Kalamazoo · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Kalamazoo public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 board input questioned
The city is two years into community engagement for its next 10-year master plan. A draft implementation table and future land use plan come out before late winter, with Planning Commission review starting in January — and commissioners flagged transit expansion and green building standards as topics they want included.
Asylum Lake Preserve transfer to county
WMU is transferring ownership and management of the Asylum Lake preserve to Kalamazoo County, with a $2.3 million endowment and continued conservation restrictions. Committee members think elected county oversight will be more transparent than WMU's board of regents.
County tree-clearing under Safe Streets for All
The plan maps priority intersections, sidewalk gaps, lighting, and bus stop fixes to unlock federal safety money; crash counts are already down 467 a year. Commissioner Slaby fought to add the Alamo/Alamo Hills bus stop near Fox Ridge Apartments, and the plan was adopted with it included.
Recycling and food scrap programs
The city submitted an EGLE organics infrastructure grant to expand the composting program to more neighborhoods — with backdoor pickup for mobility-limited residents and secured dumpster enclosures for multifamily buildings.
Proposed federal changes to Section 106 review
The city's 20-plus-year programmatic agreement lets staff review federal housing funds locally, speeding critical home repairs like furnaces and water heaters for residents — 116 projects went through in 2025.
Water system response to September boil water advisory
Following the September 19 incident and boil water advisory, the city is finalizing after-action recommendations due to EGLE by October 19, with an on-site assessment underway and the water capital improvement program addressing long-term needs.
WMU soccer stadium lights near Asylum Lake Preserve
Western Michigan University plans night lighting and amplified noise at its soccer facility next to Parkview Hills and Asylum Lake, but as a state entity it's exempt from city zoning. Residents want bird migration and neighborhood impact studied.
Urban deer management
A resident's letter about deer control sparked discussion — members noted culling just makes populations bounce back, so exclusion strategies deserve a look.
Air quality after industrial fire
Residents from Peace House and others demanded answers about the March 9 fire — what toxins burned, whether runoff reached the river, and why air and water sampling was so limited. The Clerk's report included a formal Environmental Concerns Commission communication, and Commissioner Hess asked staff to respond.
Palisades nuclear plant restart concerns
Two speakers urged the commission to pass a resolution opposing Holtec International's restart of the shut-down Palisades nuclear plant 35 miles away, citing a recent safety incident, billions in public subsidies, and radiation risk to Kalamazoo.
Endangered bat habitat and tree removal
Nine dead trees flagged as potential habitat for Indiana and northern long-eared bats were removed before bat season. A proposal to require nine replacement trees was rejected in favor of woodland preservation and bat boxes, which members said provide faster habitat value.
Westgate Sports Complex woodland preservation
A 23-acre youth sports complex at 1617 N. Drake Road means clearing most of an 89%-wooded site. The applicant reworked the plan to preserve 27.2% of woodland after the ZBA denied a variance, and the board attached a bond to guarantee restoration if the project stalls.
Oak wilt risk management
Board members flagged that clearing during the April–June season risks spreading oak wilt, which surged in Kalamazoo last year. Stumps need to be ground, pulled, or painted to stop the disease, and the applicant agreed to remove stumps.
Air quality monitor placement gap analysis
A new analysis identifies which census tracts — kids, seniors, Black residents, and lower-income areas — should get priority air monitors. Nearly all of Kalamazoo showed up as vulnerable on the map.