Rockford Code and Regulation Committee Meeting – September 28, 2026

The Rockford Code and Regulation Committee met on September 28, 2026, at 5:30 PM at City Hall. Present: Aldermen Gabrielle Torina, Mark Bonne, Tamir Bell, and Aprel Prunty. Alderman Jonathan Logemann was absent. The committee considered nine items from the Traffic Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Liquor and Tobacco Advisory Board. All motions carried unanimously.

Committee Reports

1. Elm Street / Church Street – Handicapped Parking Repeal (Item 26-01166)

• Approved: Repeal the “Handicapped Parking” restriction on the north side of Elm Street from 238 feet west of Church Street to 116 feet west of Church Street.

2. Adams Street / Rural Street / Greenwood Avenue – Park Zone Speed Limit (Item 26-01167)

• Approved: Establish a 25 MPH park zone speed limit on Adams Street from Rural Street to Greenwood Avenue. Jeremy Carter, Traffic Engineer, explained the police department brought the request from the Ken Rock Community Center, which runs programs for up to 100 children crossing the street to the park. The Traffic Commission is also considering a mid-block crossing. Aldermen Torina and Bell asked clarifying questions.

3. 23rd Street / 9th Avenue / 10th Avenue – Residential Parking Permits Repeal (Item 26-01168)

• Approved: Repeal the “Residential Parking Permits Zone” on 23rd Street from 9th Avenue to 10th Avenue.

4. No Action Items – Reed Avenue/Cannon Street and Sawyer Road/16th Street (Item 26-01169)

• Approved: Take no action on requests for an all-way stop at Reed Avenue and Cannon Street, and a two-way stop at Sawyer Road and 16th Street. Ald. Prunty noted she requested this based on constituent concerns.

5. 910 20th Avenue – Impervious Surface Variation (Item 26-01080)

• Approved: Grant a variation to increase the maximum impervious surface ratio from 50% to 64% (from 1,450 sq ft to 1,613 sq ft) to allow a 168 sq ft house addition on a 2,900 sq ft lot in an R-2 district. Ald. Bonne noted staff recommended denial because the request exceeded the allowance by 13 sq ft, but the Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval. The committee approved unanimously.

6. 1810 and 1818 Morgan Street – Zoning Map Amendment and Special Use Permit for Trucking (Item 26-01082)

• Approved: Rezone from R-1 to I-1 and grant a special use permit for a trucking company with outdoor storage for ten semi-trucks and trailers. Conditions include meeting building/fire codes, submitting site/landscape plans, a Type C buffer along south and west property lines, no outside storage of parts or unlicensed vehicles, and all conditions met prior to establishment.

7. 29xx South Main Street – Zoning Map Amendment to C-3 (Item 26-01084)

• Approved: Rezone from I-1 to C-3 General Commercial for a new grocery store. Ald. Torina expressed excitement about the business expanding in the 5th Ward and noted the owners run the “best tacos in Rockford.”

8. 310 North Alpine Road – Denial of Package Liquor and Tobacco Sales (Item 26-01088)

• Sustained the Liquor and Tobacco Advisory Board’s recommendation to deny a convenience store’s applications for package liquor (Class PKG) and tobacco sales. Scott Capovilla, Planning and Zoning Manager, stated the proposed use was inappropriate for a family-oriented shopping center and the business plan appeared to be a liquor store. Ald. Bonne noted the revised application still indicated large liquor sales. A prior similar application for a tobacco/gift shop at this location was denied three and a half years ago.

9. 3870 North Perryville Road – Liquor License for Los Cabos Mexican Grill and Bar (Item 26-01089)

• Approved: Grant a liquor-by-the-drink (Class NG-L) and package liquor (PKG) license for a restaurant with outdoor seating. Conditions include meeting building/fire codes, submitting revised floor plans and landscaping plans, installing landscaping by October 31, 2026, limiting hours (Sun-Thu 11am-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm), no nightclub or DJ operations, resolving any outstanding code violations, and all conditions met prior to license issuance.

Key Outcomes

• All nine committee reports were approved or sustained by unanimous votes.
• Conditions were attached to items 6 and 9 as noted above.
• The committee took formal positions supporting the Traffic Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Liquor and Tobacco Advisory Board recommendations.