| Community Visioning Meeting - Area B |
| Milwood / Edison |
| Combined Visions | ||
| Rank | Visions | Votes |
| 1 | Lively downtown with entertainment, affordable housing, upstairs apartments, shops, a major convention center, and a good mix of commercial and residential uses. | 16 |
| 2 | Safe environment / neighborhoods. | 14 |
| 3 | Enhanced educational system with high-tech training and teleconferencing in schools, planned services, etc. | 13 |
| 4 | Community recreational facilities for adults. | 13 |
| 5 | Neighborhoods are revitalized - historic, older homes are restored; families are moving back to the traditional neighborhoods; crime is reduced; there is a balance of limited commercial uses among residential neighborhoods. | 12 |
| 6 | Clean Kalamazoo River. | 9 |
| 7 | More affordable and better quality housing throughout the City for all. | 8 |
| 8 | Enhanced Transportation System - interstate connection with "super interstate"; business loops are connected and you can go south on US-131 on the north side; monorail system connects the downtown with Crossroads Mall, Maple Hill Mall, and the airport; major artery through City without many stop lights, train crossings, etc. | 7 |
| 9 | Solid economic base (jobs). | 6 |
| 10 | Regionalism - more emphasis on county rather than City; county-wide transportation system (all of county belongs to Metro-Transit); all parks are now county parks that are linked with bike paths and trails; cooperation with Battle Creek and Portage. | 6 |
| Group One - Visions | ||
| Rank | Visions | Votes |
| 1 | Enhanced educational system with high-tech training and teleconferencing in schools, planned services, etc. | 12 |
| 2 | More affordable and better quality housing throughout the City for all. | 12 |
| 3 | Enhanced Transportation System - interstate connection with "super interstate"; business loops are connected and you can go south on US-131 on the north side; monorail system connects the downtown with Crossroads Mall, Maple Hill Mall, and the airport; major artery through City without many stop lights, train crossings, etc. | 11 |
| 4 | Lively downtown with entertainment, affordable housing, upstairs apartments, shops, a major convention center, and a good mix of commercial and residential uses. | 9 |
| 5 | Neighborhoods are revitalized - historic, older homes are restored; families are moving back to the traditional neighborhoods; crime is reduced; there is a balance of limited commercial uses among residential neighborhoods. | 7 |
| 5 | Regionalism - more emphasis on county rather than City; county-wide transportation system (all of county belongs to Metro-Transit); all parks are now county parks that are linked with bike paths and trails; cooperation with Battle Creek and Portage. | 7 |
| 7 | Good jobs for all and more high tech industries. | 6 |
| 8 | Linear park system along Kalamazoo River - the river is maximized as a natural resource. | 3 |
| 9 | Centralized warehousing to reduce truck traffic. | 1 |
| 10 | Easily accessible regional airport. | 0 |
| 11 | Young people are serving on boards and commissions. | 0 |
| 12 | Increase in bedding plant industry creating scenic entrances into the City. | 0 |
| 13 | No more student housing conflicts. | 0 |
| 14 | Great place to grow up and raise children. | 0 |
| Prouds | ||
| Rank | Prouds | Votes |
| 1 | Citizen involvement and philanthropy - many non-profit groups and organizations. | 8 |
| 2 | Many cultural activities (theater) and recreational pursuits (minor league sports teams) for a city of Kalamazoo’s size. | 7 |
| 3 | Quality of health care (2 regional hospitals) plus WMU, Kalamazoo College, and KVCC. | 5 |
| 4 | Diversity | 4 |
| 5 | Nice People. | 2 |
| 6 | City support of neighborhoods. | 2 |
| 7 | Park system. | 1 |
| 8 | Quick access to big cities (Detroit and Chicago) | 1 |
| 9 | Strong neighborhood sense. | 0 |
| 10 | Service oriented. | 0 |
| Sorries | ||
| Rank | Sorries | Votes |
| 1 | Housing problems - aging housing stock; city inspections; appearance of rental properties; lack of enforcement; lack of affordable housing. | 8 |
| 2 | Educational standards in local school system have fallen. | 7 |
| 3 | Lack of a good economic development plan. | 6 |
| 4 | Road conditions. | 5 |
| 5 | Fate of local family businesses, large or small. | 4 |
| 6 | City has turned its back on the Kalamazoo River. | 2 |
| 7 | Drugs. | 2 |
| 8 | Vacancies in downtown mall. | 2 |
| 9 | Infant mortality rate / highest in state. | 1 |
| 10 | Environmentally contaminated sites. | 1 |
| 11 | Racial tensions. | 1 |
| 12 | Lack of neighborhood representation on City Commission. | 1 |
| 13 | Homeless persons. | 1 |
| 14 | Lack of neighborhood retail businesses (corner grocery stores). | 0 |
| 15 | Abandoned sites. | 0 |
| Group Two - Visions | ||
| Rank | Visions | Votes |
| 1 | Safe environment / neighborhoods. | 8 |
| 2 | Clean Kalamazoo River. | 7 |
| 3 | Solid economic base (jobs). | 7 |
| 4 | Community recreational facilities for adults. | 5 |
| 5 | Vital downtown with cultural and ethnic festivals; good entertainment and restaurants. | 5 |
| 6 | Greenspace is part of developments; aesthetic design; big emphasis on environment. | 4 |
| 7 | Improve all roads. | 3 |
| 8 | Stable housing / strong neighborhoods close to central business district. | 2 |
| 9 | Affordable housing. | 2 |
| 10 | Casino / dog tracks. | 2 |
| 11 | Great education system (Kalamazoo College). | 2 |
| 12 | Synchronized street lights. | 2 |
| 13 | Affordable day care. | 1 |
| 14 | Educated work force. | 1 |
| 15 | Separated railroads from the downtown. | 1 |
| 16 | No overhead wires. | 0 |
| 17 | Novel transportation system for downtown (trolley cars). | 0 |
| Prouds | ||
| Rank | Prouds | Votes |
| 1 | Improved Central Business District (Arcadia Creek). | 7 |
| 2 | Annen Sports Complex. | 6 |
| 3 | Strong neighborhood organizations. | 6 |
| 4 | Churches. | 5 |
| 5 | Cultural activities (Civic Theater). | 5 |
| 6 | Education. | 4 |
| 7 | Parks. | 1 |
| 8 | NLO. | 1 |
| Sorries | ||
| Rank | Sorries | Votes |
| 1 | Lack of entertainment and night life. | 9 |
| 2 | Lack of intergovernmental cooperation. | 9 |
| 3 | Poor road and sidewalk conditions. | 8 |
| 4 | Lack of vital downtown. | 7 |
| 5 | Big truck traffic in residential neighborhoods. | 3 |
| 6 | Kalamazoo Public Safety. | 3 |
| 7 | Arcadia Creek did not meet expectations. | 2 |
| 8 | Poor parking in central business district. | 2 |
| 9 | Quality of high school education. | 2 |
| 10 | Snow removal. | 1 |
| 11 | NLO not fair. | 1 |
| 12 | Unequal tax benefits. | 1 |
| 13 | City not geared for students - not coordinated / lacks cohesion. | 1 |
| 14 | Infighting with hospitals. | 0 |
| 15 | Mental health centers. | 0 |
| 16 | High renter occupancy. | 0 |
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Council ] [ Community Profile Report ] [ Preface ] [ Neighborhood Visionary Meetings ] [ Communitywide Visionary Forum ] [ Area A ] [ Area B ] [ Area C ] [ Area D ] [ Area E ] [ Area F ] |