The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Berkemeier.

Councilmembers present: Berkemeier, Orchard, Fox, Gilardi, Kurvers

Staff present: Shaddox, Dorch, Hayes, Stewart, Kirkpatrick, Anna, Bertolero

It was moved by Kurvers, seconded by Gilardi, to approve the minutes of February 14, 2001 and to waive the reading of all ordinances introduced and/or adopted under this agenda.

Yes: 5 No: 0

At the recommendation of the City Manager, it was moved by Kurvers, seconded by Orchard, to add to the agenda, under Council Reports, consideration of support for appointment to the Bay Area Air Quality Control Board by the City Selection Committee, with the finding that the matter arose after posting of the agenda and must be acted upon prior to the next regular meeting.

Yes: 5 No: 0

-- Visit the City's web page at www.ci.cotati.ca.us to see announcements, upcoming events, and agendas and minutes for the City Council and commissions.

The Mayor called attention to the announcements.

-- Katie Arnold, Creekside Middle School

Honorary Mayor Arnold commented on various amenities and improvements she would like to see implemented in Cotati. She commented on some areas that could be improved in the City. She said she attends community events because she enjoys them and is interested in what is going on in the community. She responded to questions from Council. Mayor Berkemeier thanked her and presented her with a certificate of appreciation and a plaque acknowledging her many volunteer contributions to the community.

Mayor Berkemeier accepted the resignation of Dennis Key as a regular member of the Design Review Committee. He then appointed alternate member Robert Leys to hold a regular membership on the Committee, with Key to serve as alternate member.

Nick Alva, 8682B Old Redwood Highway, requested the City attend to traffic problems he has observed on Old Redwood Highway, detailed in a letter he provided to Council.

Patricia Jonas Voulgaris, Cotati, said the museum is coming along nicely, including a web page. She said on May 19^th there will be a casino night to at the Cotati Veterans Memorial Building to benefit the museum.

Lisa Moore, 12 Kingston Lane, reported on the first meeting of the planning group of the County Families and Children Commission which will be allocating monies for child care in the Cotati-Rohnert Park area. She said they need additional people to help with the job.

It was moved by Fox, seconded by Gilardi, to approve the Consent Calendar.

Yes: 5 No: 0

City Manager Shaddox and City Engineer Bertolero reviewed the history of this project.

Heidi Hydusik, 8588 Lakewood Avenue, asked Council to decline the grant for the project and said that she had a petition from 168 citizens near the proposed project opposing any improvements to the existing path, with the exception of the bridge. She handed the petition to the Mayor.

Kris Culp, 8575 Loretto, said she would be directly affected by the project and said there is no need for a bike path in that area.

Anne Wallace Rock, 35 Page Street, said that although she does not live in that area she exercises there. She said the dog excrement situation is a real problem. She added that the bridge configuration is awkward and needs to be fixed. If an asphalt path is approved, she would be concerned about chunks of asphalt getting into the creek.

Lisa Moore, 12 Kingston Lane, said she formerly lived on Marsh Way and so is familiar with the area. She said the overgrown plants along the path are a hazard, and certain areas become slick and dangerous, and in fact her child slipped into the creek on one occasion. She recalled that the Planning Commission settled on asphalt when it considered the matter.

Elaine Blake said she and her neighbors have concluded that the trail would be better left as is. She argued that existing routes are perfectly adequate and cited examples of other areas where native habitat is being preserved and restored. She urged Council to leave the trail as it is.

Mark Firestone, 8483 Loretto Avenue, said his neighbor is concerned with lack of privacy in the path area and he himself fears increased use of the path by inebriated people. He said he and others feel asphalt definitely should not be used on the path, and he requested plans to pave the path be canceled.

Sandy Elles, 121 Flamingo Road, said she was involved in the planning for this bike path and feels the City needs to do whatever is necessary to increase use of the bike paths, to improve the bike paths and make them ADA compliant. She agreed it would be nice if the path could be other than asphalt, but she did not feel widening the path alone would be detrimental. She applauded staff for pursuing the matter.

John Rock, 35 Page Street, said he would like to see other options than asphalt looked into. He said other alternatives exist, and he believes Caltrans would accept a 6-foot asphalt trail, but he would prefer another surface. He echoed an earlier statement that dog waste is a problem along the path.

Yvonne Van Dyke, 466 Christensen Court, said she is concerned because in some areas she sees asphalt cracking and breaking and not being maintained. She said Petaluma seems to have small, well-maintained paths that we should take a look at, and we should not chase grants just because they are grants.

Barry Harris, 19 Gilbert Way, said he uses the path every day and he does not feel macadam will make any difference to the birds. He said if the path were accessible and easy to use, perhaps more people would use it. He was in favor of improving the path to benefit all the people of Cotati.

Susan Moran asked why the path is being paved since it already works.

Heidi Hydusik read a letter from Jennie Blaker, who lives on Arthur Street, expressing appreciation for bike paths but opposing the paving of the path in question. She said asphalt will take more maintenance than gravel and seems to attract more vandalism. Given the choice, people will walk on a grassy or even muddy path rather than on asphalt.

Vicky O’Hara, 8556 Loretto Avenue, echoed a previous speaker’s question as to why the path needs to be paved. She said that although she lives near Rohnert Park’s paved paths, she does not use them and uses, instead, the unpaved Cotati path.

George Barich, 176 W. Cotati Oaks Court, said municipalities apply for grants for various reasons, and sometimes the projects are not critically examined beforehand. He said that additional police services should be provided along the path and are not likely to be available.

Paul Foti, 7883 Old Redwood Highway, said the basic premise is that the path is for everybody, regardless of grants. He pointed out that business people, as well as City Hall, have had to install ramps and other accessible facilities; and everyone has to deal with litter and vandalism. If the original intent of the path was to have it accessible and scenic, he said, then that intent needs to be carried out.

Nancy Rappolt, 15 Pine Tree Circle, said the bike path in question does not really go anywhere, doesn’t need to be paved, but should be kept for enjoyment of locals.

Dottie Reed, 24 Meadowbrook Court, said she walks the bike path nearly every day and loves the paved part. She said she would love to see the rest of it paved so she could use more of it.

Linda Christopher, 449 Penngrove Avenue, said she would ask Council not to put in a paved 8’ path. She provided information as to how the path affects the creek. Creeks and rivers naturally meander, she said, and paving tends to channelize them. Secondly, the banks of creeks are not naturally steep but wide and terraced so as to hold more water at various times of the year and to slow the water down. She pointed out that steep banks move water faster. Thirdly, room is needed to restore the proper balance of plants, known as the riparian corridor, that grow along creeks and rivers. For those three reasons, she is concerned about the path and would like a narrow, gravel path that would not impinge on the riparian corridor restoration efforts.

Planning Director Dorch commented that back in the 1980’s the bike plan was put into the General Plan, and there was a lot of public input to develop the idea. The money just recently became available, so the City applied for funding to enable implementation of the General Plan provisions. Mayor Berkemeier said the city applying for grants is an effort to improve the community.

Councilwoman Gilardi said she is not convinced asphalt will drive away wildlife, and she wants to approve projects that are inclusive rather than accessible only to some citizens. She suggested placement of signs encouraging people to be sensitive to the area and clean up after themselves.

Councilwoman Kurvers said when given a choice she tends to walk on paved pathway and would like to walk further on paved walkway. She expressed concern about excluding some people from the walkway and would like to make the path accessible to less sure-footed people; and also, therefore, more people could travel without their cars. She said she did not feel wildlife would be driven away by paving the path. She encouraged users of the path to help pick up litter, and she said she would like to ask the Police Department to walk the path at night.

Vice Mayor Orchard said she feels an 8’ path is overkill and has concerns about creek restoration efforts; however, her concerns about accessibility are very strong as well. She said she would like to go back to Caltrans with a design exception request and try to get a 6’ path. Also, restoration efforts should be speeded and funded as much as possible.

Councilman Fox said Council’s previous direction was to have a crushed rock path. He proposed the City install ADA compliant paths similar to those in Annadel Park, proceed with installation of the bridge, considering that, over time, the asphalt will deteriorate and require maintenance. He indicated he would like to look into what crushed rock will cost and consider installing it, or ADA-compliant bark.

Mayor Berkemeier noted that he spent a month or two in a wheelchair about a year ago, and he said that was quite an experience. He said he feels he must help provide for the needs of all the community, and he worked on developing the bike path plan. He said he doesn’t like that Caltrans is once again dictating how the path must be built.

At the recommendation of City Manager Shaddox, the Mayor requested that staff respond to some of the comments made by the audience.

City Engineer Bertolero suggested requesting Caltrans approve a 8’ wide path with 6’ paved strip. Regarding surface material, she looked at a path in Annadel Park and talked with the warden there. She does not feel that, in the section she looked at, the surface is ADA compliant at this time, although it could have been at some earlier time. She commented that there are different types of asphalt, and aggregates could be put in the asphalt to make it less smooth. She added staff would be looking into colors for the asphalt, although acknowledging that matching a colored asphalt can present a problem when patching becomes necessary.

It was moved by Fox, seconded by Orchard, that crushed rock be put down, the bridge be installed, and staff be directed to begin the process of changing the General Plan to make the bike path a pedestrian path.

Yes: 1 No: 4 (Gilardi, Kurvers, Orchard, Berkemeier)

City Manager Shaddox said staff will try to achieve the 6’ paved, 8’ total width path with 2' graded shoulder, but otherwise will go with 8’ paved path, which is the present Caltrans-approved project.

It was moved by Orchard, seconded by Fox, to try to get a design exception from Caltrans to reduce the width of the path to 6’ with 2' graded shoulder; and, in the event that is not approved, to consider redesignating the bike and pedestrian path to a trail; and to go ahead with installation of the bridge.

Yes: 3 No: 2 (Gilardi, Berkemeier)

The meeting was recessed at 9:16 p.m. and reconvened at 9:29 p.m.

Police Chief Stewart gave a staff report and responded to questions from Council.

Dottie Reed, 24 Meadowbrook Court, requested and received confirmation that parking in the area would be limited between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Yvonne Van Dyke, 466 Christensen Court, discussed the proposal, with additional clarification from Chief Stewart.

Bill Hall, Arbor Creek Center, said he understands the parking needs of the Garcias, but his concern is for people who work different shifts.

Joe Reed, 24 Meadowbrook Court, said there are no sidewalks, so there will be no way for pedestrians to move along Wilford Lane. Shaddox responded that access to the bike path along the creek will be improved for pedestrians and bicyclists.

George Barich urged Council to keep citizens informed where funds are coming from for any given project.

Janet Garcia, 670 Wilford Circle, said they are not trying to take parking away from anyone, and she hopes sidewalk can be put in some time. She added that she hopes traffic will slow down and have consideration for people who live and walk there.

Following Council discussion, it was moved by Kurvers, seconded by Orchard, to adopt Resolution No. 01-09 Establishing a Two-Hour Parking Zone on Wilford Lane, with Option 1.

Yes: 5 No: 0

Mayor Berkemeier stated he would abstain from consideration of this item because of a conflict of interest. He left the dais at 9:49 p.m.

Planning Director Dorch gave a staff report and responded to questions from Council.

Eris Weaver, Lancaster Drive, on the coordinating committee of the co-housing group, said she is part of a group of 30 families looking to build homes for themselves.

Katie McCamant, Chair of the co-housing group, spoke about how the present proposal was developed.

Lisa Moore, 12 Kingston Lane, said she perceives that the master plan that she and others worked so hard on is being piecemealed, and she wondered why no one who worked on the master plan was notified about this projected change.

Mark Firestone said he understands the 19’ area was set aside for open space for the public, and he also stated he felt there should have been more notice of the proposed change. He said he opposes the change because the citizens will not have access to the open space.

Anne Wallace Rock, 35 Page Street, said she had provided stamped, self-addressed envelopes in order to be notified about any proposed changes to this project, and she received no notice regarding tonight's agenda item. She requested she be notified in the future.

Don Van Dyke, 466 Christensen Court, said this project is not following the approved process and he would like to see it do so.

Craig Meltzner, Burbank Housing, said for any of the property to be released from the City of Cotati, they needed to make sure the City feels it is worthwhile in terms of the master plan and the general area before they take it to HUD. He believes Burbank Housing is generally sympathetic to the request because of the bridge issue.

Paul Foti, 7883 Old Redwood Highway, received clarification about to whom the money would be paid for the property.

Katie McCamant, Chair of co-housing group, said there would still be a substantial amount of open space when the road is moved.

John Rock, 35 Page Street, asked how the issue about the house was overlooked. Planning Director Dorch responded that it only became apparent when engineering was begun. He had expected the unit would have been removed before now by the property owner.

In response to questions regarding lack of notice to nearby property owners, Planning Director Dorch explained that the noticing process is triggered by a project, but there is not a project at this point. He acknowledged that the participants on the master plan could have been noticed, although that was not considered at the time.

It was moved by Fox, seconded by Kurvers, to adopt Resolution No. 01-15 Approving in Concept the Proposed Interim and Ultimate Alignments of Ross Street as Depicted in Exhibit A.

Yes: 4 No: 0 Abstain: 1 (Berkemeier)

Mayor Berkemeier returned to the dais at 10:34 p.m.

Councilman Fox confirmed that he and Councilwoman Kurvers will serve as subcommittee on this project.

Assistant to the City Manager Kirkpatrick gave a staff report and responded to questions from Council.

There was no public comment.

It was moved by Fox, seconded by Orchard, to approve the Countywide Transportation Plan Proposed Project list and authorize staff to submit said list on March 1, 2001 for consideration by the Sonoma County Transportation Authority.

Yes: 5 No: 0

The joint meeting was called to order at 10:40 p.m.

Council/Board Members present: Berkemeier, Orchard, Fox, Gilardi, Kurvers

Staff present: Shaddox, Hayes, Anna

It was moved by Gilardi, seconded by Kurvers, to approve the Consent Calendar.

Yes: 5 No: 0

The joint meeting was adjourned, and the regular City Council meeting reconvened, at 10:41 p.m.

Following discussion, Council agreed that the Mayor and City Manager would work with Rohnert Park and the School District to find a suitable date for the joint meeting.

-- Add-on Item: City Selection Committee appointment

Following brief discussion, no recommendations were made regarding appointment by the City Selection Committee to the Bay Area Air Quality Control Board.

Councilmembers reported on meetings they have attended recently.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

____________________________

Deputy City Clerk