KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The city of Kalamazoo has an approved vision for what it wants to look like in 2035.
Now all they have to do is figure out how to make that happen.
The Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 plan has reached another milestone after two years of collecting public input and identifying issues and problems city residents want addressed.
City commissioners spent over three-hours receiving a presentation and debating its contents last night.
City Operations Officer Laura Lam says it will provide a framework for their Master Plan and help them set budget priorities for the next decade.
City Planner Christina Anderson says the Strategic Vision Statement has five guiding principles and eight goals that came from suggestions from over 5,100 contacts with residents at neighborhood meetings, focus groups, e-mails and many other venues.
The guidelines are to apply: 1 – community engagement, 2 – diversity equity, and inclusion, 3 – economic mobility, 4 – sustainability, and 5 – operational excellence to all the work they do.
The goals are to achieve: 1 – equitable housing, 2 – community safety, 3 – arts, culture, and placemaking, 4 – economic vitality, 5 – effective city operations, 6 – a cleaner environment, 7 – transportation equity, and 8 – more support for youth and families.
Commissioner Jae Slaby was the lone opponent, complaining that commissioners should have more input, and that the plan coming from the public and staff isn’t bold enough.
The vision statement was endorsed by several housing and other local non-profit agency officials and most commissioners were pleased with the process at this stage, knowing there is still a lot of work to do before it’s finalized.
After adding language to put more emphasis on gun violence prevention and anti-racism, the vision statement passed 6 to 1.
Anderson says the next step begins later this week when they take the vision statement to the department heads and staff that will be responsible for doing the work, to get their ideas and input on whether it’s possible, and how to pull it all off.
It will be next summer before the Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 plan will be in its final form and another year or more before its implementation begins.
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