City staff brief ZBA on Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 strategic vision and outreach progress
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Summary
Planning staff updated the board on Imagine Kalamazoo 2035, reporting roughly 4,300 points of contact across outreach activities and presenting a 'Happy, Healthy City' strategic framework. The project aims to finalize a draft strategic vision in 2026 and proceed to a design phase starting winter 2025–26.
Kalamazoo — Planning staff gave the Zoning Board of Appeals a two‑thirds complete update on Imagine Kalamazoo 2035, the city‑led planning initiative to create a strategic vision and municipal plan through 2035.
Staff reported roughly 4,299 points of contact across public meetings, pop‑ups, surveys, book reads and youth activities and said the effort will knit community input, data and best practices into a strategic framework organized around five guiding principles and several threads including arts & culture, trust & safety, economic vitality, environment, housing and transportation.
The staff presentation included the draft vision statement: “In 2035, all Kalamazoo neighborhoods are supported by sustainable, responsive, and accessible services that lift people up and bring our community together at every stage of life.” Staff said the strategic vision is scheduled for presentation to the planning and city commissions and targeted for adoption in 2026, with a design phase of neighborhood meetings and online engagement beginning in winter 2025–26.
Board members and staff discussed ways to circulate materials and links and to align the board’s review with plan outreach. Staff said they would circulate additional resources and the TED Talk and book links referenced during the presentation.
The presentation was informational; no board actions were required.
