Zoning Board of Appeals
The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) reviews applications for the following requests:
- Dimensional Variance - relief from physical or dimensional standards that apply to a lot or structure.
- Use Variance - relief from standards that apply to how a lot or structure is used
- Administrative Appeals - relief from decision related to zoning made by the CPED Staff
- Interpretation of Ordinance - request to confirm the precise meaning of the ordinance text
- Temporary Use Approval - approval of temporary use with a duration of more than 30 days
To view current membership of the Zoning Board of Appeals or to apply to join, click here.
Where do I find the Zoning Ordinance?
The City is currently updating its Zoning Code. as a result the standards are found in two different documents, as we shift from the old to the new. We apologize for any confusion; please reach out to staff if you are unclear on where to find a standard.
Does my project require an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals?
If you are unsure if your project requires an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals, please reach out to Pete Eldridge, Assistant City Planner at (269) 337-8806 or eldridgep@kalamazoocity.org.
01 Pre-Application Meeting
Required meeting with staff to:
-
- Confirm that your project requires an application for the ZBA
- 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
- 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 a pdf ZBA Application (388 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 ZBA 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 more fully explain the project and answer critical questions which are used by the Zoning Board of Appeals to review each application. Additional documents to explain your project may also be necessary. These might include: a written explanation, site sketch, plan, pictures, map, or letters of support.
Applications are available in person at the CPED Offices at 245 N Rose St or online below:
Application Form:
Review Sheets:
- pdf Dimensional Variance (249 KB)
- pdf Use Variance (242 KB)
- pdf Interpretation (158 KB)
- pdf Appeal of an Administrative Decision (199 KB)
- pdf Temporary Use Approval (214 KB)
03 Application Fee
Please review the fee schedule available pdf here (1.05 MB) .
04 Completed Application
Please email application, review sheet, and additional information to eldridgep@kalamazoocity.org. The application fee may be mailed or dropped off at the CPED office, located at 245 N Rose Street, Ste 100.
05 Outreach and Notice
Reaching out to the neighborhood association (if one) and to adjacent property owners about your project is encouraged. Please see Public Participation Plan for information on community engagement.
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 ZBA Schedule & Guidelines
ZBA meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall (241 W South Street). These 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. The applicant or representative of the applicant will have 10 minutes to explain to the ZBA the project and describe the reasons for the application. Once the presentation concludes, the Board may ask questions of the applicant or representative before the Board 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.