Planning Commission Discusses ALPA Green Zoning Proposal for Second Time

On Thursday, October 1, 2026, ALPA board members Dok Stevens and Jimmy Lane delivered public comments at a City of Kalamazoo Planning Commission meeting. In their comments, the board members summarized a two-page letter ALPA sent (read it here) to the Commission before the meeting. The letter responded in four points to questions and concerns the Planning Commission raised about the green zoning proposal at its 9/3 meeting.

After public comment, commissioners discussed the proposal at length. They thanked ALPA for the follow-up letter and expressed interest in moving the issue forward at the city level.

Notable quotes from the Planning Commission:
”I remember talking about green space zoning designations ages ago, when we had our joint meeting…we had a joint meeting with the Natural Features Protection Board and another zoning board as well. I asked the same question – why are green spaces zoned residential? That doesn’t make sense, because that’s not what they are…so I’m very glad to see where this goes forward.” - Commissioner Bissonnette

”IK2035 is kind of the perfect time to be talking about these things.” - Commissioner Curtiss

“I would be greatly looking forward to something that would be conducive toward the green space zoning being included in the next version of the Master Plan that we see.” - Commissioner Curtiss

”I would maybe ask [city] staff or city attorney’s office…at some future meeting, we could learn a little bit more about what it would take to see that zoning district adopted.” - Commissioner Audette-Bauman

ALPA board member Dok Stevens delivers a public comment, summarizing ALPA’s letter to the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission’s discussion regarding ALPA’s green zoning proposal: 4min

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one of ALPA’s environmental ordinance examples (yet to be identified by city staff) from another city had actually been repealed. An ECC member responded after public comments, identifying the repealed ordinance for ALPA.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.

News Coverage:
Public Media Network | Kalamazoo Environmental Concerns Committee Continues Push for Green Zoning, Weighs Conservation Easements

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.