3. Continue to strengthen intergovernmental cooperation between the county, municipalities, and other units of Kishwaukee River Corridor Green Infrastructure Plan local government. 4. Protect and restore natural resources in the Kishwaukee Winnebago County, Illinois River Corridor. Pre-development 5. Recognize the link between economic growth and an Executive Summary planning and good adequate quantity of clean water, a pleasing natural ordinances can help environment, and ample recreational opportunities in The Kishwaukee River Corridor Green Infrastructure Plan is centered in an area of Winnebago County with significant avoid common post- local development plans. natural and recreational resources. This area has been identified as a new industrial development corridor, making it an ideal development woes site to incorporate green infrastructure concepts and principles into the development plans. Recognizing this opportunity, the such as flooding, erosion, loss of Conclusion Kishwaukee River Ecosystem Partnership (KREP) sought funding to provide green infrastructure information and technical valuable assets and assistance to the local jurisdictions in the development corridor. This short summary highlights some of the information presented community expense. Local businesses and industry as well as local residents have at numerous meetings over a year and a half with municipalities, landowners, environmental organizations, media, and interested become increasingly aware of the need to develop with a long- local citizens. term sustainability attitude. This plan provides the foundation Next Steps -- for community leaders, developers and natural resource groups Municipalities and the County should continue to work with to create a vibrant region that attracts responsible economic The Kishwaukee The most commonly applied technical advisors to: growth while protecting our water and the public investments that have already been made along the river. We look forward River Corridor definition of landscape-based green • Adopt the Green Infrastructure Plan through to working together. infrastructure is based on the idea an Intergovernmental Agreement approved by The corridor of land south of the that certain lands have an inherent Winnebago County, Ogle County, City of Rockford, Kishwaukee River between Chicago- value and function that can be made Village of Cherry Valley, Village of New Milford, Rockford International Airport and even greater when part of a larger Rockford Park District and Winnebago County Selected References Cherry Valley has been identified in local network. Forest Preserve District. To see full recommendations and information download Kishwaukee River Corridor Green economic development plans for new • Develop and adopt a Unified Development Infrastructure Plan at: See appendix for checklist of “watershed friendly” ordinance revisions. industrial development, taking advantage The foundation of green http://krep.bios.niu.edu Kishwaukee River Gorge scenic area Ordinance and county-wide stormwater ordinance of the airport’s location near major infrastructure is connectivity—at that incorporates the recommendations of the Green Banking on Green: How Green Infrastructure Saves Municipalities Money and Provides transportation systems and the the landscape scale it links the Infrastructure Plan. Economic Benefits Community-wide. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) looks I-39/Baxter Road Interchange. natural elements like river corridors, • Develop a GI-based master plan for the industrial at the most cost-effective options for managing polluted runoff and protecting clean water, and woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands The Kishwaukee River is recognized property in the Global Trade Park south of Kilbuck finds that green infrastructure solutions save taxpayer money and provide community benefits by so they can work together as a whole managing stormwater where it falls. http://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=31301 statewide for its diversity of fish and Creek. to sustain ecological values and mussels, migratory bird habitats, bald • Incorporate GI concepts into a regional plan for functions. Green infrastructure also The Green Edge: How Commercial Property Investment in Green Infrastructure Creates Value eagles, ospreys, river otters, and high Economic Development. http://www.nrdc.org/water/commercial-value-green-infrastructure.asp can include working lands, trails and quality natural woodlands and wetlands. • Discuss GI concepts and innovative approaches to other recreational features, as well as It is one of the highest quality river development with larger landowners and developers Reducing Stormwater Costs through Low Impact Development (LID) USEPA cultural and historic sites. http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/green/upload/2008_01_02_NPS_lid_costs07uments_ systems in Illinois. The Kishwaukee in the planning area. The Kishwaukee River reducingstormwatercosts-2.pdf is also an important destination for is rich in mussels, At the community and recreational activities, providing quality neighborhood scale, green USEPA costs-benefits of Green Infrastructure. like the rare Black Moving from Policy to Action http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_costbenefits.cfm fishing, hiking, canoeing, tubing, camping, Sandshell mussel. infrastructure incorporates planning picnicking, bird watching and other and design approaches such as The Plan recognizes the strong policy basis for various healthy outdoor activities. The Winnebago compact, mixed-use development, aspects of green infrastructure protection and design in the The Kishwaukee River Ecosystem Partnership (KREP) has worked for many years to County Forest Preserve District has made parking reduction strategies and land use plans of Winnebago County, Rockford, and Cherry guide preservation and restoration efforts in the watershed, offering advice on strategies a major public investment protecting urban forestry. This reduces Valley. It recommends new development ordinances for local and initiatives that help preserve and sustain the river for our future generations. KREP open space along the Kishwaukee River impervious surfaces and creates governments to reflect the progressive policies of their will continue to work with Cherry Valley, New Milford, Rockford, Winnebago County, and Kilbuck Creek. The Rockford Park walkable, attractive communities. adopted plans that will help put these progressive policies Rock River Environmental Services District also owns Atwood Park, a much- on-the-ground. and private developers to develop visited regional park that straddles the At the site scale, green infrastructure strategies and guidelines to insure can use engineered practices The core recommendation of the Plan is to move from Kishwaukee River east of New Milford. the continued protection of valuable that mimic natural systems by broad policies to specific actions that incorporate green recreational amenities and land and absorbing stormwater back into infrastructure (GI) principles and practices into land use and water resources of the Kishwaukee the ground (infiltration), use trees development plans by taking the following actions: What is “Green River and Kilbuck Creek. and other natural vegetation to Native plants Infrastructure?” convert that water to water vapor 1. Adopt ordinance language that protects critical GI resources Kishwaukee River Corridor Green Infrastructure Plan (evapotranspiration), and use rain and encourages, and/or requires GI designs for all new was funded in part by a Boeing grant to the Chicago The term “green infrastructure” is barrels or cisterns to capture and reuse stormwater. These natural development. Wilderness Sustainable Watershed Action Team. The attributed to a 1994 report to the Governor of Florida. It plan is a result of engaging the local community in processes manage stormwater runoff in a way that maintains or 2. Establish stronger collaboration between local governments, was intended to reflect the notion that natural systems are a planning effort focused on incorporating green restores the site’s natural hydrology and helps to reduce flooding as developers, and natural resource organizations to important components of our infrastructure, as much as infrastructure into industrial development. well as cleaning our water. incorporate GI protection into development proposals. “grey infrastructure” is in developed areas. Resource-Sensitive Policies in Local Plans The Kishwaukee Corridor Green Infrastructure Plan Winnebago County, Rockford, and Cherry Samuelson Rd. Mulford Rd. Valley each have adopted a land use or comprehensive plan that establishes their policies for development, community I 39 Blackhawk Springs Perryville Rd. character, public facilities, and open space. Rockford Airport Each jurisdiction has many good policy Deer Run recommendations in their respective plans that can be coupled with new ordinances r and other actions to help them achieve the ive k R I-39 benefits that come from planning with green oc R Kishwaukee Rd. infrastructure. For a full list of pertinent Perryville Rd. a Kishwaukee Gorge North Mulford Rd. Hinchcliff Memorial hw ukee R Kishwaukee River THE VALUE OF NATURE policies and the recommended actions see Kis iver the full Plan at: http://krep.bios.niu.edu The I-39/Baxter Road Redevelopment Seth Atwood Park Project, because of its size and proximity to Increased stormwater runoff has Kishwaukee Gorge South IL 251 the Kishwaukee, is a project that should be caused serious