Order No. R1-2015-0030, National Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. CA0025054 for discharge from the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) (Permit). The permit expired on January 5, 2021, and is expected to be renewed in Fiscal Year 2026/27. Until the permit is renewed, the City must continue implementing the requirements of the expired permit.
The tasks in the proposal are to assist the City with the ongoing requirements of the expired Permit which include:
• Sediment reduction Effectiveness Tracking
• Construction Site Inspections (Cost recovery for private development construction) • Municipal Staff Training
• Annual Reporting
• Co-Permittee Meeting Assistance
• Low Impact Development Maintenance, and
• Trash Implementation Plan
Colleen Hunt, owner of Stone Creek Consulting, is uniquely qualified to provide these services as she has experience with the drafting and implementation of the MS4 Permit. Colleen Hunt 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 storm water permittees during her time with the Regional Water Board and for the past three years as a consultant. Colleen Hunt has provided storm water assistance to the City since 2018. For these reasons, this contract is recommended to be a sole source selection in accordance with the City's procurement policy. Staff have prepared and attached to this item the sole source justification memo to document compliance with this policy Financial Considerations
The proposed fee increased from $48,900 in the prior year to $65,800. The increase is primarily attributable to expanding the number of required construction site inspections from three to five, an increase in the per-site inspection cost, and additional costs associated with meeting participation. Of the total increase, $16,250 relates to construction site inspections that will be funded by private development projects.
The adopted FY 2026/27 Stormwater Department budget includes $52,600 for these services. Of the total proposed contract amount, $49,550 will be funded through the Stormwater Department budget, while the remaining $16,250 will be reimbursed by private development projects.
Therefore, no additional appropriation is required.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.