What neighborhood do you live in? South Westnedge
Mark one of each of these items on the map below as a priority for your neighborhood. Click and drag the map to find your neighborhood, or use the camera controls button on the map to zoom in or out. Pin at 42.247363, -85.583884 (Near 125 Pratt rd there is a big areas that keeps being repaired over and over that its a 10x5ft area of huge bumps that really just needs to be milled out and replaced. Similarly this is starting to happen closer to the bank and Barries as well! This road suffers a lot of potholes and is quickly breaking down every year due to people speeding.), Pin at 42.247428, -85.58191 (Bridge by the church does not have proper drainage into the creek, leading to flooding and safety issues for pedestrians and vehicles.), Pin at 42.247276, -85.586599 (Speeding leads to this road being less safe for pedestrians and bikers as people try to bypass traffic on Kilgore. Also breaking down the road.)

What neighborhood do you live in? South Westnedge
What types of Parks & Recreation programs & events would you like to see in your neighborhood? My priority is that there are lots of programs for kids during the summer that 1) are low cost to ensure access 2) that help build social/life skills 3) keep kids healthy and engaged (not on electronics)
If you were overseeing a park improvement project in your neighborhood, what would it include? Use the map to add your ideas. Pin at 42.246247, -85.572424, Pin at 42.248598, -85.578003, Pin at 42.268736, -85.646002 (Greenspace and trails as an extension to Asylum lake preserve)

What neighborhood do you live in? South Westnedge
What should be the City’s top priorities for materials management? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Add recycling containers at apartment complexes. (1), Create a curbside yardwaste & food-scrap pick up system. (1)
What should be the City’s top priorities for the natural world? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Improve the ecosystem health of public green spaces. (1), Allow limited bow hunting to manage the City’s deer population. (1)
What should be the City’s top priorities for energy efficiency and renewables? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Partner with energy utilities to create new programs, like a neighborhood geothermal system. (2)
Add any additional notes about the natural world or your answers above: I LOVE recycling at apartment complexes! It makes it was easier and accessible for people who would throw recycling away because of barriers to recycle. That said, as a property manager I know that any recycling systems needs to NOT be regular trash looking dumpsters! We paid to provide recycling and had to end it. There is a group of people who will just throw their trash in recycling dumpster because it is the closest thing to them, resulting in the entire container of contaminated recycling being dumped by the processing company instead of recycled! Having to dump the entire thing of contaminated recycling defeats the point, does more damage along the way as recycling that might have been recycled is now tossed, and is a huge waste of resources that could be invested in doing other environmental good. Intentionality with how apartment recycling would be implemented would have to be there!

What neighborhood do you live in? Downtown
What does responsive, equitable, sustainable, accessible engagement look like in your neighborhood? Lower speeds, recycling, quiet, people walking, neighbors talking and helping each other, having an organization...
A fine and kept up Historic District.

What neighborhood do you live in? Douglas
Where would you like to see the bicycle network expanded or changed? Which streets? please build actual protected bike lanes and an actual protected bike lane network. Focus on the areas that the lanes connect to other points. think about how the e michigan bike lane deadends into a busy street, but a block later is a trail. connect them. For the past 2 years the downtown trail has not been passable due to a huge chunk of concrete being missing (right by bells). no amount of 311 calls or input sessions has been enough to get the city to do something about it except say: it's the railroads. The thing is, if the city cared about this issue, it would be addressed. They would show leadership and get the railroad to address the issue. The KRVT section in Douglas leaving the city (from douglas to the city border along ravine) is not a trail at all, but a painted bike lane. heavy semi traffic. please either build a trail there, or stop calling it a trail. a painted bike lane is hardly a bike lane and it's definitely not a non-motorized trail. it's hard to 'mark on the map' what needs to be improved. literally everywhere? Where is it safe for kids to ride bikes? Show me a map where it's safe for a child to ride a bike in Kalamazoo.

What neighborhood do you live in? Oakland Drive/Winchell
What types of Parks & Recreation programs & events would you like to see in your neighborhood? Native planting programs
Health and fitness programs
If you were overseeing a park improvement project in your neighborhood, what would it include? Use the map to add your ideas. Pin at 42.268086, -85.616521 (At the school or church)

What neighborhood do you live in? Oakland Drive/Winchell
What should be the City’s top priorities for materials management? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Add recycling containers at apartment complexes. (1), One company collects everyone’s garbage. (1)
What should be the City’s top priorities for the natural world? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Improve the ecosystem health of public green spaces. (1), Create an incentive program for replacing turf grass with native plants. (1)
What should be the City’s top priorities for energy efficiency and renewables? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Partner with energy utilities to create new programs, like a neighborhood geothermal system. (1), Add the requirement that new buildings in the Natural Features Protection (NFP) Overlay use green building standards. (1)

What neighborhood do you live in? Northside
If it's recyclable, it can always go in your curbside cart? False
Even one contaminated item in your recycle cart results in the whole truck load being sent to landfill. True
Large bulky recyclables will be recycled if they are placed at the curb during bulk trash pick-up. True
You should place your leaves in the street to help the pickup program. False
How can you find answers to what is recyclable in Kalamazoo? Kalamazoo county's website
The storm drain outside my house is clogged, what should I do? Remove the leaves and keep it clean.
The storm sewer system in Kalamazoo is funded through a program that requires impervious surface landowners to contribute to the maintenance of the system. True
How does salting sidewalks and streets impact the environment? It creates potholes in roads
What is Green Stormwater Infrastructure? IDK
Deer should be trapped within the city and released in forests outside the city to manage the population of deer in the City of Kalamazoo. False
In 2024, folks living in the 49008 zip code accounted for what percent of all Lyme Disease cases in Kalamazoo County? 25
What are the two leading causes of bird mortality? IDK
What is the main source of greenhouse gas pollution in the City of Kalamazoo? Pollution
Modern solar panels are so effective they can capture light from the moon. False
In the United States, how much electricity does the average home use in the year? 10,500
What big step is the City of Kalamazoo taking to decrease its carbon footprint starting in 2028? IDK
Adding solar panels to your home is the first step you should take if you want to make your home more efficient. True

What neighborhood do you live in? Northside
What should be the City’s top priorities for materials management? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Add recycling containers at apartment complexes. (2)
What should be the City’s top priorities for the natural world? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Allow limited bow hunting to manage the City’s deer population. (2)
What should be the City’s top priorities for energy efficiency and renewables? You've got 2 dots to 'spend' to prioritize. Create an education program on making simple changes at home that increase energy efficiency. (2)

What neighborhood do you live in? Oakland Drive/Winchell
Use the map to mark places in your neighborhood that support a happy, healthy Kalamazoo. Add notes to describe what works well and where you see gaps or opportunities. Pin at 42.262998, -85.614575 (Swimming beach and picnic facilities ), Pin at 42.287845, -85.598664 (beautiful green space. everything on the other side of Stadium (the spaces currently occupied by eye sores like Bottoms Up liquor store, DQ, and the nearby law office--all these need to be turned into green spaces to provide continuity and a welcome to WMU and Kalamazoo College.)