Kalamazoo & You - Imagine Kalamazoo 2035

Updated 11 days ago

Mike Smith and Christina Anderson explore the city's strategic vision and master plan, highlighting the importance of community engagement in shaping Kalamazoo's future. The episode delves into the phases of community planning, the achievements in policy processes, and the guiding principles that drive city developments. Christina discusses the updates to the strategic vision document and how these plans impact land use, transportation, and economic vitality in the city. The conversation also touches on the upcoming neighborhood meetings and how residents can participate in shaping their community's future.

Chapters

Introduction to Kalamazoo and You (00:00:18)
Host Mike Smith introduces the show and its purpose, which is to have conversations with City of Kalamazoo staff about important issues and events.

Mike Smith welcomes viewers to 'Kalamazoo and You', a program focused on discussing key topics and events with City of Kalamazoo staff. He introduces himself as the communication manager and host.
Discussion on Strategic Vision and Master Plan (00:00:31)
Mike introduces Christina Anderson, the city planner, to discuss Kalamazoo's strategic vision and master plan. Christina greets Mike and viewers.

Mike introduces Christina Anderson, the city planner for Kalamazoo, who joins the show to talk about the city's strategic vision and master plan. Christina greets Mike and begins the discussion.
Community Conversation and Engagement (00:00:57)
Christina explains the community conversation initiative, which involves outreach and engagement to understand the community's desired direction for the city.

Christina describes the community conversation as a crucial outreach and engagement initiative that helps city planners understand what direction the community wants the city to take. This information feeds into key planning documents.
Strategic Vision and Master Plan Overview (00:01:09)
The strategic vision sets high-level goals that guide budget and policy decisions, while the master plan focuses on land use and transportation strategies.

Christina outlines the roles of the strategic vision and the master plan. The strategic vision is a high-level document with goals that guide budget and policy decisions. The master plan is more detailed, focusing on land use and transportation strategies.
Achievements in Master Plan Implementation (00:02:25)
Christina discusses achievements in implementing the master plan, such as updating zoning codes and converting streets downtown to two-way traffic.

Christina talks about the progress made in implementing action items from the master plan, including updates to the zoning code and the two-way conversion of downtown streets to improve connectivity.
Four Phases of Planning and Implementation (00:03:52)
Christina describes the four phases of planning: engagement, planning, design, and adoption, and their role in transforming community goals into actionable projects.

Christina details the four phases of the planning process: engagement, planning, design, and adoption. Each phase is designed to transform high-level community goals into detailed, actionable projects that benefit the community.
Drafting and Adopting the Strategic Vision and Master Plan (00:05:59)
The strategic vision and master plan are drafted and adopted through a process involving community review and city commission approval.

Christina explains the process for drafting and adopting the strategic vision and master plan, which includes community review and approval by the city commission. The strategic vision is not legally required, but the master plan is.
Community Goals and Guiding Principles (00:07:02)
Christina outlines the community goals and guiding principles such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability that shape city planning.

Christina outlines the eight community goals and five guiding principles that shape the city's strategic vision and master plan. These include diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, and operational excellence, ensuring they are integrated into all city work.
Design Phase: Translating Vision into Action (00:09:34)
The design phase focuses on translating high-level goals into actionable plans at the neighborhood level through community engagement.

Christina explains the 'design it' phase, where high-level strategic goals are translated into actionable plans at the neighborhood level. This phase involves community engagement to understand what these goals mean on a local scale.
Open House Style Community Meetings (00:11:20)
Open house meetings allow community members to engage with planning topics, provide feedback, and help shape city strategies.

Christina describes the open house style community meetings where residents can engage with various planning topics, provide their input, and help shape city strategies. These meetings are accessible to all community members.
Encouraging Community Participation (00:13:43)
Christina emphasizes the importance of community participation in shaping the master plan and strategic vision through various engagement opportunities.

Christina emphasizes the importance of community participation in the planning process. She encourages residents to attend neighborhood meetings and engage with online activities to help shape the master plan and strategic vision.

Kalamazoo & You (8 Episodes)

Updated 11 days ago

City of Kalamazoo leaders host to discuss Kalamazoo's strategies, updates, projects, and more to share what they mean for our community.