Old Redwood Highway and Charles Street Master Plan

City of Cotati

Community members, property owners and developers participated in a joint process led by DC&E to develop a vision for a sixteen-acre site at the edge of downtown Cotati. The primary issues addressed by the project included the incorporation of existing wetlands and creeks, the creation of a cohesive and interconnected street, pedestrian and bicycle network, establishment of a downtown gateway, and feathering of density across the site to permit a transition from the existing rural-density housing at one edge of the site to the central commercial area at the other. Significant design features included twin buildings with two- to three- story tower elements at the gateway and a pergola on both sides of the highway with a special vehicular paving treatment to celebrate the Cotati Creek crossing. The plan includes the use of alleys to minimize garage visibility and to increase the continuity of the streetscape for pedestrians within the residential areas. The development of the plan was guided by community members, City staff, individual property owners and developers working together in a public workshop format.