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<br /> <br />Memorandum <br />To: Gem Lake Planning Commission <br /> Project Reference: <br />Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. <br />131 Table of Uses <br />Copies To: Melissa Lawrence, Acting City <br />Clerk <br /> <br /> TKDA Project No.: 22428.000 <br />From: CJ Sycks, Planner <br />Sarah Scott, Planning Intern <br /> Client No.: <br />Date: June 24, 2025 <br /> <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131 Update <br />MEETING DATE: July 8, 2025 <br /> <br />ITEMS REVIEWED: Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131 and Appendix A <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />The City Council has tasked the Planning Commission with reviewing the City’s zoning ordinance, referred to <br />as the Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131. <br />Updating Ordinance No. 131 will increase zoning and permitting clarity among residents of Gem Lake. <br />Amending the existing language and formatting will enhance the ease of use of the ordinance. <br /> <br />The Metropolitan Council adopted the Imagine 2050 regional development guide draft in February 2025. <br />They anticipate sending municipalities system statements in the fall of 2025. This will require the City of Gem <br />Lake to begin their comprehensive planning process. A comprehensive plan update often requires updating <br />the zoning ordinance to reflect any changes in future land use designations, allowable uses, etc. This initial <br />review of the zoning ordinance will position the city well for any updates that may be required to be consistent <br />with the city’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan. To view the current City of Gem Lake Comprehensive Plan, you <br />may find a copy on the City’s website here: https://gemlakemn.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Gem-Lake- <br />Comprehensive-Plan-March-2022-Optimized.pdf <br /> <br />CURRENT ORDINANCE <br />Ord. No. 131 was enacted in 2017, replacing Ord. No. 43K (Zoning Ordinance). There are 30 Sections within <br />Ord. No. 131. The definitions are found in Appendix A. To view the entire ordinance you may find a copy on <br />the City’s website here: https://gemlakemn.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ordinance- No.-131- <br />Consolidated-Land-Use-Ordinance-Updated-November-2023.pdf. <br />The first four sections of Ordinance No. 131 provide a background to the purpose of the document and the <br />related rules. Maps are provided to visualize each zoning district. Each zoning district is described in <br />individual sections (section 5 through section 10), including the district purpose, permitted uses, and lot <br />regulations. <br />Concerns with the current ordinance include inconsistent formatting, combining conditional and interim uses, <br />frequent back referencing, and unclear. <br /> <br />