Rockford Planning and Development Committee Meeting - June 22, 2026
Planning and Development Committee Meeting Summary – June 22, 2026
The Planning and Development Committee of the Rockford City Council met on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall. The meeting was called to order at 6:50 PM by Alderwoman Janessa Neal. Present were Aldermen Tim Durkee, Janessa Neal, Gina Meeks, and Dawn Granath; Alderman Karen Hoffman was absent. The committee considered eight agenda items, including funding agreements, tax increment financing (TIF) district changes, and a new commercial vacancy program. The meeting adjourned at 9:23 PM.
Discussion Items
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Grant of Easement to ComEd – Approved 4-0. Staff clarified the easement at 850 S. Horace Ave. is for connecting a city-owned solar farm to ComEd utility lines. The connection lines will be overhead. (Alderman Granath motioned, Alderman Durkee seconded.)
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Funding Agreement with Comprehensive Community Solutions (CCS) for Prevention/Intervention Programming – Motion denied 2-1 (Aldermen Durkee and Meeks nay; Alderman Neal abstained). The $400,000 request from cannabis funds would have expanded the "Alive & Free" program in partnership with the Community Healing Center. Alderman Durkee opposed, citing a 20% increase in math performance and only a 3% increase in attendance, and argued Rockford Public Schools should fund such programs. Alderman Tumber and Alderwoman Meeks agreed, suggesting the Winnebago County Mental Health Board (with a $48 million surplus) should provide the bulk of funding. Mayor McNamara and Alderman Bell supported the program, noting its role in a 48% reduction in violent crime and its wraparound services for youth. CCS Executive Director William Chapman stated the program started in 2021 with COVID relief funds and now needs city support. The motion failed 2-1.
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Funding Agreement with Angelic Organics Learning Center (Farmers Rising) for Mobile Grocery Store – Motion denied 2-2 (Aldermen Neal and Granath aye; Aldermen Durkee and Meeks nay). The $822,000 from 2025 and 2026 casino funds over three years would launch a mobile grocery store in food deserts. Alderman Durkee opposed, questioning sustainability and noting private delivery options. Alderwoman Meeks opposed, wanting more private funding before city funds. Alderman Bell supported, listing 10+ planned stops identified by the Food Insecurity Task Force. Staff noted the city would hold a lien on the truck and trailer. Farmers Rising’s representative stated the project will proceed on a delayed timeline even without city funding. The motion failed 2-2.
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Ordinance Terminating Global Trade Park South TIF District – Approved 3-1 (Alderwoman Meeks nay). The existing TIF, created in 2011 and set to expire in 2035, was terminated to allow creation of a younger TIF for development. (Alderman Durkee motioned, Alderman Granath seconded.)
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Ordinance Approving South Rockford Industrial TIF District Redevelopment Project Area – Approved 3-1 (Alderwoman Meeks nay). No discussion. (Alderman Durkee motioned, Alderman Granath seconded.)
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Ordinance Designating South Rockford Industrial Redevelopment Project Area – Approved 3-1 (Alderwoman Meeks nay). No discussion. (Alderman Durkee motioned, Alderman Granath seconded.)
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Ordinance Adopting TIF Allocation Financing for South Rockford Industrial Redevelopment Project Area – Approved 3-1 (Alderwoman Meeks nay). Alderwoman Meeks expressed personal opposition to converting agricultural land to industrial use and concern about the forest preserve. Mark Good of Venture One Real Estate stated the project would build only industrial/warehouse buildings (no data centers) on the 1,600-acre site, use TIF funds for infrastructure, and create union construction jobs. He noted that industrial development boosts the city’s low 4% industrial tax base and supports three additional jobs per industrial job. (Alderman Durkee motioned, Alderman Granath seconded on each.)
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Spaces to Places Program Resolution – Approved 4-0. The program allocates $300,000 from 2026 and 2027 casino funds to reimburse security deposits and 50% of rent for up to 12 months (maximum $20,000 per business) for new or expanding businesses in existing BADGE business districts. Staff said the program is first-come, first-served. Alderman Bell asked about allocation among districts; staff confirmed no set-asides. Alderman Tumber asked about sustainability; staff noted businesses must show financial capacity through upfront payments. Alderwoman Torina questioned whether rent assistance is the primary barrier and noted many vacant storefronts require significant renovation. Staff acknowledged the program is a pilot and may evolve. (Alderman Durkee motioned, Alderman Granath seconded.)
Key Outcomes
- Grant of Easement to ComEd: Approved (4-0).
- CCS Funding Agreement: Denied (2-1).
- Mobile Grocery Store Funding Agreement: Denied (2-2).
- Global Trade Park South TIF Termination: Approved (3-1).
- South Rockford Industrial TIF District Creation: All three ordinances approved (3-1 each).
- Spaces to Places Program: Approved (4-0).
- The committee completed its agenda and adjourned at 9:23 PM.
Meeting Transcript
June 22nd, 2026. Clerk, will you please call the roll? Here. Neil. Here. Here. Me. Here. Thank you. Item one is an approval of the proposed grant of easement to comment for the city owned property located at 850 South Horace Avenue, Rockford, Illinois. Do you have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Are there any questions or comments? Thank you so much. I was just wondering. Are we aware of any plans that are expected to take place at this location? It's a good question. And currently this site is being developed for a solar farm on the city property just to the west. That's just granting the season so they can tie in the solar farm to the to the um comrade line. And I'm just gonna assume they're not burying these lines, correct? So I there the lines are buried inside the solar farm, but this section going from the solar farm to the polls is going to be overhead. Thank you so much. Are there any other questions or comments? All those in favor, please indicate by stating aye. The item passes. Item two is an approval of the proposed funding agreement with comprehensive community solutions to expand prevention and intervention programming in collaboration with the city of Rockford's Community Healing Center and the amount of 400,000. The funding sources cannabis funds. Thank you, Chairwoman. Um, you know, certainly this is a proposal with community uh comprehensive community solutions, an amount of 400,000 dollars utilizing cannabis funds. Um we have had a partnership with CCS for a number of years, uh, working very closely with the healing center, and Diana can talk about the the details and answer questions related to the programming and efforts. Uh they work very closely with CCS when the proposal uh was built and under for your consideration, and additionally, Will is here from CCS. Should you have any direct questions for him? Are there any questions or comments? Alderman Durkin. Thank you, madam chair. Um I'm uh going to oppose this uh mostly because first of all, their data is isn't outstanding. They have a 20% per the memo, 20% increase in math performance, and only a three percent increase in school attendance. The other um the other reason for opposition, we pay an awful lot of money to Rockford Public Schools, and uh I think that this falls under their purview rather than using the cannabis funds. I don't know that this is uh an appropriate easier. Um so I I'm in uh I'm in opposition to this Alderman Thunbert. Thanks, Chairwoman. Uh, for allowing me to speak under committee. I would uh reiterate a little bit of that. Uh I you know, although I see the the uh the benefit of this um I just recently mentioned about our various IGAs uh with the public schools also uh yeah I think there are the public schools could probably pitch in on this as well, but with the taxpayers' money going into the mental health uh tax. I almost think that these numbers should be reversed. Um I'm not seeing that just my two cents, thank you. As in we put in a hundred and then you put in four hundred because there seems to be a larger pot of money in that mental health tax fund right now. So thank you. Alder One Weeks, yeah.
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