Planning Commission

The Planning Commission reviews applications for the following requests:

Rezoning – a change to the zoning of a property to a different zone district.
Text Amendments – a change to the wording of the Zoning Ordinance. Note, City staff will take the lead in updating the Zoning Ordinance to ensure that edits to any one section do not conflict with others.
Special Use Permit – a review of a land use which is allowed in a certain zone districts but requires review and approval to ensure specific criteria are met.
Planned Unit Development (PUD) - a use of land where residential, open space and commercial uses may be clustered in a pre-planned development
Preliminary Subdivision - a review of a preliminary subdivision layout.
Right-of-Way Vacation – to vacate or remove a section of public street or alley.

All of the above requests, except for Special Use Permits, must also be reviewed by the City Commission for final approval.

To view current Planning Commission membership or apply to join, click here.

Where do I find the Zoning Ordinance?

The City is currently updating its Zoning Code. The standards are found in two different documents as we shift from the old (Appendix A) to the new (Chapter 50). We apologize for any confusion. Please reach out to staff if you are unclear on where to find a standard.

Zoning Ordinance, Appendix A

Chapter 50: Zoning

How can I find the zoning for a property?

You can view the City of Kalamazoo Zoning Map by utilizing the GIS Property Mapping Service. Select "Property Mapping" and then click the "I Want To" button and select "Change Visible Map Layers" to toggle zoning districts and other information. You can also download a PDF version of the Zoning Map.

Does my project require an application to the Planning Commission?

If you are unsure if your project requires an application to the Planning Commission, please reach out to Pete Eldridge, Assistant City Planner at (269) 337-8806 or eldridgep@kalamazoocity.org.

If this project involves a right of way vacation, please contact Bobby Durkee, Planner at (269) 337-8172 or durkeer@kalamazoocity.org.

01 Pre-Application Meeting

Required meeting with staff to:

Confirm that your project requires an application for the Planning Commission
Ask questions about process and timelines for application submittal
Learn about review criteria utilizes when reviewing applications
Talk about outreach efforts to communicate your project with surrounding property owners and neighborhood associations.
Verify appropriate Review Sheet to submit with the application (see below).

Pre-application meeting can be scheduled by contacting Pete Eldridge, Assistant City Planner at (269) 337-8806 or eldridgep@kalamazoocity.org.

02 Application

All submittals require the completion of the pdf Planning Commission Application (351 KB) form. This form will cover detailed information needed for the subject property, property owner, type of request, and contact information for the applicant.

The Planning Commission application is required to be submitted with the Review Sheet which matches the request type. There is a specific Review Sheet for each type of application. These review sheets will help you more fully explain the project and answer critical questions which are used by the Planning Commission to evaluate each application. Additional documents to explain your project may also be necessary. These might include a detailed narrative, site sketch or plan, pictures, map, or letters of support.

Applications are available in person at the CPED Offices at 245 N Rose St or below:

Application Form:

pdf Planning Commission Application (351 KB)

Review Sheets:

03 Application Fee

Please review the fee schedule available pdf here (1.05 MB) .

04 Completed Application

Please email application, review sheet, outreach activities, and additional information to eldridgep@kalamazoocity.org. The application fee may be mailed or dropped off at our office, located at 245 N Rose Street, Ste 100.

05 Outreach and Notice

Please include with the application a summary of outreach activities conducted which align with the Public Participation Plan. This could include outreach to the neighborhood association (if there is one) and nearby property owners using door knocking, letters, or a meeting. Please provide this feedback to the Assistant City Planner 10 days before the meeting.

The City will send out notice of the public hearing to all property owners within 300 feet of the subject property. These notices will include the address of the subject property the request by the applicant, date, time, and location of the meeting.

06 Planning Commission Schedule & Guidelines

Planning Commission meetings are held on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7 pm in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall (241 W South Street). Meetings can also be watched on the City's Facebook page and YouTube Channel. Complete applications are due four weeks before the pdf scheduled meeting (13 KB) date.

07 Required Attendance at Meeting

The applicant or representative of the applicant is required to attend the meeting. City staff will introduce the application and provide an overview to the Planning Commission. The applicant or representative will then be introduced to explain application and describe the reasons for the application. Once the presentation is finished, the Commission may ask questions of the applicant or representative before the Commission closes the public hearing.

08 Provide Feedback

After the process has been completed, please let us know how your experience was. We are always looking for ways to improve our processes and make things easier and your feedback is invaluable. Please take our brief feedback survey here. The survey takes approximately two minutes to complete.

Feedback Survey

We've launched a new website to better serve the community. This site will continue to be available as a resource but will no longer be updated as of May 25, 2022. Visit the new site at www.kalamazoocity.org.