KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo City Commission voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on a contested rezoning request later this month and keep the meeting at city hall.
Property at 4301 Stadium Drive, near the intersection with Drake Road, is currently zoned as residential space, but commissioners are considering whether to rezone it as community commercial. The property sits on the northern border of the Asylum Lake Preserve, which is owned by Western Michigan University.
On Monday, city commissioners scheduled the rezoning hearing for January 26 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
City leadership considered a change in venue to accommodate a large crowd. At past meetings, this issue drew a large amount of neighbors for public comment. The Asylum Lake Preservation Association and other groups petitioned the city to buy or annex the land to keep it undeveloped.
City staff, at the January 5 meeting, explained that they considered multiple different locations for the meeting, including Loy Norrix High School, and the Radisson ballroom.
Staff for the city explained that these locations, though larger, may not work for residents who want to call in to the meeting from home to leave a public comment.
City commissioners said they’d be on board with keeping the meeting at City Hall, if additional accommodations were made—like additional seating and an improved ticketed system to keep the line moving for public comment.
