Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan's Second Wave's On the Ground Kalamazoo series.
 
KALAMAZOO, MI.  –  So what happens when one big plan has been executed and a new one is needed? In the City of Kalamazoo, ... well ..., you keep planning.
 
Area residents will have opportunities throughout the month of March to help the city craft and develop a new 10-year strategic vision and master plan, to be called Imagine Kalamazoo 2035.
 
Ideas that have been offered over the past few months will be used to help set strategic goals for improvements and development projects that the city will pursue over the next 10 years. The ideas phase of the effort, called "Imagine It," began in September. The city invited area residents, businesses, and community stakeholders to work with city staff members to offer ideas.
 
The next phase in what will be a five-stage process — dubbed “Plan It!” — begins in March.
 
“In Kalamazoo, we have a proven track record of turning community vision into action: Ninety-nine percent of the actions in Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 have been completed or are in progress,” says Jeanne Hess, vice mayor of the City of Kalamazoo. “This wouldn’t be possible without our community showing up and sharing their voices, ideas, and energy to help shape our community.” 
 
Four visioning sessions have been scheduled for March, with all of the planning expected to culminate in late 2025 with the adoption of the city’s new master plan. 
 
According to information provided by the city, community members will build on input from the “Imagine It!” phase “to redefine the Strategic Vision Goals and identify the key outcomes that will guide Kalamazoo’s future.”
 
Community members are being invited to attend one of the following meetings to discuss Strategic Vision Goals & Outcomes:
 
— Tuesday, March 11, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Northside Association for Community Development, 612 N Park St.
 
— Tuesday, March 18, from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Hornet Suite at Kalamazoo College Fieldhouse, 1600 W. Michigan Ave.
 
— Thursday, March 27, from 4 - 6 p.m. at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S. Park St. The open house-style gathering will allow for individual input activities. There will be no formal presentation.

Activities at each of the gatherings will be the same, allowing people to find a session that fits their schedule. To make it easier for residents to participate. online survey opportunities are expected to be made available soon. 

The City also plans to release an updated Meeting on the Go guide, which will include activities and discussion questions relevant to the Plan It! phase.
 
"Whether you support the direction the city is moving in or think we need to change course, the only way your perspective can be incorporated into the overall community plan is if you are willing to get involved,” Hess says. “Your voice matters, and these conversations shape real decisions about our city’s future. I encourage everyone to stay engaged, join these discussions, and be a part of Kalamazoo’s future.”