Downtown Zoning Uses & Standards

The first Downtown zoning activity focused on updating the zoning map by dividing the one, large Commercial – Central Business District (CCBD) into three small districts. The resulting map is available for review and feedback, as the first question of the second activity.

This second input activity focuses on the use and standards of the three Downtown Districts. Please review the information below before taking the survey. When you are ready to begin the survey please click "Take the Survey" below. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

For information on where this activity is in the Zoning Code Update process and background on the project itself, please review this presentation (5 minutes).

Activity 2 Presentation

This second input activity focuses on the use and standards of the three Downtown Districts. Specifically, the survey questions focus on areas of change between the current zoning and what is being considered.

Uses

For uses, this includes how some uses are permitted by floor of a building and the potential addition of marihuana businesses. This use table summarizes the permitted uses in CCBD in comparison to those in the three Downtown Districts. 

Standards

For standards, the focus is on height across the three districts. There are also questions as it relates to the Downtown Design Review Guidelines and how to incorporate (or not) the standards that have not yet been shifted into the Zone Code with this update.  Other standards, such as a building’s setback on a lot or the requirement of a front entrance will not appear in this survey. This is because Downtown development has defined urban character, both historically and in new construction. Buildings are built up to the adjacent streets and often the side property lines and focus their access to the pedestrians using the Downtown sidewalks. This type of development pattern is expected to continue in Downtown and the code update will reflect this.

Historic Designations Downtown

A note about historic designations in Downtown and this proposed code update. Downtown Kalamazoo is home to numerous Historic Properties and Local and National Historic Districts. A map of some of these can be reviewed here: Map of Historically Significant Buildings. This code update, which includes form-based standards does not change how Historic Properties or Districts are managed or how projects within them are review and approved.