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<br /> <br />Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Sales <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> When the Gem Lake Villas Project was approved <br />by the City Council in March of 2018, there was <br />an agreement between the city and the builder <br />that several acres along the western edge of the <br />property would be donated back to the city and <br />used as open space. The Gem Lake Villas <br />project was approved for an 18.09 acre plot <br />(including the open space) on which 30 villa style <br />homes would be built. <br /> <br />This patch of land comprises several acres that <br />are typically wet and considered unbuildable. It <br />contains one of the development’s large drainage <br />ponds. It also contains an attractive path that <br />winds through this natural space and is open to <br />the public. This area is known to the city as <br />“Outlot A.”. <br /> <br />As many in the pubic know, the Metropolitan <br />Council requires all cities in the Metro area to <br />write an extensive comprehensive plan every ten <br />years that must lay out such things as stormwater <br />drainage, transportation and road plans, <br />development projections, which must be laid out <br />in terms of required density guidelines the council <br />lays out, etc. One hot button issue is always <br />spelling out where your parks and open space <br />will be in each city. <br /> <br />The idea of a small park was floated in 2017 and <br />was not greeted with enthusiasm by Gem Lake <br />residents. Another option was to designate some <br />space simply as open space that might, or might <br />not, contain a walking trail or other features. <br /> <br />Since it has opened, Outlot A has been a <br />popular, although short, walking trail for the <br />public. Current use has been mostly from the <br />Gem Lake Villas project, but others have used it <br />too. (It is open to the public.) <br /> <br />Last fall, the city installed several signs asking <br />people to pick up their dog litter. There are also <br />signs that designated that during winter months <br />the trail is officially closed. The city elected not to <br />plow the trail during the snow season. (November <br />1-April 1) <br /> <br />Outlot A has been seeded with wildflowers and <br />native plants and will continue to blossom in the <br />years ahead. <br /> <br />Gem Lake’s Open Space, AKA “Outlot A” <br />