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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 07-08 Planning Commission MinutesCity of Gem Lake Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 8, 2025 1 City of Gem Lake Planning Commission Meeting – July 8, 2025 Meeting Minutes Planning Commission Chairman Don Cummings called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Commission Members Art Pratt and Derek Wippich were present. Not present were Commission Members Stephanie Farrell and Laurel Amlee. Also present was City Planner CJ Sycks and intern Sarah Scott from TKDA and Commission Member Alternate Brad Naylor and Acting City Clerk Melissa Lawrence. July 8, 2025 A motion was introduced by Commission Chair Cummings to accept the agenda, seconded by Commissioner Pratt. Motion carried 3-0. Minutes A motion was introduced by Commissioner Pratt to approve the June 10, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting minutes, seconded by Commission Chair Cummings. Motion carried 3-0. Public Hearings None Commission Chair Cummings wanted the first conversation to be about the meeting schedule. The agenda is being shifted slightly to accommodate that. New Business Meeting Schedule Discussion Commission Chair Cummings discussed the reason for changing the Planning Commission meetings to the second Tuesday of every month, which was because the previous City Planners only had availability to attend meetings on that night. The new City Planner, CJ Sycks, has more availability allowing the Commission to return to its first Tuesday of each month if it feels that it works better for the commission members. Commission Chair Cummings would also like to advertise in the next Newsletter that the Commission is looking for more volunteers to fill upcoming vacancies. Commissioner Pratt introduced a motion to change the meeting schedule for the Planning Commission beginning with the 4th quarter of 2025 back to the first Tuesday of every month, seconded by Commissioner Wippich. Motion carried 3-0. Old Business Ordinance No. 131, Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, and 16 Proposed Amendments City Planner CJ Sycks summarized the proposed amendments to Ordinance No. 131. Amendments were made to provide clarity on permitting within each zoning district. This includes updated formatting, language, and division of sections, as well as the minor changes of writing conventions. In addition to the written explanation of permitting within each zoning district, a “table of uses” was proposed to provide a clear and quick reference guide for users of Ordinance No. 131. The Planning Commission discussed the proposed amendments and asked CJ to make a couple extra additional amendments. These changes will be reviewed at the next Planning Commission meeting. Ordinance No. 131 Appendix A Definition Updates City Planner CJ Sycks summarized the added and changed definitions in Appendix A. The Planning Commission reviewed these changes and were ok with the updates. These changes will continue to be discussed at the next Planning Commission meeting. Commission Chair Cummings suggested that the August meeting be cancelled to give the City Planner some more time to implement all the suggested changes from the Commission and to go over them again at City of Gem Lake Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 8, 2025 2 the September meeting before holding a public hearing to discuss the amendments and then recommending approval to the City Council. Acting City Clerk Melissa Lawrence will discuss the cancellation of the August meeting with the City Council at their July 15 meeting. Open Items for Commission Members to Bring Up None. Future Meetings City Council Meeting, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at Heritage Hall, and Planning Commission Meeting, Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at Heritage Hall. Attendance Inquiry Commission Chair Cummings surveyed the Commission to see if any of the members would have any issues attending the August meeting if the City Council does not cancel it. At that time those in attendance had no conflicts. Adjournment There being no further business, following a motion from Commissioner Wippich, seconded by Commissioner Pratt, the meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Melissa Lawrence