Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING
SECTION 17.42.170 ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS/JUNIOR
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS OF THE COTATI
MUNICIPAL CODE TO CONFORM TO STATE LAW
Date: September 8, 2026
Written by: Autumn Buss, Associate Planner
Recommendation
It is recommended by the Community Development Department that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending Section 17.42.170 Accessory Dwelling Units/Junior Accessory Dwelling Units of the Cotati Municipal Code to conform with State law.
Background
On August 25, 2026, the City Council held a public hearing and introduced an ordinance amending Section 17.42.170 Accessory Dwelling Units/Junior Accessory Dwelling Units of the Cotati Municipal Code to conform with State law. The Council voted to approve the ordinance.
Financial Considerations
Beyond the staff time to draft the ordinance, there are no financial impacts to the City from adoption of the proposed ordinance.
Environmental Issues
In conformance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), staff finds that the proposed amendments to the Cotati Municipal Code identified in the draft ordinance are related to and implement the goals, policies, and objectives of the 2015 General Plan and the 2023-31 Housing Element, and therefore finds that these proposed revisions conform to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, which provides a streamlined review of the environmental impacts of the project by tiering from the program level analysis prepared for the Cotati General Plan and its certified EIR and/or the Housing Element and its certified Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), and other previously completed environmental analysis. Staff further finds that all adopted mitigating General Plan policies and mitigation measures identified in the 2015 General Plan EIR and/or 2023-2031 Housing Element MND address any potential environmental impacts of the proposed code changes. Finally, future project-specific environmental analysis of any permit or variance proposed under the amended Code will be required and will allow projectspecific impacts not previously identified or anticipated to be addressed.