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City of Gem Lake Planning Commission — Meeting .motes Tuesday, September 1, 2015,1:00 p.m. Heritage Hall, 4200 Otter Lake Road, MN The City of Gem Lake Pianning.Commission met on September 1, 2015 to consider the Application`for an Interim Use Permit from Sanibel Dance Company, LLC.. Members of the Planning Commission: Benjamin Johnson, Beth Herzog, Art. Pratt, and Derek Wippich Members of the community:. Amber Hom, Heather Hom Lombardo and Elizabeth Kain. Business owners Amber Hom & Heather Lombardo filed their applications with the City of Gem Lake for a. Business License on June 16.,. N15 and for an Interim Use Permit on July 24, 2015, Tom Riedesel of White. Bear Township, provided a memorandum to the Planning Commiss"ion. regarding the dance.studio on August.25, 2015. The Memo suggesting that. the retail activities of the expected business venture are specifically allowed in the Gateway Zoning District, but that the "dance portion of the business is not specifically Isted.as permitted." and would therefore require an Interim Use Permit, The pertinent language of the commercial uses permitted.in the Gateway Zone states: "...athletic club/fitness center (as the primary or only use of the building);....recreation primary use {such as.a bowling alley), ..:' Ms. Hom and Mrs. Lombardo and provided an overview of their business plan and planned activities for the enterprise during the. public hearing portion of the meeting.. Trey fielded questions about various items of concern including number of instructors/employees,:-students, classes, hours of operation (9:00 AM _ 9.:00 PM, M-F and 9:00 AM -- 6:00 PM Sat), external appearance/signage and parking spaces. Ms. Hom also indicated (and City Council Minutes show) that the Gem Lake City Council approved the Sanibel Dance Risk Agreement Assumption to allow the business.to begin operations, pending approval of an interim Use Permit. Afterclosing the public hearing, the Planning Commissioners discussed their understanding of the Gateway District language. In addition to the retail portion of the business, which is explicitly permitted, the Commissioners came. to the conclusion that the type of business Ms: Hom .will be running easily€.its within either the "athletic club/fitness center" provision, or; the''recreation primary use" language.of the Gateway Development Code: The Commissioners also understood the list of uses permitted as being representative, not exhaustive, and that the determinations of what a building use "is" should be based on the. application and statements by the business owners in response to questions from the Planning Commission and/or City Council.