HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 06-10 Planning Commission MinutesCity of Gem Lake Planning Commission Meeting Minutes June 10, 2025 1
City of Gem Lake
Planning Commission Meeting – June 10, 2025
Meeting Minutes
Planning Commission Chairman Don Cummings called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. The following people were
present: Don Cummings, Art Pratt, Brad Naylor, C.J. Sycks from TKDA, Gretchen Artig-Swomley, and intern
Sarah Scott from TKDA.
June 10, 2025
Pratt introduced a motion to approve the agenda for today’s meeting. Cummings seconded the motion, and the
motion passed all in favor.
Discussion of an Alternate Commission Member
Cummings asked the commission to allow for a slight change in the agenda so the topic of alternates to the
commission to step up when there is an attendance does not allow for a quorum. Because several commission
members were not present, Cummings called upon the alternate commission member Brad Naylor to take part in this
meeting. It was agreed that an alternate to the commission was necessary sometimes and there was some discussion
about how that system would work, such as when and how the alternate would take part in meetings. Cummings said
he would discuss the matter with the absent commission members and report back with ideas.
Minutes
Pratt introduced a motion to approve the minutes from the March 11, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting.
Cummings seconded the motion, and the motion passed.
Public Hearings
None
Old Business
Summary of Met Council Meeting / Early Comp Plan Planning
Artig-Swomley gave a review of her virtual meeting with the City’s representative on the Metropolitan
Council, Emma Dvorak. The objectives of the meeting were to discuss future development of sections
within Gem Lake’s Gateway District and whether changes to the city’s existing comprehensive plan would
be needed, and second, to discuss early planning for the next required City Comprehensive Plan.
Regarding the topic of development in the Gateway District, Dvorak felt the current comprehensive plan
for the City of Gem Lake did not preclude the Hoffman’s Corner area from developing as a strictly
commercial property someday, and a property that might be trending towards automotive uses. She felt the
overall goal of the comprehensive plan in place was to develop the whole Gateway District as a mixed-use
commercial/residential area and that reflected what was really happening. Some areas were trending
commercial, while others were trending residential. The Met Council would tend to consider the area as a
whole, and in that regard, things were trending in the right direction. She did not feel a comp plan change
of any kind would be necessary at this point.
The second topic was the development of the next comprehensive plan, which will be due in several years.
The Metropolitan Council is currently looking at ways to streamline the development process, particularly
for smaller cities with limited resources. She said the council will be sending out data to each city late this
year that can form the basis of about 70-80% of a city’s future comprehensive plan. For the rest of the plan,
cities can use Met Council templates as guides. Some sections will still need the assistance of expert
engineering services. The Council intends to be as helpful as possible in plan development in the coming
cycle.
Ordinance No. 64F Municipal Sewer Proposed Ordinance
City Planner C.J. Sycks reviewed the proposed ordinance and recommended that the commission ask the
council to repeal the existing ordinance, 64E, and replace it with the updated 64F. This action should be
incumbent upon a legal review by the City’s attorney. After some discussion, Cummings introduced a
City of Gem Lake Planning Commission Meeting Minutes June 10, 2025 2
motion to recommend that Ordinance 64E be repealed to make way for an improved and streamlined
ordinance. Pratt seconded the motion, and the motion carried.
Pratt introduced a motion to recommend the City Council accept the newly proposed Ordinance 64F, based
on a legal review by the City’s attorney. Naylor seconded the motion, and the motion carried.
Ordinance No. 129 Municipal Water Proposed Amendments
City Planner C.J. Sycks reviewed the proposed changes to Ordinance 129. After some discussion, Pratt
introduced a motion to recommend to the City Council that these changes be accepted based on a legal
review by the City’s attorney. Naylor seconded the motion, and the motion carried.
To tie in these changes, City Planner Sycks recommended the commission suggest to the council to accept
suggested changes to the city’s existing fee schedule. Pratt introduced a motion to recommend these fee
changes. Naylor seconded the motion, and the motion carried.
New Business
Ordinance No. 131, Sections 5, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 25 Proposed Amendments
City Planner Sycks reviewed proposed amendments to Ordinance No. 131, which were extensive. The
goals were to clarify language in the ordinance, to unify content and to clean up formatting to make it more
uniform throughout.
Ordinance No. 131 Appendix Definition Updates
Sycks reviewed appendix changes, and the matter was discussed by the commission. Several suggestions
were made.
After this discussion from the Planning Commission, Pratt introduced a motion to table the proposed
amendments and appendix changes until the July meeting, to allow a more thorough review, especially by
commission members who were unable to be present at this meeting. Cummings seconded the motion, and
the motion carried.
Open Items for Commission Members to Bring Up
None.
Future Meetings
City Council Meeting, Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at Heritage Hall, and Planning Commission Meeting, Tuesday, July
8, 2025, at Heritage Hall.
Adjournment
With no further business, Cummings introduced a motion for adjournment at 8:42 p.m. Pratt seconded the motion,
and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted, Gretchen Artig-Swomley