Full Notification

ROCKFORD, IL. May 17, 2010
–
Rockford City Council tonight approved an
Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) which will allow the City of Rockford and the Rockford Park District to move ahead with the purchase of 18 acres, north of
Springbrook Drive, for the amount of $100,000.

The approval of the IGA would allow for the joint development of a storm water management facility and
recreational park at the site which will serve the northeast quadrant of the city.

Each entity has well-defined and historic needs for the purchase. The Park District had completed a needs assessment of neighborhood park sites throughout the
community and had identified the Meadows of Spring Brook subdivision, recently annexed by the City of Rockford in 2007, is one of those underserved subdivisions. In
addition, the surrounding subdivisions of Lexington Farms, Summerfield Commons, and the apartment complex on McFarland Road were also identified as underserved
by a neighborhood park and would have access to the proposed park.

“One of the Park District’s most important priorities is to provide neighborhood parks within reasonable walking distance from most people’s homes.

This is another great partnership with the City of Rockford to acquire land and ultimately develop a park
that will meet the needs of the neighborhood served,” stated Rockford Park District Executive Director, Tim Dimke.

In addition to the Park District need, the City had long recognized the need to have an effective and efficient, stormwater collection basin both up and downstream along
Spring Creek. The proposed stormwater management facility at this site would capture approximately 89 acres of stormwater runoff.

The collaborative nature of the purchase was applauded by Mayor Larry Morrissey.
“This is one of many intergovernmental partnerships we are working on with the Park District to achieve two purposes: to improve public infrastructure and increase
neighborhood recreational resources.” he acknowledged.

Alderman Carl Wasco, representative of the Fourth Ward concurred with the Mayor.

“Workingtogether we can achieve both goals more effectively and efficiently for our tax payers to improve the quality of their live.”

City staff has recommended that the estimated cost for construction of the stormwater management facility would be approximately $500,000 and would be covered under a proposed stormwater management fee recapture ordinance. The basis of the proposal suggests that as private development occurs along Bell School Road and Riverside Boulevard, developers would “buy-in” to the regional detention facility, and would not be required to do on-site detention in their new development.

This type of cost-sharing has worked extremely well for private development and stormwater management at the Elliot Detention Facility.

A draft concept plan for Meadows of Springbrook Park show extensive green space which includes ball fields, a playground, and other active recreational features, as well as a large passive area for native plantings. Along with the major stormwater management facility, also included is the development of five single-family residential lots.

The City and the Park District would plat the property, sell the residential lots, and split the proceeds 50/50 to go towards their collective land acquisition costs.