Planning and Development Committee Meeting - July 13, 2026: Infill Planning & Development Guide
Planning and Development Committee Meeting - July 13, 2026
This meeting of the Rockford Planning and Development Committee, held on July 13, 2026, at 5:30 PM, focused on the presentation of the 2026 Infill Planning & Development Guide, an information-only item. The guide identifies 50 strategic development areas across the city for future housing, emphasizing infill development on vacant or underutilized sites. Public comments addressed concerns about public transit, veterans, domestic violence training, and local political representation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Larry Washington criticized the Rockford Mass Transit District (RMTD), citing poor reviews and echoing the late Alderman McNeely’s advice that change requires replacing the top five executives and the entire board. He also noted sidewalk obstructions and buckling sidewalks on school property.
- Prophet Yusuf listed 21 African American Medal of Honor recipients from Vietnam, praised veterans, and expressed personal messages of love to several attendees. He also sang “Happy Birthday” to friends.
- John Tack Brentley criticized former President Donald Trump, Project 2025, white privilege, and Jim Crow laws. He alleged that the 13th ward alderman ignored him in favor of a Caucasian interlocutor, and claimed that the mayor won by only 11% despite 41.32% of independent voters. He also listed community resources removed from the west side (hospital, public aid office, grocery store).
- Erica Reed detailed her advocacy for legislation requiring domestic violence training for mental health licenses in New York, and criticized local and state politicians (Representative West, Senator Vella, Representative Stadelman) for inaction, noting that the Family Peace Center and others have not advanced the bill. She urged council involvement.
- Denzel Winter recounted incidents of bus drivers mistreating passengers, including a mother with a baby and groceries, and called for respectful treatment of riders.
Discussion Items
- 2026 Infill Planning & Development Guide Presentation: City staff (Scott and Director Sarah Lies) presented the guide, a planning tool to identify sites for future housing. Key points:
- Rockford needs 6,000–9,000 additional housing units by 2035; infill is one strategy.
- 50 strategic development areas identified, totaling over 1,000 acres of development opportunity.
- Sites evaluated on infrastructure, access, compatibility, development potential, and long-term viability.
- West side has 53% of vacant acreage; east side 47%. However, Alderman Meeks noted 39 identified properties on the east side vs. 10 on the west side (plus one central), prompting questions about imbalance. Staff clarified that west side sites are larger (e.g., two over 200 acres each).
- The guide includes detailed profiles for each site, and is intended to be a living document updated more than once a year.
- Staff will market the guide to developers, realtors, and at conferences; they have already used it in statewide housing discussions.
- Alderman Thunberg raised concerns about labor shortages in construction; staff acknowledged that high material costs and competition from other regions are bigger factors, and mentioned exploring modular housing to reduce labor needs.
- Alderman Grant asked about including smaller scattered vacant lots not in the guide; staff said they could add them but focused on larger clusters. Alderman Salgado inquired about leveraging the land bank and trustee program; staff noted one land bank site (former Martin Luther King Jr. school) is already included.
- Chairwoman asked about recommendations for developers on market rate vs. affordable housing; staff said they start with market rate but will consider all proposals, with council having final approval via zoning.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken; the guide was presented for information only.
- The full 174-page guide is available online and will be actively marketed to developers and partners.
- Staff will continue to update the inventory, coordinate infrastructure improvements, provide early development assistance, and meet with aldermen to discuss ward-specific sites.
- The meeting adjourned with a unanimous voice vote.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to call the order of the planning and development committee meeting for Monday, July 13th, 2026. Tonight's avocation will be given by Chaplain Gary Lundberg. We ask that you please stand if you are able. And we will immediately follow that with a pledge of allegiance. Heavenly Father, we're thankful that you have called us together. Lord, you have brought so many blessings to our city, and we're thankful for all of those wonderful ways of providence and mercy for us. Father, I pray for a blessing on our Rockford Fo police and fire department officers. Keep them safe, Lord, as they could do their duties, protecting our citizens, and uh making our city the beautiful place that he is. Father, we thank you for your promise that you will give us wisdom if we ask, if we have lacking in discernment and knowledge, we shall have all that we need from your hand. As uh as the psalmist said, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Thank you, Lord, for that is an assurance that we shall hear your voice tonight. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. For which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible and liberty and justice for all. Um, if you have not noticed, we do have a new sound system, so we just ask that you step up to the microphone once your name is called. You will have three minutes to make your comments, at which time you will hear an alarm sound go off, and we just ask that you bring your comments to a close at that time. That being said, our first speaker tonight is Larry Washington. All right, I ain't been here for a minute. I'm normally talking about the Rockford Mass Transit District and how they treat those passengers down there. And all you gotta do is go online and look at their reviews. Okay. Now you can't tell me ten out of twelve stars. You guys are doing what you're supposed to do, and helping those passengers be treated the way they're supposed to be treated on that business. And I don't get this prayer. Because it's just going to be business as usual tomorrow. That's all it's going to be. So I'm going to talk about what Alderman McNeely taught me one day. She's the only alderman, the late Alderman McNeely, that showed me she cared anything about those passengers. She walked on them steps after I got through speaking. She says, Larry, I'm telling you this. Ain't nothing gonna change down there until those top five guys are gone, are replaced. And she said the entire executive board needs to be fired. Now this is just ridiculous, okay? This is ridiculous. Now I'm gonna talk about my the world I live in, and I've talked about this before. You can several blocks you can't walk down that sidewalk because it's covered with trees and bushes. One block of Rose Avenue, another of Michigan. Okay. There's uh buckling sidewalks on a school property for crying out loud. You don't know how um dangerous that is, Miss Trina. At the Barber School, Buckland Sidewalk. And it's several in that neighborhood like that. This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Thank you. Um, our next speaker is Prophet Yusuf. Ladies and gentlemen, in the book of Proverbs, the first chapter, the seventh verse, it says a fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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