[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6461414,"mediaKeyId","5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e","parentId",5824285,"title","Cotati holds workshop on Santero Way rezoning, staff proposes TOC zoning and parking limits","audioSeconds",1998,"startMs",848000,"endMs",2846000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e&start=848&end=2846","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e/thumbnail_848000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6461414/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Cotati-holds-workshop-on-Santero-Way-rezoning-staff-proposes-TOC-zoning-and-parking-limits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461414-4a5dffc633faa8573165244b9e48fd39/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153176&Signature=oj4DXMLRSYPQMFguQINettaLYcvrATTB~aHc5GwmnJMTE31FWvS8tuEeeqT9OFcGsM11pGQHS9WKH332aLvnjqYwyZQENE9n9iZ0-Pjmu5NUdFj5vElrEn1iD4UxSFi60rfEsBjrrdNJ~PE~DiJJQzHakBb5iBwLqCUEk3sEyJQkw~2d3xx9onkX7U1QE6llrtym1iKMPEeI0s85SAubrkENicu7mA3NuFamY-vyOm02hGGeCqfMUYt2tc4yN0tRtNaR-yJIMbmx8zgLqtBJ8AMqSnJaRFsHfgH1YAPTh3iS8xCWgd6WfxoHhQGHuW~ts2GtFSYtA2he3OXCUoIkOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cotati, CA","date","2025-09-24T12:39:48.337Z","article","Thank you, Mayor Ford, members of the council. I'm Noah House, community development director for the city. And we are going to be discussing Cotati's transit oriented community and Santero Way rezoning, in a workshop format; no decisions are being made tonight, Noah House said at the start of a lengthy presentation.

The presentation laid out proposed changes intended to bring Cotati into compliance with ABAG/MTC’s draft Transit-Oriented Communities guidance and to implement the Santero Way specific plan update. Staff recommended creating two new zoning districts (a primarily residential Santero Way district and a mixed-use TOC district along East Cotati Avenue), adopting density and floor-area-ratio ranges, and setting parking maximums. The changes are intended to increase the city’s competitiveness for regional grant funds tied to TOC compliance and to guide redevelopment near the SMART station.

The recommendations matter because they would change development rules for parcels within a half-mile of the SMART station and make targeted code changes citywide. Staff told the council the proposed residential densities would generally range from 25 to 35 units per acre, commercial floor-area ratios (FAR) would be 1.0 to 3.0, and residential parking would be capped at 1.5 spaces per unit. Staff also proposed a maximum commercial parking rate of 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet and no minimum parking requirements in TOC areas; bicycle parking requirements would rise to one secured space per unit in TOC areas.

Staff framed the package as partly required by state trends in housing law and partly a chance to capture ABAG/MTC funding. Noah House emphasized that some elements are mandated and others are selectable menu items under the TOC guidance; the city chose a set of options staff believes will put Cotati in a high compliance tier and improve the city’s competitiveness for one-bay-area grant funding tied to TOC metrics.

During council questioning, members sought clarification about whether the proposed parking limits were compulsory in the ABAG/MTC rubric and whether the city’s existing processes already satisfy streamlining requirements such as those in SB 330. House said Cotati’s entitlement process is already broadly aligned with SB 330 requirements but staff would codify those practices so they are explicit. Council members also asked whether unbundled parking (a price difference between renting a unit with or without a parking space) would apply only to multifamily housing; staff said they propose applying it to multifamily and mixed-use developments in the TOC area and that they will confirm whether ABAG/MTC will accept making the policy optional versus required.

Council members and staff discussed community concerns repeatedly raised in outreach: parking availability, the mix of commercial and residential uses, maintaining neighborhood character, emergency access and evacuation routes, and housing affordability. Staff noted outreach included 1,000 mailed notices for a neighborhood meeting and a planning commission workshop; public commenters at the meeting criticized the TOC approach as over-reaching and said Cotati’s transit connections are limited.

On housing production and preservation, staff proposed two main compliance pathways: using the city’s recent acquisition at 120 East Cotati Avenue as a housing-production commitment and codifying streamlined entitlement processes consistent with SB 330. Staff advised caution on some menu options that would require multi-year funding commitments (staff cited a Tier A funding example of a four-year commitment with $1 million for production, $500,000 for preservation and $100,000 for protection) because Cotati’s current budget is two-year and staff judged multi‑year commitments at that scale imprudent now.

Staff recommended several code cleanups and clarifications to accompany the TOC zoning changes. Those included reclassifying tattoo and body-piercing studios from a restricted “personal services — restricted” use to a general “personal services” category to increase available commercial locations; adding an explicit retail tobacco-shop definition to the land-use code while continuing to prohibit new tobacco shops; and adding micro-distilleries and vintage clothing retail as defined uses. Staff said these edits are intended to make the land-use table clearer and to help vacant ground-floor spaces find viable small-business tenants.

The council provided general support for the approach and suggested staff return with an implementing ordinance after staff uploads the draft policy package to ABAG/MTC’s compliance portal and receives early feedback. No ordinance or final vote was taken at the workshop; staff will bring back code language and any ABAG/MTC feedback for future council action.

Staff will use the council’s input to prepare an implementing ordinance, submit the draft compliance package to the ABAG/MTC portal for review, and return with any responses along with proposed ordinance language and specific redline edits.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 23, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Thank you, Mayor Ford, members of the council. I'm Noah House, community development director for the city. And we are going to be discussing Cotati's transit oriented community and Santero Way rezoning, in a workshop format; no decisions are being made tonight.","taxTitle","Cotati City, Sonoma County, California","taxId",72376,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6461405,"Votes at a glance: Cotati council approves consent calendar, League delegate and extended leave",4993,123000,5116000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e&start=123&end=5116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e/thumbnail_123000.jpg","/articles/6461405/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Cotati-council-approves-consent-calendar-League-delegate-and-extended-leave","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461405-234d20dc846893519b13f9462c6c226b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153176&Signature=Fe~HFhwGHoWpgMW4bXJGnlPRlrgTiEnvZQmieRI-ZeIQT~2lLLavYHbU5sPz3aUIm5ifdnKZra1x~rUURAWVHVRY556de6dEKOjU1EwZW~YkDUQ4dHU-07rqI2yv~0MkBbXrJYovfKhXKj9O3VwE6nATY5Pv23JgJlt7epzSsiZu5wcs5jknVPL7j03K9W2Mzo~v2zskF0uR2oa62b8R90UnNMpBPoiW302ROAJv1yAf9vv4~gnKWCyTF74oSLwB9WPi86A6MsXQDiUfTMgv5yLfEdlL9K~Y27N2eTl-UsAp-PhOl6t2McNl0Susw0yK5x-p9fH2B1yIwjpO5IPZTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cotati City Council took several procedural and personnel actions during the meeting.

Minutes and consent calendar
Council approved the minutes from the council’s regular meeting of Sept. 9 and the consent calendar. The minutes and consent calendar were approved by motion and voice vote; the clerk announced the consent calendar carried 4–0.

League of California Cities voting delegate
The council appointed Mayor Ford as the city’s voting delegate to the League of California Cities 2025 annual conference business meeting, with Vice Mayor Lemus as the primary alternate and City Manager Obid as a second alternate. The council moved and seconded the recommendation and approved it by voice vote.

Extended leave of absence for Councilmember Sparks
Councilmember Sparks requested a temporary leave of absence for a teaching opportunity abroad from Jan. 26 through May 11, 2026. The council considered the request under state law and existing city practice; staff noted that state Government Code provisions establish vacancy timeframes but allow local bodies to define excused leaves. Council approved the temporary leave by motion and voice vote; the transcript records the motion as carrying 3–0 in favor.

Other procedural votes
Council also approved the consent items listed on the agenda (staff reports, routine contract amendments and similar items) by motion and voice vote; the clerk announced the consent calendar carried 4–0.

No additional votes changing ordinance language were taken at this meeting; the council held a workshop on the Santero Way/TOC rezoning but took no final action on zoning changes.","The Cotati City Council approved routine minutes and the consent calendar, appointed a voting delegate and alternates to the League of California Cities annual conference, and granted an extended temporary leave of absence to a council member. Vote counts were recorded for some items; others were approved by voice vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6461410,"Cotati extends month-to-month lease for downtown public parking after staff negotiation",603,4486000,5089000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e&start=4486&end=5089","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824285-485854cd28228e043de67bdaa69e9e2e/thumbnail_4486000.jpg","/articles/6461410/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Cotati-extends-month-to-month-lease-for-downtown-public-parking-after-staff-negotiation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6461410-cd3c335930edcff49cd73558d7be9ca7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153176&Signature=DZbVl6BN0B2ZlsTrBW63AhCOVl51IIRJ8ygDUVdwgJ~U~apgaguCwYdb--pFo~hQHB-6uzm-7R3FCTjkA1esUOqf48dX70vgcA5WO5dvmsuLGXcYt6GzBOPizWBJziAjAOFlH39LfzL3CxJlqcmUd5HvcKSsZoDLw3TMiBL7DthNE7ZysLCdu-wfa~SEbOXVJso2GoC~N8x9POTIjtPoZ-SFsoCm1NDO2a3yUsjVxtv5TwKpRnu0h-hemv-A-3zSwGLwWzAMgkwf45aDjVTU2zJV9V0ib0yI-ItRYLWl~8llV7rv8yKBSaGH9wzz8UpJyNdOeL6ahdty224qGnC0rA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff recommended a temporary extension of a private-property lease that provides public parking in downtown Cotati, and the council approved the short-term amendment so the downtown lot will remain available to the public while staff develops longer-term options.

The parking area sits behind several downtown businesses. Staff told the council the original 25-year arrangement — under which the city financed improvements and maintained the lot while there was no ongoing rent payment to the owner — expired at the end of the month. The majority property owner had indicated they would relist the property for sale and asked the city to consider a month-to-month lease rather than a long-term renewal. Staff said the owner first requested $2,000 per month; staff and the owner negotiated a $1,800-per-month, month-to-month agreement with a 90-day termination clause.

During a staff report, the city said the primary goal of approving a short extension is to avoid a sudden disruption in downtown parking while giving the city time to pursue broader conversations about parking strategy. Staff recommended the short-term extension and that council direct staff to add a midyear work-plan item to look at longer-term parking options and potential funding approaches.

Council discussion emphasized that the short-term lease is not a long-term solution. One council member described the extension as a practical but imperfect step that buys time to engage property owners and downtown businesses; another member urged a broader, deliberate conversation about the long-term implications and possible unintended consequences. There was no public comment on the item.

A council member moved the staff recommendation to adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute the month-to-month lease amendment, to amend the budget to appropriate funds for the lease payments for the remainder of the fiscal year, and to direct staff to place a midyear work-plan item about parking management. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The motion text as stated on the record reads: “adopt a resolution of the city council of the city of Cotati authorizing the city manager to execute an amendment to temporarily extend the lease for public parking in the downtown parking lot, amending the budget to appropriate funds for the remaining fiscal year of lease payments, and direct staff to place a midyear work plan item for the city council consideration regarding parking management.”

Staff said the 90‑day termination provision allows any future property owner to pursue redevelopment or a different arrangement if that is their preference; staff will return with a midyear agenda item if the council decides to prioritize a long-term parking plan.","The council approved a short-term, month-to-month extension to a private-property lease that provides public parking downtown. The agreement pays the property owner $1,800 per month with a 90‑day termination clause and will be revisited at midyear to consider long-term parking options and funding.","actionData","errors"]

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Cotati holds workshop on Santero Way rezoning, staff proposes TOC zoning and parking limits

Votes at a glance: Cotati council approves consent calendar, League delegate and extended leave

Cotati extends month-to-month lease for downtown public parking after staff negotiation