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Cotati planning commission backs TOC zoning changes, limits unbundled parking to station area
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Summary
The Cotati Planning Commission voted to recommend a TOC-based zoning ordinance to the City Council, asking staff to limit 'unbundled' parking to the transit-oriented area and to provide data on how many compliance points and what cost impacts are tied to parking unbundling.
The Cotati Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended that the City Council adopt an ordinance implementing Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) rules and Santero Way-specific zoning updates, but amended staff’s draft to limit a controversial parking change — ‘unbundled’ parking — to the parcels inside the half-mile TOC radius.
Director Noah Hausch, Cotati’s community development director, told the commission the ordinance is largely a compliance step with ABAG/MTC TOC policies and would not itself propose any immediate new development. "There’s no projects proposed with this," he said, describing the ordinance as “resetting the rules” for properties near the SMART station and across town.
The amendment approved by the commission narrows a requirement from staff’s draft that would have allowed unbundling (charging separately for parking rather than including it with rent) citywide for multifamily housing. Commissioners instead asked that unbundling apply only inside the TOC area and directed staff to return to council with (1) how many TOC compliance points are tied to unbundling and (2) estimates or comparable data about how unbundling has affected parking costs and housing affordability in other jurisdictions.
Why it matters: Cotati staff said TOC alignment matters for grant competitiveness. Hausch estimated Bay Area OBAG/ABAG-related funding that can flow to Cotati averages roughly $500,000–$1,000,000 a year; TOC compliance affects a jurisdiction’s score and its likelihood of receiving those transportation and infrastructure grants.
What the ordinance would do: The proposal would create two new zoning districts, Santero Way and Transit Oriented Communities, and update code throughout parts of the city to meet TOC production, preservation and protection categories. Staff described high-level elements including residential densities of about 25–35 units per acre in affected parcels, a maximum parking standard of 1.5 spaces per unit (with zero minimums), shared and unbundled parking rules in TOC, and modest commercial floor-area and bike-parking adjustments. Staff also proposed code cleanups to modernize land-use definitions for tattoo studios, tobacco/smoke shops, micro-distilleries and vintage clothing sales.
Public concern and commission reaction: Members of the public and several commissioners voiced strong concern about the unbundling requirement and its equity effects. One resident said removing minimum parking and requiring unbundling could force low-income renters to pay extra for parking or be pushed to park on neighborhood curbs; another asked for more detail on emergency evacuation planning and traffic impacts on East Cotati Avenue.
Business owners sought clarity: Evan, the owner of the town’s tattoo shop, said the proposed changes appeared welcome for small business permitting; staff confirmed tattoo studios would be proposed as a permitted use similar to hair salons (business license required but no conditional-use permit).
Staff cautioned commissioners the TOC menu includes some required elements and some optional points. Hausch said unbundling is a mandated element in the TOC scoring framework and that jurisdictions gain or lose points based on how they choose to comply; he recommended staff return with precise point values and local cost comparisons so the City Council can weigh tradeoffs.
Motion and vote: After debate and one failed motion to strike unbundling entirely, the commission approved the recommendation to the City Council with the amendment to limit unbundling to the TOC parcels and to request the additional data. The recorded roll call showed Commissioner Berman voting No, Commissioner Sparks Yes and Vice Chair Long Yes; the motion passed.
Next steps: The planning commission’s recommendation and the public comments will go to the City Council for a public hearing and a decision currently scheduled for November 18. Staff will prepare the requested scoring and cost information for council consideration.
Notes on scope and limits: The commission and staff repeatedly emphasized that the ordinance is a rules change, not a proposal for a particular development; any future private or publicly funded housing projects would come forward with separate environmental review, traffic and evacuation analyses and, where public funds are involved, prevailing-wage requirements.
