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Solne eosin:eats from me for potential (liscirssion tonight. <br />It.appears we have very little reconciling to do. In other words, the new Comprehensive Plan is very consistent with.our existing <br />ordinances. <br />Our consultant, Nate Sparks, was planning:to update the appropriate sections of the new Comprehensive Plan to include development <br />within the Gateway District that has. now beenzomplete.d, including the park and trail areas and medium density villa homes. <br />Tonight. -and whenever we. have. a chance -. we..should express our thoughts on the general %direction of the Comprehensive Plan and <br />our continuing support, if that's the case. For example, .it would good to reiterate our commitmentto soine of these key goals in our <br />Plan: <br />Preserve and maintain a c°small town' environment in a natural setting. Such an environment should promote an atmosphere .of <br />quiet, relaxed living, with maximum regard to maintaining openness of the physical environment as well as preserving trees, water <br />areas, grasslands, and wetlands. <br />This plan will make provision for higher densities on the periphery of Geri! Lake in. inixed use areas. An .approximate. <br />residentiallconimercial mix: of 50/50 would be sought. <br />Redeveloping the entire business area called �Hoffrnan's.Corner" as a master plwinned <br />mixed use deyelopinent is desired. <br />Developing: the open parcels of land on County R..oad :E (entirely in Gem Lake) also <br />should be mixed use as specified above.. <br />Create and maintain a high:quality man-made environment. Good design, <br />combined with a commonsense.approach to aesthetics, will be valued. All new <br />residential and commercial develaptnent and auxiliary structures and signs <br />.should be developed to high standards of design, beauty; and. efficiency. <br />There's good reason to snake sure we are a]I on the same. page: We are likely to. see proposals that will attempt to "deconstruct'.' our <br />goals.into more conventional pieces, Just some.examples might be: a grid of.only homes, a large apartment building, a big -box; big <br />parking lot: retail store, <br />if these kinds of proposals don't fit the Comprehensive Plan, we need to. bee wHIiiig to say s.o,..comfotlable: that all citizens had inputto <br />the very carefuI pIan ning.process that resulted in the goal s.above; <br />Beyond. the 6ate..way District,.we should give some thought to what:could someday be. .prop osed in the ..fbw sina]I areas described in <br />the Comprehensive Plan as "vacant." The..guidance in the Comprehensive Plan seerns clear and consistent.witb current zoning, so any <br />proposed. -project should not be a surprise nor should it be inconsistent. with surrounding neighbor uses. On the other hand, :unless a <br />donation to the City is made, vacant land is unlikely to. .become a park. <br />Finally {for tonight},.the Comprehens ive. Plan is (appropriately?) vague concern.ina the golf course.. I think there is strong:support of <br />this use and how the current owners maintain it. The long term guidance. for the land islow density mi.dential. I think we've <br />discussed that the best way to .preserve the current use is to maintain current.planning/zoning. (From past experience I've seen a city's <br />attempt to limit future land. use to "recreation".result in a very controversial (but equally entertaining?} proposal for a massive water <br />park and. commercial campground?} <br />I've asked Evan totalk about.the'recent approval of a 39 unit apartment building in Mahtomedi as a.great example of why we <br />should try to remain. in agreementwith our Comprehensive Plan. and zoning -and to keep sharing. our opinions to stay in.sync <br />with. the City Council. In the case of the lvlalitoanedi Apartments, there appeared to.be.som lack of.coordination .between zoning. and <br />overlay districts that resulted in inconsistent setback and :building height limits. Add in their Comprehensive.Plans call for high <br />density residential for the area, the resulting approval was controversial and divisive --.something we should strive °to avoid. <br />I think that's plenty for now. Thanks for taking the time to read this. It should have taken about Four minutes -- much less of your <br />time than I might have used in person, I hope! <br />Thanks, as always, for your service to Gem Lake, <br />.Don Cummings <br />