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City of Gem Lake Comprehensive Plan GEMLK 140643 Page 94 • Providing a comprehensive regional park and trail system that preserves high-quality natural resources, increases climate resiliency, fosters healthy outcomes, connects communities, and enhances quality of life in the region. • Promoting expanded, multimodal access to regional parks, regional trails, and the transit network, where appropriate. • Strengthening equitable use of regional parks and trails by all our region’s residents, such as across age, race, ethnicity, income, national origin, and ability. 12.2.1 City of Gem Lake Parks and Trails 12.2.1.1 Parks The City of Gem Lake does not have the land mass that meets any criteria for a regional park facility, nor does the City have plans for a park in the planning horizon of 2040. The Gem Lake Hills Golf Course in the northern portion of the City is a privately owned and operated recreation property in Gem Lake. This golf course represents the total amount of 1.7% of the classified land use of Park, Recreational or Preserves. For comparison both Minneapolis and St. Paul have approximately 14% of land use classified as Park, Recreation or preserve land. Nationally, the median for Low-Density Cities is 5.9%. Future considerations for Gem Lake to add parks and open space include; • New residential development will be planned with open space, with both active and natural features that add park, recreation or preserved lands. • Consideration of active and passive recreation features including a playground and picnic areas in the Northeast corner of the City near the City Hall. 12.2.1.2 Trails The City of Gem Lake would like to see trails constructed along existing roadways. A marked bike trail now exists along the shoulder of Goose Lake Road in the City. As Goose Lake Road is a Ramsey County maintained road, the City suggests that a blacktop trail be built along the side of the existing roadway when roadway maintenance or construction occurs. Other trails could be constructed along the Highway 61 right-of- way and along County Road E, either on the road right-of-way or on private land being developed inside the border trees along the cities southern border. Private trails along land parcels in the City of Gem Lake constructed along easements or property lines could be considered as trails, but are usually set up by agreements between individual property owners and are not considered part of a formal trails network, and will NOT be included in this Gem Lake Comprehensive Plan. Potential trail connections between trails in the City of Gem Lake and the Bruce Vento Trail could be located at Hoffman’s Corner (Highway 61 & County Road E area) or near the Schuenuman Road crossing of the current railroad track in the Northeast corner of the City. Potential trail connections to the St. Anthony Railroad Spur Regional Trail Search Corridor could be made at: • Tessier Road, where it intersects with this current railroad track • Along a 40-foot wide strip of land running from Goose Lake Road to the railroad tracks, that is currently owned by the railroad • Otter Lake Road (CR-148) railroad crossing in front of the Gem Lake City Hall • Scheuneman Road (CR-147) to the east from Otter Lake Road toward Hoffman Road.