1982 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - Laserfiche WebLink

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such wealth communities such as Dellwood and North Oaks which had average family incomes (in 1970) over $30,040 a year, and at the other end of the spectrum r' several communities with incomes under .$14,000 per year. Those governmental r units contiguous to Gem Lake exhibited average family incomes more similar to the metropolitan norm. Employment and Economic Base As shown in Table 3 and 4 the City of Gem Lake has more job opportunities than the: population could :reasonably be expected to support. Overall, the nature of commercial development and employment opportunities is geared to a trade area r _ much larger than Gem Lake. Auto dealerships are the dominant commercial enterprises with. "highway service" establishments such as service stations and. fast food establishments constituting a large share of remaining commercial activity: There is very little in the way of commercial development at. this stage of the' community's development geared to serving the resident population. This is, of course, due to the City's. small population. As a result of the proportionally high amount of commercial development within the corporate limits, Gem Lake enjoys a relatively good tax base (the. proportion of total tax base by category of property is. shown in Table. 5}. The average assessed valuation per capita in 107 was 0,400 as compared to an average of less than half that amount for Ithe aggregate. of communities within a five mile radius of Gem Lake (see Table 6). Partially as a result of this. good tax base, the municipal tax rate is very low (6.31) in comparison with most other communities in the area. Development of Region -Serving Facilities Within the last ten years there has been a very major change in the provision of region -serving facilities which will tend to accelerate and shape the deveiopment. pattern in that portion of the metropolitan area in which Gem Lake is located. These facilities include the following: 1. The completion of the interstate Highway segments including I-694 located approximately one mile south of Gem Lake and I-35E located to the. west with only a smallsegment of Vadnais Heights intervening (see Figures I and 2). 2. The extension of metropolitan trunk sewers to and beyond the City of Gem Lake. This provision of major trunk interceptors has enhanced the potential for large scale development in the. Gem Lake vicinity. 3. The construction of a regional shopping center, Maplewood :!Mali, approxi- mately two miles southeast of Gem Lake. will serve as the major shopping complex in the area for the foreseeable. future. 4. Regional Gpen Space Acquisition and Development. Ramsey County has pursued an aggressive open space acquisition and development plan. This plan should affect. urban development patterns as well as: recreational opportuni- ties in the area. 12