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, August 25, 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 Absent
Ben Ford Councilmember Present
Laura Sparks Councilmember Present
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 Chief Chris Simmons, Senior Planner JP Harries, Associate Planner Autumn Buss
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 - AUG 11, 2026 No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Harvey
3. PROCLAMATIONS (ACTION)
A. WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY
Cotati City Council Minutes August 25, 2026
Mayor Lemus read the proclamation.
B. PROCLAMATION IN HONOR OF MICHAEL LARRAIN, THE COTATI FLOWER GUY
Mayor Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Bonny Russell Larrain and Wilder Larrain.
4. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
No changes.
5. 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
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SEVERAL SECTIONS OF
THE COTATI MUNICIPAL CODE TO CORRECT ERRORS AND STREAMLINE THE CITY’S PERMITTING PROCESS
B. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ANNUAL RENEWAL OF CONTRACT SERVICES FOR CIVICPLUS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026/27 AND 2027/28 INCLUDING A MINOR BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR $1,908
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Harvey
7. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
A. CONSIDERATION OF A 12-MONTH TIME EXTENSION TO THE COTATI VILLAGE
I PROJECT
Presentation by Senior Planner JP Harries.
Cotati City Council Minutes August 25, 2026
Councilmembers discuss.
Public Comment:
Monica Goddell of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Harvey
B. ADU ORDINANCE UPDATE
Presentation by Associate Planner Autumn Buss.
Councilmembers discuss.
No public comment.
RESULT: Introduce [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Harvey
9. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. APPOINTMENT OF A VOTING DELEGATE AND ALTERNATE TO THE 2026
LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES (LOCC) ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers discuss.
No public comment.
Council voted to appoint Mayor Lemus as the voting delegate, Vice Mayor Harvey as the first alternate, and City Manager O’Bid as the second alternate. Council gave direction to the voting delegate to oppose the proposed Resolution unless amended, to ensure that the State retains power to penalize cities who try to circumvent State housing goals.
Cotati City Council Minutes August 25, 2026
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Harvey
B. ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE DISTRICT UPDATE
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers discuss.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
C. CONSIDER SUPPORTING AB 1761 (RODGERS) - IMPROVING PCIA
TRANSPARENCY
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers discuss.
No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Ford, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Harvey
10. 11.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE
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.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT & COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
12. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
13. ADJOURNMENT
Cotati City Council Minutes August 25, 2026
Mayor Lemus adjourned the meeting at 7:40pm in honor of Isle Meingast, a Cotati resident who passed away recently at the age of 114.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk