Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION
APPROVING THE CITY OF COTATI’S 2026 COTATI
CANDYLAND EVENT
Date: September 8, 2026
Written by: Ashley Wilson, Recreation Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the City of Cotati’s 2026 Cotati Candyland Event.
Background
Cotati Candyland is an event that the City of Cotati sponsors each year, bringing the community to La Plaza Park and throughout the City to celebrate Halloween. This will be the City’s 7th year running this event. This year, staff intend to incorporate crafts and other goods that vendors can sell throughout the event, as well as food vendors and trucks, and carnival games.
Analysis/Discussion
Below is a summary of the event. The logistics, operations, and participants are anticipated to be similar to the 2025 event. The request includes the following:
1) Exclusive use of La Plaza Park;
2) Closure of public parking spaces;
3) Food truck and other vendor sales in the park; and
4) Live, amplified entertainment as well as animals in the park.
Event Attendance Dates/Times
Cotati Candyland 250-500 Saturday, October 31 (11:00 am-3:00 pm) California Vehicle Code Section 21101 (e) authorizes the temporary closing of any street for celebrations, parades, local events and other purposes when, in the opinion of local authorities having jurisdiction, the closing is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the temporary closing. In this instance, the public parking spaces would be heavily used for vendor logistics and equipment, so closure would be in the best interest of public safety. The streets will remain open, so no emergency service agencies will need to be notified of road closures.
Cotati Candyland is a yearly event that brings many children and adults together. The event will begin at 11:00 am with vendors and agencies handing out candy and other goodies in the park, carnival games hosted by Rancho Cotate High School students in the park, and vendors selling items in the park. Staff are requesting exclusive use of La Plaza Park, the Bandstand, and parking spaces on La Plaza between West Sierra Avenue and Old Redwood Highway from 8:00 am through 7:00 pm to allow for set-up, breakdown, and clean-up.
Financial Considerations
This event is widely marketed and has historically increased the number of visitors to the City.
The increased visitation is evidenced at the event and local businesses. The event provides increased opportunities to promote economic development.
Financial considerations for the City would be expenditure of about $7,534 in staff and supply costs accommodated in the FY 26-27 budget. The supply and staff costs for the recreation, public works, and police department include the following:
Staff Time - 58 hours, estimated cost $6,834
• Recreation Staff prep work & day of event – 55 hours - approx. $6,240 • Public Works Install/Remove no parking signs in La Plaza Park Environmental Issues – 3 hours - $594
Supplies – candy, giveaways, decorations - $700
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.