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Gem Lake News Page 4 of 6 Amendments to Liquor and Tobacco Ordinances Passed Amendments to the Liquor and Tobacco Licensing Ordinances in Gem Lake were passed after a public hearing on May 18 at Heritage Hall. The amendments established hearing procedures and increased fines for violations of the liquor and tobacco ordinances, particularly as they related to the sale of these items to minors. For example, the penalty for violations of the tobacco ordinance were raised from $75 for a first violation to $500. For the second violation, penalties were raised from $200 to $1000. MS-4 Report Ready to Be Reviewed By Public A state mandated report on storm water management, called the MS-4 Report has been completed by council member Jim Lindner and accepted by the State of Minnesota. Jim spent countless volunteer hours trudging all over Gem Lake to document and photograph inflows and outflows in our city, as required by the report. The document is now on display at Heritage Hall for anyone who wants to read it. (zzzz....) As mandated by law, it will be on display for 30 days to allow for the expected throngs. Just in case you don't get a chance to stop by, we are holding a public hearing on it, also required by state law. The public hearing will be held August 17, during the August City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Hall. If you want popcorn, you will have to bring it yourself. Our thanks to Jim Lindner for taking on the task of completing this very detailed report. More Exciting News..zzzzz....... The Gem Lake City Council has renewed the utility right of way ordinances that allow xCel Energy run gas and electric lines into our city. The renewal is good for 20 years. You can pick up a copy at Heritage Hall or just wait for the movie..... Hunting in Gem Lake? Maybe Not An ordinance is now in draft stage that would ban hunting within Gem Lake, even when the land owner gives permission to the hunter to do so. The reasons are varied: first, very few cities in the metro area still allow hunting, due to safety concerns; second, Gem Lake has had a problem in recent years with people hunting on property without the knowledge or permission of the owner, an activity that is potentially dangerous to citizens. City News Page Another reason to draft an ordinance that permits or bans hunting, is for enforcement purposes. Currently, the Ramsey County Sheriff can enforce other laws if someone is trespassing, or discharging a firearm, but there is no specific language dealing with bow hunters who are wandering around and hunting. (Yes, it has happened.) Your feedback is requested on this proposed ordinance. The ordinance was discussed at the July City Council Meeting and will be the subject of a public hearing in August. In the meantime, you can obtain a copy of the draft ordinance by contacting Jean Reiter, City Secretary, using the contact information on page 6. Please note that we have received some feedback on the need to allow a tightly defined exception for archery target practice. This is in the works. Election Judges Established for Primary Elections in August A roster of election judges has been finalized for the Gem Lake primary election process, which will take place on August 10th. The judges include Dolores Lorentzen, Irl Carter, Lolle Stephenson and Roger Seiberlich. All judges reside in the area. For Gem Lake residents, voting will take place at Heritage Hall. Speaking of Elections... There will be two spots on the Gem Lake City Council up for Election this November. If you are interested in being a candidate, you need to file an Affidavit of Candidacy anytime between August 3 and August 17. The forms are available on the Ramsey County web-site. You must be 21, a resident of Gem Lake for at least 30 days and eligible to vote in Minnesota. You file the form at Heritage Hall. Wind and Alternative Energy Ordinance is New Territory for Gem Lake This summer the Gem Lake Planning Commission will begin drafting a wind and/or alternative energy ordinance. The process began with the gathering of three sample ordinances from cities in the area, each dealing with wind turbines, wind energy or alternative energy resources, such as solar. The Planning Commission will evaluate existing ordinances at its next meeting on August 2. Wind energy expert Rory Artig of Wind Management LLC has been invited to speak at this meeting.