Ordinance No. 131 Consolidated Land Use Ordinance

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SECTION 9. GATEWAY "G" DISTRICT The intent of the Gem Lake Gateway District ("Gateway" or "G") is intended to allow for development and redevelopment of the real property associated with Hoffman Corner and points westward along Ramsey County Road E extending northward to the border with the zoning districts identified in Sections 5 and 6 of this Ordinance. This area has been the subject of a visioning study and includes both commercial and residential opportunities as described in the City of Gem Lake Comprehensive Plan and other city documents. As introduced by the visioning plan and envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan, the Gateway will emphasize commercial development and/or redevelopment in the Hoffman Corner intersection which traditionally has been the location of the Gem Lake commercial district. As one moves westward along County Road E, the intent of the Gateway is to transition into more residential type neighborhoods becoming less dense until it transitions to either the Estate Residential district or the Executive Residential district. It may be permissible to apply to rezone the Neighborhood Edge subzone of the G District to existing traditional zoning (RE, RX, RS, RO) provided all setbacks and area requirements of said sections are met. Any such rezoning may preclude the use of Planned Unit Development as an option. 1. Purposes. Specifically, the Gateway zoning district will attempt to: 1. Promote development and redevelopment consistent with the visioning plan for the Gateway area by encouraging residential uses in conjunction with commercial and expanded recreational activities which in turn will create an active street life, while enhancing the vitality of businesses and reducing vehicular traffic. 2. Provide for mixed -use development(s) that are carefully planned to promote efficient use of land, parking and roadway systems. 3. Provide enhanced oversight through conditional use permit provisions, to ensure compatibility of mixed uses and consistency with the approved master plan for the site. 4. Ensure compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods. 5. Provide significant incentives to promote mixed -use redevelopment projects. 6. Encourage sustainable architectural, engineering and landscape design that is implemented by responsive green construction practices. 7. Preserve natural resources, minimize the carbon footprint of the City, and establish a key zone within Gem Lake that is respectful of neighboring areas and is instructive for future generations. 8. Encourage pedestrian and bicycle use. 9. Ensure that commercial and residential uses in a development are designed to be compatible with each other. 10. Ensure high standards of site design, spatial relationships, architectural design, building materials and landscape design. 11. Seek to put in place those areas identified in the Comprehensive Plan (as supported by the master plan) that includes four "sub -zones": Neighborhood Edge. Intended for lower density single-family residential housing development to act as a transition between new mixed -use construction and existing single-family detached structures on adjacent lands. This subzone in its basic form will accommodate single-family dwellings on larger lots, or with application of incentives, more compact homes on common larger lots or on compact lots with enhanced buffers (used in clustering), shared with accessory buildings and generally served from a front or side driveway. This subzone may be used to accommodate the development of public open spaces as identified in Section 10 and Section 18.20 of this Ordinance. 2. Neighborhood General. Intended to begin the transition from purely residential use at low densities to more intensive mixed -use development at the district's center. This subzone will accommodate a variety of residential structures at varying densities, and also begin to integrate lower -impact office or retail activities which complement the residential setting. 3. Neighborhood Mixed Use. Intended to establish a neighborhood focus that is distinguished by mixed use buildings, together with denser residential options and smaller -scale commercial and office buildings Updated January 2025 — Gem Lake Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131 21