The City Commission voted unanimously to adopt the Kalamazoo Community Sustainability Plan at its Regular Business Meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
One of 10 main goals in the City’s Strategic Vision is Environmental Responsibility. This vision was formalized in the IK 2025 Master Plan and action items were developed as part of IK @ Work. A specific goal in IK @ Work is to, “develop, adopt, and maintain a Climate Action Plan and track progress.” In October, 2019 the City of Kalamazoo formally recognized a Climate Emergency and that action is needed to be taken within our region and City to mitigate the impacts and how we contribute to Climate Change.
To move this goal forward City staff, stakeholders, community partners and practitioners worked towards creation of a Sustainability Strategy, now called the Community Sustainability Plan, or “CSP”, for short. A Sustainability Team made up of residents, experts, and City staff assisted in the creation of the Community Sustainability Plan. The plan was vetted through the Environmental Concerns Committee. The CSP incorporate IK @ Work action items, past climate studies, global protocols, best practices, and resident input, peer-reviewed research, and the context of the City of Kalamazoo in 2022.
Plan Drafts
View Final Draft from June 2022 (No significant changes to the draft plan or priorities were identified during community review. The final draft includes minor corrections and reference updates. )
PROJECT MANAGER:
Jamie McCarthy, Sustainable Development Coordinator , mccarthyja@kalamazoocity.org
OBJECTIVES:
Gain a better understanding of the City’s municipal and community-wide GHG emissions and how to contribute to global reduction goals
Develop actionable steps for the City to reduce GHG emissions, protect and prepare residents for climate change related impacts, and act as a leader on community-wide sustainability efforts
Support collaboration of neighborhoods, businesses, institutions, and the City to realize a sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon future for Kalamazoo and the greater region
Adopt an inclusive and holistic plan that addresses social equity, environment, and the economy guided by community input and context.
PARTNERSHIPS:
The Sustainability Team as an advisory body is made up of:
Staff from City of Kalamazoo departments
WMU staff, faculty, and students
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Bronson Hospital
Community development organizations
Climate/environmental groups
Many, many more….
STAFFING
Community Planning & Economic Development, Public Services
OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS
Various (TBD and may be project dependent)
CONSISTENT WITH PLANS
Strategic Vision and 2025 Master Plan
VISION
To realize our City’s strategic vision toward a green and healthy city, focused on shared prosperity and to ensure a just transition for all people to a low carbon future that increases community resiliency and biodiversity.
STRATEGIC VISION GOALS
METRICS
GHG emissions reductions
Municipal energy efficiency and renewable energy measures
Urban tree canopy coverage
Public participation
EXTRA RESOURCES:
Climate Crisis Town Hall Video Recording
Community Sustainability Survey Results
December 2019/January 2020 Goal Mapping
The purpose of this report is to improve understanding about local climate change impacts and vulnerabilities and present adaptation responses that can help reduce community vulnerability and/or increase resilience. The report synthesizes the results of a three-part virtual workshop series held in February 2022. This workshop brought together more than 30 stakeholders from across Kalamazoo to evaluate community vulnerability and develop adaptation strategies for three focus areas of importance to the community: (1) connected communities, including housing and transportation, (2) food security and agriculture, and (3) habitat conservation and biodiversity.
UPDATES
June 21, 2022 - Plan Adoption
The City Commission voted unanimously to adopt the Kalamazoo Community Sustainability Plan at its Regular Business Meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. A recording of the meeting is available here or below.
June 6. 2022 - City Commission Presentation
The Community Sustainability Plan was presented to the City Commission during its Regular Business Meeting on Monday, June 6. A recording of the presentation is available here or below.
January 2022 - May 2022
Two Presentations and Q&A sessions with K-College Students
Nature and Society (01.27.2022)
Introduction to Culture and Society (02.02.2022)
CSP Update to the Historic Preservation Committee - March 9th, 2022
Presentation to Friendship Village Residents in the Westwood Neighborhood (03.11.2022)
CSP Update to the Environmental Concerns Committee - March 16th, 2022
Pre-Recorded Presentation for ENVS 1000 WMU course with Activity Boards (Late-March / Early-April)
CSP Open House at City Hall Community Room - April 11th, 2022
CSP Update to the Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition - April 22nd, 2022
Kalamazoo Public Library Community Table - April 26th, 2022
CSP Virtual Town Hall - Presentation and Short Activity (recording below) - April 27th, 2022
Presentation to the Rotary Club of Kalamazoo - May 10th, 2022
December 2021
Nearly 200 post cards were added to gift bags and were distributed by Parks and Recreation staff during the December to Remember event in Bronson Park. These post cards were also distributed at the Farmer’s Market.
November 2021
City Staff and Environmental Concerns Committee Board members volunteered time to engage with community members during the Farmer’s Market at Mayor Riverfront Park. Over 50+ community members provided feedback or had conversations with staff and board members.
Engagement Board Used at Farmer’s Market on 11/13/2021 and 11/20/2021
September 2021
We are finalizing a draft Sustainability Strategy for Kalamazoo. The draft will be available for review in October and November and will seek approval from the City Commission by the end of this year. Stay tuned for updates on when the draft is available online!
August 2020
As part of the Kalamazoo Sustainability Strategy, the City is exploring composting as a way to help reduce food waste in landfills. The City and the Vine Neighborhood Association are working together to host a week of free compost pick up for Vine neighborhood residents as a pilot project. Through this project we want to learn how much interest and demand there is for a food waste collection service.
April 2020
While the community stays home and stays safe in response to the COVID crisis, work continues on the Sustainability Strategy. In March we held a waste focus group and met 1:1 with the Community Resiliency Coordinator for the Kalamazoo County Response Consortium (KCRC). We had great discussions in both meetings about what Kalamazoo needs to do as a community to react to and prepare for worsening impacts of climate change.
February 2020
In February the Community Sustainability Survey closed and a summary of the results was posted on the project page.
December 2019/January 2020
In December the Sustainability Team held a goal mapping session to identify major themes the strategy must address and goals and actions for each.
In January the Sustainability Team met to discuss focus groups, goals, and priorities for the sustainability strategy.
THROUGHOUT 2019
Throughout 2019 following the initial kick-off event nearly 20 events were held ranging from presentations (meetings on the go), focus groups, to 1:1 consultations reaching nearly 350 people. The Sustainability Survey also reached nearly 400 people with approximately 270 responses.
September 2019
Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) will serve as public board that reviews draft plan and makes recommendation to the City Commission. The public is encouraged to attend for regular updates. The ECC meets the third Wednesday of each month at 4:30 PM in the Community Room at City Hall.
