Kalamazoo City staff detail expansion of Natural Features Protection overlay and new predevelopment checklist

Kalamazoo City staff updated the Natural Features Protection (NFP) advisory board on the expanded overlay map, changes to the development review process, and next steps to improve permitting and enforcement.

The presentation showed the overlay grew from an initial 376 parcels to “close to 1,500,” and staff said the city has linked NFP parcels to its assessing and permitting database so property owners and permit reviewers can see NFP status online. Nolan, a city staff member who oversees NFP reviews, said the city added a public GIS layer that allows residents to click a property and see primary NFP features. “So we went from 376 to close to 1500,” Nolan said, describing the map expansion and public web map tool.

The city also described a restructured development process intended to reduce late-stage conflicts that delay projects. Under the new flow, an applicant first meets with a single predevelopment contact — Paul Thuringer, a city staff member drawn from economic development — who will route questions to technical reviewers. After that comes a checklist meeting (formerly pre-site-plan) that provides applicants with a written checklist of applicable codes and focal areas, then site plan review, followed by permits and occupancy. Nolan said the NFP overlay primarily affects the predevelopment and site plan stages.

Why it matters: staff said earlier identification of natural features and clearer up-front guidance should reduce the number of revisions and late-stage design changes that can force projects to seek…