Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A
CONTRACT FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES WITH
WILLDAN ENGINEERING FOR UP TO $50,000 FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2026/27 AND FOR UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS
THEREAFTER.
Date: August 11, 2026
Written by: Noah Housh, Director of Community Development Recommendation
It is recommended the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Willdan Engineering to provide part-time code enforcement services for the City of Cotati for an amount not to exceed $50,000 per year for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, with authority to reauthorize for up to two additional years thereafter.
Background
The Community Development Department is responsible for administering and enforcing provisions of the Cotati Municipal Code related to property maintenance, zoning compliance, public nuisances, and health and safety concerns. Effective code enforcement supports neighborhood quality, protects property values, and promotes community safety.
The City has historically utilized a professional services agreement to provide code enforcement services. Contracting for these services allows the City to obtain specialized expertise in a costeffective manner while maintaining flexibility to meet changing operational needs. In accordance with Assembly Bill (AB) 339, staff reviewed the proposed agreement and evaluated the scope of services against the duties performed by employees in the City's recognized bargaining units.
This review confirmed that the services to be provided under the agreement are not currently performed by, or available within, any existing bargaining unit classifications. Therefore, the notification requirements of AB 339 do not apply, and no notice to the City's recognized employee organizations was required.
On May 7, 2026, the City of Cotati partnered with several other local jurisdictions to publish a request for proposals to provide part time code enforcement services. The City received five responses and after reviewing all proposals, determined that Willdan Engineering was the best fit to meet the needs of the City.
Analysis/Discussion
Staff solicited information regarding the availability of qualified code enforcement service providers capable of providing municipal code enforcement services on an as-needed basis.
Based on the firm's experience, qualifications, availability, and familiarity with municipal operations, staff recommends entering into an agreement with Willdan Engineering. Willdan Engineering has extensive experience providing municipal planning, building, and code enforcement services throughout California and has successfully supported numerous local agencies with responsive and professional code enforcement services. The proposed agreement with Willdan Engineering is for one year during Fiscal Year 2026-27, with the option to extend for up to two additional years after this fiscal year if the service needs of the city are being met in a professional and cost-effective manner.
Approval of the proposed agreement will allow the Community Development Department to maintain timely response to community concerns and continue effective enforcement of the Municipal Code while managing fluctuations in workload.
Financial Considerations
The proposed agreement authorizes expenditures not to exceed $50,000 per annual year. Funding for Fiscal Year 20262027 is available within the adopted Code Enforcement department budget for professional services. No additional appropriation is required.
Environmental Issues
The proposed authorization to enter into a professional services agreement for code enforcement services is not a project under CEQA. Where it can be determined with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA review. This general rule can be applied to activities which could be subject to the CEQA process, but which logic dictates should not be subject to CEQA review.
Therefore, based on the information provided above, the proposed resolution is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 14.03.021 and 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines in that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant impact on the environment and the decision is not a project under CEQA.