2014 Vol. 8 issue 6 November - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gem Lake News Page 2 of 6 accomplish. Other steps involve negotiating a formal agreement with a neighboring city to supply water to us. This agreement would cover things like types of charges, responsibilities for line maintenance, etc. Property appraisals are also done for the city by an outside party, to determine the current value of affected property and how much the value of each property would increase by having the improvement (municipal water) done. By law, any assessment for the project cannot exceed the amount of the projected increase in the property value. Then the city has to determine the total estimated cost of the project, as well as how much the city could raise through assessments. Any shortfall has to be funded by the city, perhaps in combination with grant and loan money that might be available from other government sources. Existing contamination in the district that would be served by the water project, plays a role in any grant or loan money that might be available. That is why the city is also conducting an Environmental Site Assessment of the area. State law also requires that several public hearings be conducted to lay out the details of any proposed projects and seek feedback from those affected. As you can well imagine, none of this happens overnight, and in fact, takes years. What Does This Mean for Current Business Owners? As you may recall, the City of Gem Lake changed the zoning ordinance for the business district to the Gateway Ordinance, #107. Despite the perception by some that this just happened, the change actually took place in 2007, after more than a year of debate and copious feedback from business owners. There was a change made recently, but this was to allow certain business to operate in the district if they obtain a Conditional Use Permit. (See page 4 for more information.) The Gateway Ordinance is one that encourages a mixed use approach to development, but grandfathers in existing business. Long-Term Development Plans for Gem Lake (continued from page 1) This means existing business who obtain a business license from the city and operate the same type of business, can keep operating as usual, as long as they are following all local, county and state ordinances that already applied to them. Each business must file for their annual business license at the White Bear Township City Hall on Hammond Avenue. The licenses run the calendar year and expire on December 31. The exception to the grandfathering rule are those few businesses that were operating under a Conditional Use Permit. Those few businesses must adhere to the conditions of their CUP. These permits must be renewed annually and can only be renewed five times. It is important to note that several land owners in the business district are seeking redevelopment of their land and may entertain offers to buy their land out right. This happens outside the control of the city and is typically negotiated between the owner and the developer. Several land owners have actively approached the city regarding bringing water to the business district. 2014 Election Results Rick Bosak and Gretchen Artig-Swomley were re-elected to four year terms as city council members for Gem Lake. There were 290 registered voters as of 7 a.m. on November 4. There were also nine residents who registered to vote on Election Day. Out of a total of 299 potential voters in our city, 200 of them cast votes, for a voter participation rate of 66.8%. Gretchen Artig-Swomley received 130 votes for council member, Rick Bosak received 118 votes.