NFP Review Board hears midyear project update, moves to improve applicant guidance

KALAMAZOO CITY — At its regular meeting July 22, 2025, the Natural Features Protection (NFP) Review Board received a midyear update on development projects that have gone through the NFP process and discussed steps to make guidance and application materials clearer for both residents and developers.

Board liaison Nolan told members the board has seen four full approvals so far in 2025 — projects at 1609 Whites Road (Country Club parcel), 2045 East Michigan (city/Brownfield property with pump house upgrades and a new PFAS treatment structure), 669 Gold Road (Vareberg Park improvements) and 1900 Belford Street (a large site split off for a housing project). Nolan said one variance recommendation — for work at 433 Reed Avenue — was sent from NFP to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) because proposed new stormwater best-management practices (BMPs) would be within ordinance setbacks for water resources and involve shoreline work along a creek.

The board also reviewed three administrative approvals handled by staff so far this year: interior upgrades at Growler Stadium, 251 Mill Street; minor landscaping adjustments at 500 Golden Drive; and equipment upgrades at an existing cell tower at 3419 South Burdick. Nolan said administrative approvals are used when projects do not create ground disturbance and therefore do not require full board action.

Why it matters: the NFP overlay adds requirements for stormwater and natural-feature protection that can change design and budget decisions early in project planning. Nolan said the intent of the board and staff is to reduce repeated submittals by giving applicants clearer, earlier direction. "We publish the agenda and minutes online with a program called CivicClerk," Nolan said when explaining where applicants and residents can find records and resources.

Board discussion focused on a draft NFP guide staff is developing to help applicants identify next steps, find regional contacts for state permitting, and understand when to hire specialists such as ISA-certified arborists or ecologists. Members agreed the guide should emphasize process and point to external resources rather than endorse specific companies. "If we go down a path that everyone is using just the same 5, 10, 15 plants, we can also reverse the issue we're having and have a monoculture," said a board member, urging caution about publishing a fixed plant list. Other members recommended including examples — for instance, a sample arborist report and a sample woodland assessment — and flow charts or checklists so applicants know what to prepare before coming to the board.

Nolan outlined the NFP program phases discussed in previous years: phase 1 (ordinance drafting in 2019), phase 2 (map updates), and phase 3 (potential stewardship activities). The draft guide is being treated as a phase-3 effort that staff can update more easily than the ordinance.

Public comment included a resident who said they had difficulty finding information about a neighborhood meeting and recent minutes online; Nolan acknowledged a website transition to CivicClerk had caused confusion and said staff would work with communications to update the city NFP web page and post minutes consistently. A board member suggested a social media post to point residents to the correct CivicClerk pages.

Votes at a glance - Motion to excuse absent members — approved (voice vote; no opposition recorded). Mover/second: not specified in record. - Motion to approve the agenda as presented — approved (voice vote; no opposition recorded). Mover/second: not specified in record. - Motion to approve minutes of the June 24, 2025 NFP meeting — approved (voice vote; no opposition recorded). Mover/second: not specified in record.

What’s next: Nolan said he will bring printed copies of the updated draft NFP guide to the board's August meeting and seeks to schedule presenters on compliance and stormwater standards for upcoming meetings. The variance project for 433 Reed Avenue will return with public notice and additional materials when it advances to full NFP review or ZBA consideration.

The board adjourned after routine staff and communications items.