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Residents press Cotati Council on sidewalk accessibility and allege code‑enforcement misconduct
Summary
At the June 23 meeting, public commenters urged the council to prioritize ADA sidewalk improvements and raised allegations that city code enforcement and police conduct targeted a disabled household; city staff committed to follow up but made no on‑the‑record rebuttal to the allegations.
Public commenters at the Cotati City Council meeting on June 23 pressed elected officials for clearer action and transparency on two issues: sidewalk and ADA access projects and serious allegations about how city enforcement handled a disabled household’s vehicle.
During the citizen‑business period, resident Lori spoke at length and alleged that city staff "weaponized" code enforcement to retaliate against local critics, saying staff had towed a medically necessary vehicle from an 89‑year‑old, bed‑ridden resident and that police officers conducted an impound hearing at the woman’s bedside. Lori said the family is pursuing federal legal claims and asked the council to investigate and to pull consent items for fuller public review.
Another speaker, Eric Parker, described a dangerous sidewalk gap near Veterans Park and said he nearly fell from his wheelchair; he asked for updated project status and clearer public information about where the city’s Safe Routes/ADA grant funding will be applied. A member of the public asked staff to follow up directly with commenters to provide contact information and clarification.
What staff told the council: City staff explained that the consent calendar includes a cooperative funding agreement with Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authority (SCTCA) for Safe Routes and an ADA transition plan. In response to questions about the grant amounts, staff said the grant pairing included a $100,000 allocation for the ADA transition plan; one speaker had suggested only $10,000 was set aside, and staff said they would follow up and provide clarity. Staff also committed to obtaining contact information from commenters and returning with details.
What was not resolved at the meeting: The serious accusations about unlawful towing and retaliatory enforcement were presented on the public record without a substantive factual response from staff during the meeting; the council later met in closed session on existing litigation but did not make a public finding in the hearing. The claims therefore remain unresolved in the public meeting record.
Quote: "I almost fell out of my wheelchair because it's not marked," Eric Parker said, urging the city to prioritize sidewalk repairs and clearer public updates.
Next steps: Staff committed to follow up with the public commenters, to verify the actual grant amounts and project schedules for ADA/sidewalk work, and to provide contact information to those who requested assistance. Council did not pull the consent item but asked staff to return with clarifications.
Note on sourcing: Allegations about code‑enforcement misconduct and the towing event appear in public comment and reference a pending federal suit; they are reported here as allegations because no independent factual finding was made in the meeting transcript.
