Public Comment on Conservation and Green Space Zoning at Environmental Concerns Committee Meeting

On 9/16/26, ALPA board member Tom Howes delivered a public comment to the Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) on ALPA’s proposal for conservation and green-space zoning districts. In ALPA’s comment, Howes responded to concerns the Planning Commission had raised just a few weeks earlier. Among the concerns was a claim that one of ALPA’s environmental ordinance examples (yet to be identified by city staff) from another city had actually been repealed. An ECC member responded after public comments, identifying the repealed ordinance for ALPA. Howes returned later in the meeting to clarify that the repealed ordinance, though similar in name, was actually different than the still-active example in ALPA’s proposal letter.

The conversation on the proposal for new green zoning districts later continued with a dynamic exchange (see second video) between the ECC board and City Planner Christina Anderson. This meeting was also covered in an article by the Public Media Network.

Public Comment on Conservation and Green Space Zoning at City Commission Meeting

On 9/8/26, ALPA board member Tom Howes delivers a public comment on ALPA’s proposed conservation and green space zoning districts to the City Commission. Howes introduced the proposal, ALPA’s goals, and then requested that the City Commission instruct Kalamazoo City Planning to act now.

ALPA-Designed Conservation and Green Zoning Districts Introduced at City Planning Commission Meeting

On 9/3/26, the Kalamazoo City Planning Commission discussed “green” zoning for the first time. Listen to that discussion in the video below. Just two weeks prior, the Environmental Concerns Committee voted unanimously to send ALPA’s five-point proposal (which included a new conservation zoning district and green space zoning district) to the City Planning Commission for consideration. Though the deliberation here was brief, the subject remains active at the city level. More news to come.

Environmental Concerns Committee Votes to Recommend Two New Green Zoning Districts to the City Commission

The Environmental Concerns Committee voted unanimously on 8/19/26 to recommend that the City Commission direct City Planning to establish Green Space and Conservation zoning districts in the City's zoning ordinance. We're proud that this recommendation goes forward alongside a 3-page letter ALPA prepared, proposing the two districts and laying out the case for them.

Currently, Kalamazoo has no zoning designation that fits lands like the Asylum Lake Preserve (which is currently zoned 'Residential') or the many other publicly used green spaces and conservation lands across the city.

Our letter to this commission and the city at large ends with the following requests:

1. Create a Green Space Zoning District and a Conservation Zoning District in our zoning ordinance;

2. Reflect these designations on the Future Land Use Map now, while it is being updated through Imagine Kalamazoo 2035, so the map and the new districts work together to guide development;

3. Apply the districts directly to public and institutional land already functioning as green space or conservation land, and allow private owners to opt in;

4. Study which parcels across Kalamazoo's neighborhoods would benefit from these designations; and

5. Bring a draft framework back to the community for input and eventual implementation.

Denied: Commercial Rezone Request for 4301 Stadium Dr.

Dozen’s of public comments in opposition to rezoning resulted in the City Commission voting unanimously to deny the proposed commercial rezoning request for the intersection of Stadium and Drake, adjacent to the Preserve. In the video below, ALPA delivers a five-part public comment in opposition to rezoning. Just before ALPA begins their comment, several other current and past ALPA members speak on the issue as well.

(MLive coverage) (WMUK coverage) (City Commission meeting on youtube). 

We're so grateful to all who submitted well-researched statements and stood up to give personal and organizational testimonies against the proposed change. 

ALPA Board Member, Wendy Denning giving public comment. Other board members in background, wearing green ALPA t-shirts (from left to right: Tom Howes, Dok Stevens, Judy Huxmann). ALPA volunteers and community members in line and crowd.

ALPA Continues Work to Stop Rezoning of 4301 Stadium Dr.

January 2026 | The result of an intense information campaign by ALPA, with the help of many community members and organizations, was that the City Planning Commission voted in November, to not recommend the zoning change request for the property at 4301 Stadium Dr. The City Commission will ultimately decide the request at its January 26th meeting. ALPA has continued working tirelessly with neighborhood and relevant organizations, news sources and social media to remind the community to continue to voice their opposition to this rezoning by contacting City Commissioners and/or attending the meeting on January 26th in person or by zoom and phone.

ALPA Hosts Informational Meeting Regarding Rezoning Request

October 23, 2025 | Around 50 interested community members attended the meeting hosted by ALPA to inform the public and help direct efforts regarding the proposed rezoning of the corner of Stadium & Drake roads. ALPA board members Dok Stevens, Josh Kieser and John Kreuzer each presented detailed facts about the history of the efforts to establish and protect the Preserve, the environmental and safety threats to nature and the general population, and finally specific ways to oppose the rezoning request from residential to commercial. Questions, comments and refreshments rounded out the successful gathering and a copy of the presentation is posted under Current Issues.

ALPA Joins Groups to Plan Imagine Kalamazoo 2035

ALPA representatives joined more than 10 environmental and nature organizations at a “Meeting on the Go” to help plan Kalamazoo’s future. The Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 initiative encouraged groups to meet and provide input to the City. ALPA will continue to work with these groups as the initiative moves into phase two. Some of the ideas discussed and reported to the City were: Environmental Sustainability & Ecological Health, Greenspaces, Parks, and Natural Areas, Community Engagement & Involvement, Education & Awareness, Education & Awareness, Economic Strategy & Funding, Urban Planning & Infrastructure, Partnerships & Collaboration, Success Stories & Best Practices, and Challenges & Barriers.

Gathering Celebrates the Preserve as a Community Treasure

May 25, 2023 | Close to a hundred people gathered Saturday May 20, at the Drake Rd. entrance, to celebrate and enjoy The Asylum Lake Preserve at an event sponsored by ALPA with the help of WMU. Visitors enjoyed refreshments and live music as they viewed and enjoyed informational and educational displays and presentations by these community groups: Citizen’s Climate Lobby and Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition, Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo River Watershed Council, ALPA, Western Michigan University, Stewards of Kleinstuck, Kalamazoo Wild Ones, Ardea and National Youth Coalition for the Environment, and the Kalamazoo Nature Center.

Tours by local experts were very popular and engaged many new and returning visitors. Tyler Bassett led a group of walkers through the preserve discussing the varied plant life, including both native and non-native species. Donna Keller’s tour gave many bird lovers chances to spot and learn about birds and our current waterfowl visitors. Mark Hoffman walked a group of life-long learners through part of the preserve where the old asylum buidlings were located, and provided both an interesting chronology and a fascinating history.

The ALPA board would like to thank all those who attended or participated for their continued support that gives our community the opportunity to share and learn more about our amazing and precious world of nature near and afar.

Zoning Ordinance Remains a Concern

May 24, 2023 | Although the recent zoning request for the property at Stadium and Drake has been removed for the time being, ALPA and community members still have many concerns regarding the proposals before the Planning Commission. We will monitor the situation closely by attending all relevant meetings throughout the summer and encourage you to do so as well. Current contacts are Pete Eldridge eldridgep@kalamazoocity.org Dates for the meetings can be viewed on https://www.asylumlakepreservationassociation.org/calendar ALPA has sent a letter to the City explaining our continued opposition to these specific changes:

1. Changing parcels 06-30-159-001 and 06-30-156-001 from RM15/RSS to CC. These were proposed in 2020 and were dismissed by the Planning Commission.

2. Removing the Special Use Permit requirement/process for car washes within Community Commercial Zoning. This removal will permit ANY property zoned for CC in the entire city to be vulnerable to the uncontrolled establishment of a car wash.

3. Changing the intent of the NFP Overly as shown/deltailed on page 88 -50-6.2 within chapter

   Zoning proposals can be viewed here: http://www.imaginekalamazoo.com/projects/zoningupdates/

Please feel free to direct additional questions to ALPA through our contact page.