We strongly oppose the rezoning of the former Vermeulen property at 4301 Stadium Drive (previously listed as 4301/4305/4701 Stadium Drive and 2231 S. Drake Rd. Kalamazoo, MI) from current residential (RM-15/RS-5) status to Community Commercial (CC). We also suggest a new zoning classification of Green Zoning District, which could be applied to protected natural areas such as the Asylum Lake Preserve, which is currently zoned Residential (as is the adjacent 4301 Stadium Drive).

This property adjoins the northern boundary of Asylum Lake Preserve, a 274 acre public nature preserve enjoyed by many city and county residents. As a land preserve, Asylum Lake Preserve needs to be protected from any development that would endanger its health and viability now and in the future. It contains two lakes which are source waters for the West Fork of the Portage Creek Watershed. The northern shore of Asylum Lake, the largest of the two lakes, and its wet meadow/emergent marsh area border the land with proposed development. A high intensity development located adjacent to this preserve would endanger its water areas and expansive ecosystem as well as destroy both the visual and noise buffers it provides for this treasured, peaceful area.

The proposed development of this property with a CC zoning is an unacceptable level of development at this specific property. Allowing this rezoning would not fulfill a community need and would result in a disorderly development pattern at an already crowded intersection next to the Preserve and residences. Commercial rezoning at this property would set a terrible precedent for properties with the NFP overlay, as it goes against one of the main NFP objectives to "ensure natural features within the city are protected long term for the enjoyment of the public and health of the environment – with special focus on properties being developed or redeveloped." Commercial rezoning at this property also does not align with the goals of the City's Strategic Vision of Environmental Responsibility, and according to the City's Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 planning initiative, the Kalamazoo community places a very high importance on protecting, restoring, and creating / preserving more green spaces (source: https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Government/Programs-Initiatives/Imagine-Kalamazoo/What-We-Heard-in-Imagine-It