Draft of The Rock Falls Comprehensive Plan

City of
Rock Falls, Illinois
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2011
Comprehensive Plan
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Adopted (Date)
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[Page Intentionally Blank]
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2011
Comprehensive Plan
Adopted by the City of Rock Falls Planning Commission on (DATE)
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Rock Falls on (DATE)
Acknowledgments:
City of Rock Falls Planning Commission:
Rick Turnroth
Charles Koehler
Bill Groleau
Donald Koehler
Bob Machnicki
David Erby
Mark Vandersnick
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Debi Burke
Matt Lillipop
City Council:
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David Blanton, Mayor
Daehle Reitzel
Mark Vandersnick
Glen Kuhlemier
Brian Snow
Jim Schuneman
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Dave Hand
Bob Thurm
Lee Folsom
City Clerk:
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Bill Wescott
Rock Falls Community Development Corporation:
Sandra Henreckin, Director

Gayla Kolb, Coordinator
Pat Rosengren, Executive Assistant
Planning Consultant:
Michael Reibel
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Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Chapter 1 Issues and Opportunities for Planning
Section 1.1 Brief History of the Planning Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1

Section 1.2 Past Planning in Rock Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5
Section 1.3 The Comprehensive Planning Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5
Section 1.4 Demographic Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8
Section 1.5 Population Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.15
Section 1.6 Community Goals, Objectives and Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.17
Chapter 2 Housing
Section 2.1 Housing Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1

Section 2.2 Housing Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.6
Section 2.3 Conclusions - Housing Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.7
Section 2.4 Housing and Residential Development Goals, Objectives, Policies . . . . . . . . 2.8
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Chapter 3 Transportation Facilities
Section 3.1 Transportation Facility Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1

Section 3.2 Transportation Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.5
Section 3.3
AFGoals, Objectives, Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.5
Chapter 4 Utilities and Community Facilities
Section 4.1 Public Utilities Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1

Section 4.2 Analysis of Public Utility Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2
Section 4.3 Community Facilities Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3
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Section 4.4 Goals, Objectives, Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.9
Chapter 5 Agriculture, Natural and Cultural Resources
Section 5.1 Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1

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Section 5.2 Agricultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1

Section 5.3 Natural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2
Section 5.4 Cultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.9
Section 5.5 Agricultural, Natural and Cultural Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.10
Section 5.6 Goals, Objectives and Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.10
Chapter 6 Economic Development
Section 6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.1

Section 6.2 Economic Base Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.1
Section 6.3 Community Assessment: Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7
Section 6.4 Economic Development Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.8
Section 6.5 Economic Development Issues/Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.12
Section 6.6 Economic Development Goals, Objectives, Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.12
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Chapter 7 Intergovernmental Cooperation
Section 7.1 Inventory of Intergovernmental Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1

Section 7.2 Issues/Conclusions Regarding Intergovernmental Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1
Section 7.3 Goals/Objectives/Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2
Chapter 8 Land Use
Section 8.1 Existing Land Use Within the City of Rock Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1
Section 8.2 Existing Land Uses Within the Extra-Territorial Planning Area . . . . . . . . . . . 8.2
Section 8.3 Land Use Trend Analysis and Projected Land Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.3
Section 8.4 Land Use Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.4
Section 8.5 Goals, Objectives, Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.4
Section 8.6 Future Land Use Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.4
Chapter 9 Implementation
Section 9.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.1

Section 9.2 Comprehensive Plan Adoption Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.1
Section 9.3 Comprehensive Plan Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.1
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Section 9.4 Integration, Amendment, and Update of Comprehensive Plan Elements . . . . 9.2
Section 9.5 Monitoring/Formal Review of the Comprehensive Plan and Continuation of the
Planning Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.2
List of Tables:
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Table 1.1 City of Rock Falls Population 1970 - 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8
Table 1.2 City of Rock Falls Population Change and Percent Change, 1970-1980; 1980-1990; 1990-2000; 2000-
2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8
Table 1.3 Distribution of Population by Ten-Year Age Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.9
Table 1.4 % Population of Age Groups 1990 and 2000;
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Change in % Population of Age Groups 1990-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.9
Table 1.5 Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years and Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.10
Table 1.6 Households, Average Household Size and Household Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.11
Table 1.7 Household Income 1990-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.12
Table 1.8 Weighted Average Poverty Thresholds - 1989 and 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.13
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Table 1.9 Poverty Status 1989 and 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.14

Table 1.10 Summary of Employment by Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.14
Table 1.11A Methodology A Projected Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.16
Table 1.11B Methodology B Projected Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.16
Table 1.11C Methodology C Projected Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.17
Table 2.1 Comparison of Housing Occupancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1

Table 2.2 Comparison of Total Housing Units and Structure Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2
Table 2.3 Comparison of Housing Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3
Table 2.4 Comparison of Owner-Occupied Housing Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4
Table 2.5 Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5
Table 2.6 Monthly Renter Costs as a Percentage of Household Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.6
Table 3.1 Planned IDOT Highway Improvement Projects 2011 Through 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2
Table 6.1 Comparison of Household and Per Capita Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.2

Table 6.2 Current Income Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.2
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Table 6.3 Employment Wage Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3
Table 6.4 Employment Status of Population 16 Years and Above (2000 Census) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3
Table 6.5 Area Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment Data, September 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.4
Table 6.6 Rock Falls Resident Employment by Occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.4
Table 6.7 Current Industry Employment Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.5
Table 6.8 Occupational Employment Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.6
Table 6.9 Mean Travel Time to Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7
Table 8.1 Existing Land Use Within the City of Rock Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1
Table 8.2 Existing Land Use Within 1.5 Miles of the City of Rock Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.3
List of Figures:
Figure 1.1 Map of Rock Falls Geographic Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.7
Appendices:
Appendix I - Maps:
• Map 3.1: City of Rock Falls Transportation Facilities and Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Volume
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• Map 3.2: City of Rock Falls Transportation Facilities and Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) Volume
• Map 3.3: City of Rock Falls Planning Area Transportation Facilities and Averate Daily Traffic (ATD) /
Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) Volume
• Map 5.1: Soil Map Units
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Map 5.2: Farmland Classification of Soils
• Map 5.3: Wetlands
• Map 5.4: Flood Zones
• Map 8.1: Existing Land Use, City of Rock Falls, IL
• Map 8.2: Existing Land Use - Extraterritorial Planning Area
• Map 8.3: General Development Plan
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Appendix II - Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan
Appendix III - Soils Reports
Appendix IV - Responses from Public Meeting

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Introduction
Welcome to the City of Rock Falls Comprehensive Plan. This Comprehensive Plan is the center-piece of the
community development planning process, stating our community’s development goals and outlining public policies
for guiding future growth. It establishes an identifiable destination that allows both the governing body and private
interests to plan and budget with an idea as to the direction the City may move in the future, and helps to ensure that
future growth is not only anticipated, but planned for. The Plan functions as a practical guide to coordinate day-to-
day decisions so they make sense in the future.
Planning a community's future is a complex exercise. The process involves an existing community with a population
of longtime residents, newcomers and business people; a government structure whose composition can change
yearly; the regulations imposed by county, state and federal government agencies; the character of the community
and the plan devised by numerous developers.
Planning for the future of a community can also be controversial. There are those who seek new development for the
jobs and the revenue it will bring. Others oppose it, fearing traffic congestion and related expenditures. There are
always those who feel that, if you do nothing, the lack of infrastructure improvements - sewers, water and roads -
will greatly discourage development. History has repeatedly shown that this is not the case. The fact remains that
change will occur, and the only question is whether the public or private sector will shape that change.
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When it is the public sector that directs the change, there is always the fear that, because you have planned for it, you
are encouraging it. That's a rationalization for avoiding planning. The real challenge is assuring that change occurs
in concert with the goals and objectives of the community. This can be accomplished by taking an active planning
approach. Only in visualizing the future of the community the way you want it to be and sticking to that vision can
the vision become a reality.
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The Comprehensive Plan is a key element in formulating the approach that a community will take in addressing the
issues of land use, public policies toward development, and infrastructure requirements. The purpose of the
Comprehensive Plan is to provide a framework for the City to ensure that a course, focused on a common goal, is
maintained.
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To achieve this, the Plan should be:
1. Comprehensive - The Plan must address all sections of the community as well as all activities associated
with regulation development;
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2. Flexible - The Plan must be structured to summarize policies and proposals and allow for flexibility to
facilitate the ever-changing needs of the community;
3. Provident - The initial requirements of the Plan are to achieve solutions to short term issues, whereas, the
ultimate goal of the Plan is to provide a perspective of future development and predict possible problems as
far as 20 or more years into the future.
With these general guidelines as a basis, specific issues may be addressed by analyzing the growth patterns and
physical features of the City. While a variety of factors influence where and when development takes place, several
basic elements can be analyzed to assess the impact of past or future growth. The elements that this plan addresses
are: Issues and Opportunities (Chapter 1); Housing (Chapter 2); Transportation Facilities (Chapter 3); Utilities and
Community Facilities (Chapter 4); Agriculture, Natural and Cultural Resources (Chapter 5); Economic Development
(Chapter 6); Intergovernmental Cooperation (Chapter 7); Land Use (Chapter 8); and, Implementation (Chapter 9).
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The City of Rock Falls has experienced slow and manageable growth until recording a recent stagnation and even a
decrease in population based upon population estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Future growth should
be anticipated, foresight provided to anticipate the challenges associated with growth, and appropriate policies and
planning process should be in place to address growth when it occurs. This Comprehensive Plan addresses these
issues and provides a basis for the policies which will shape the City of Rock Falls in the future.
Citizen input/participation is an important component of the planning process. Numerous citizens have been
involved in the development of this Comprehensive Plan, and their input is reflected in the goals and objectives
formulated herein.
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CHAPTER 1
Issues and Opportunities for Planning
The purpose of a comprehensive planning program is to promote orderly and beneficial development, helping to
create a community that offers residents an attractive, efficient, and “resident-friendly” environment in which to live.
Such an environment can be realized in part by creating a financially sound governmental structure, supporting good
schools, a variety of community facilities and services, efficient land use and transportation systems, and
encouraging sufficient employment opportunities and adequate, affordable housing.
The planning process involves understanding the various physical, economic, and social issues within the City. It
examines where the City has been, where it is now, what goals or targets the community hopes to achieve, and what
actions are necessary to reach these goals. A successful planning program can provide the direction needed to
manage future growth by offering guidelines to government leaders, private enterprise, and individuals so that the
City development-related decisions are sound, practical, and consistent.
Section 1.1 Brief History and Description of the Planning Area
The City of Rock Falls is located on the south bank of the Rock River in Coloma Township in east central Whiteside
County, Illinois. The Rock River separates Rock Falls from its sister city to the north, Sterling. Rock Falls is
located approximately twelve miles from the City of Dixon (the Lee County seat), approximately 45 miles from the
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Quad Cities (Davenport, IA-Bettendorf, IA-Rock Island, IL-Moline, IL-East Moline, IL Metro area), approximately
50 miles from Rockford, and approximately 110 miles from downtown Chicago. Rock Falls is located at the
intersection of IL Routes 30 and 40, and is adjacent to Interstate 88.
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Rock Falls is located in a rich agricultural area that was predominately prairie interspersed with groves of timber in
pre-settlement times. The City of Rock Falls was founded in 1867 by A.P. Smith.
The Sterling Daily Gazette published the following on July 25, 1967 regarding the history of Rock Falls:
The great advantage of this site were noticed by the early settlers and a town called Rapids City
was laid out. However, the financial state of business, the want of capital, and the difficulty of
obtaining money with which to make improvements, rendered the progress of the locality slow and
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years passed by before another effort was made to call attention to the vast capabilities of this
locality. The Rock River flowed as free and bridgeless as when the Indians were lords of its bands
and the forests rang with the war-whoop of he savage Winnebagos. In 1857, the plat of Rapids
City was entirely vacated and a town was almost unthought of. In 1854 the Sterling Hydraulic Co.,
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built a dam and the water power became available. In 1867 A.P. Smith, a native of New York, a
man of energy and sagacity, moved to this neighborhood from Sterling, bought a tract of land, and
laid out a town, to which he gave the name of Rock Falls. Mr. Smith possessed the capital
necessary to improve the property and at once began the construction of a race, connecting with
the dam of the Sterling Hydraulic Co. The work was completed at a cost of $12,000 and the work
of building up a town began.
A.C. Hapgood moved a store from Como to Rock Falls and began business this year. Messrs.
Galt and Tracy erected a machine shop, the nucleus of the Keystone Works and later International
Harvester Co. Gideon Reynolds and Mary Arey were married in December, the first wedding in
the place. A daughter was born to J. Barker, the first birth. The first death was Byron C. Hunt in
1868. A postoffice was established and opened for business March 15, 1868, with Truman Culver
as postmaster. On Jan. 26, at a public meeting, it was resolved to incorporate the town under the
general law of the State. Fifteen votes were polled, all in favor of the step. An election for Trustees
was held Feb. 4 and 48 votes were cast. The town government was immediately organized. The
first ordinance was entitled, "An ordinance to prohibit the sale of malt liquors in the town of Rock
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Falls in quantities of less than one gallon," and bears the date of Feb. 26, 1869. It was resolved
that no licenses for saloons should be granted and Rock Falls started out on her onward and
upward career as a temperance town.
In 1870, the license party carried the day, 83 votes being cast at the election. The license party
again prevailed at the annual elections in 1871, at which only 60 votes were cast. During 1871,
the Chicago and Rock River Railroad, extending from Shabbona on the Chicago and Iowa
Railroad to Rock Falls, was built, passing through a rich agricultural district. Before its completion
it passed into the hands of the CB&Q Railroad Co. In 1872 the license party again prevailed at the
polls, 150 votes being cast. The Chicago and Rock River Railroad was formally opened for
business on Jan. 4, 1872. The town of Rock Falls grew in population and wealth and was much
benefitted by the increased facilities afforded for business by the railroad. In 1874,75,76 and 77, a
no-license board was elected, the vote being polled as follows: 1874 155 votes; 1875 171 votes;
1876 230 votes; and 1877 171 votes.
Manufacturing establishments multiplied and the population increased from 471 in 1870 to 1200 in
1877. A survey in 1877 shows the following - One dry goods store, four groceries, two millinery,
one tailor, two drug stores, one jeweler, two boot and shoe stores, one harness shop, two butcher
shops, three hardware stores, three blacksmith's, one barber, one lumber yard, one elevator, two
coal dealers, one iceman, one bank, one news depot, one real estate and surveyors office, one
real estate office, one real estate & insurance office, four hotels, six physicians, two printing
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offices, one restaurant, two livery stables, the Keystone Mfg. Co, Eureka Mfg, E.C. Palmer, H.F.
Batcheller and Son, Phelps & Dyer, Utility Works, A.S. Todd, Union Mfg., Rock Falls Mfg., a
mitten factory, one merchant, flouring mill, one feed and meal mill. There were three churches, a
lodge of IOOF, two lodges AOUW, and one hose company. The town had two school houses and
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a well managed grade school was maintained nine months out of the year. The railroad company
had a depot building, roundhouse, water tank and turntable.
Rock Falls was connected with Sterling by a bridge and a small steamer the White Swan, ran
between the two places above the dam. Measures were taken that year to erect a free bridge
above the dam and it was scheduled to be completed during 1878 at a cost of $40,000. It would
connect Mulberry Street in Sterling, with Bridge Street in Rock Falls, passing over the Chicago
and Northwestern Railway track. The early history of Rock Falls would be incomplete without a
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sketch of Augustus P. Smith, the founder. He was a native of Cobleskill, Schohark County, New
York and was born Feb. 2, 1831. In 1848 he went to New York City, where he resided two years
and then became a resident of Cherry Valley, Otsego County, New York, where he also remained
two years. From there he went to Gloversville, Fulton County, New York, and in 1855 came to
Illinois, settling in Sterling in 1856, residing there until his move to Rock Falls, which became his
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home. Smith was married to Miss Elvira J. Champlin at Gloversville, N.Y., April 14, 1855. Their
children were Florence May, born in 1859; Mabel E., 1861, Helen Marr 1863 and Gertrude in
1868. In 1867 he founded Rock Falls.
The schools of Rock Falls were an outgrowth of those of Coloma. The early settlers mostly men of
some education who felt that knowledge is power and that to their children mental culture was
almost as important as food. Schools were therefore early founded and the schoolhouse and the
teacher were almost as necessary in the pioneer settlements as they are today. In 1845, Miss
Anastatia Sturtevant, eldest daughter of Josiah Sturtevant, taught the first school in an old store
building in Rapids City. The next year, 1846, a small building, 12 x 12 originally constructed for a
cornhouse was bought from L.H. Woodworth for the sum of $20, to be paid in produce, the
amount being raised by subscription. It was moved to where the brick schoolhouse in East
Coloma later stood, and a Miss McLaughlin was installed as a teacher. The number of pupils
increased and in 1854 the erection of a brick school house was begun, the old house being
completed in 1856. In 1858 there were two school districts in Coloma, one in the east part, the
other in the west part with the school house located on the east part of Section 31. In 1877 District
No. 2 contained Rock Falls and all west of the township, with District No. 1 east of town, with a
schoolhouse located in the southeast part of Section 26.
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The Sterling Daily Gazette also published the following on July 2, 1976 regarding the history of Rock Falls:
The city of Rock Falls today is enhanced in the historic shadow of a prairie-land area once
commanded by Indians who made dual use, as a provider of necessary foodstuffs and a methods
of travel as well, of the swift flowing waters of the Rock River which forms the natural north
boundary of the city.
As early as 1837, Isaac Merrill, the first permanent citizen of the area which was first called
"Rapids City" settled here to be followed that same year by Edward Atkins, A.B. Wheeler and
Daniel Brooks. These men laid out a tract a square mile to be called Rapids City. It was on the
bank of the Rock River at the east section of Rock Falls that pioneer-settler Edward Atkins built a
home later to be known as "Arey House." The building occurred in 1837 and included walnut
shingles, oak floor and siding of various timber and woods from the adjacent area. Another
homestead in east Rock Falls was built by L.H. Woodworth in 1839. Woodworth was a surveyor
for the canal to be built later at the east edge of Rock Falls.
The founder of the City of Rock Falls was A.P. Smith, an industrialist with a vision for this area.
Smith came from New York, was originally a teacher of music. In 1867 Smith purchased the
Sterling Hydraulic Company which controlled a dam built in 1854, one half interest in their water
power and 40 acres of land on the south side of the river, as well as 25 acres from other parties,
and laid out the town of Rock Falls. Smith went on to construct a race and offered inducements to
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capitalists to make investments and after area responses, numerous factories were in operation.
The City of Rock Falls was organized in 1869 under Illinois state law. The first town meeting was
held on Jan. 26, 1869 and William L. Smith was elected president and H.P. Price, clerk. Five
trustees to represent the town were elected at a town meeting on Fe. 4, 1869 and they were W.L.
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Smith, William H. Shephard, Eli Geiger, Henry P. Price and J.A. Bickford. Geiger was named
treasurer; Charles H. Wellman, constable; J.A. Patterson, supervisor; John Arey, surveyor;
William Smith, street commissioner and Eli Eckman, poundmaster. It was during 1869, the
founder of Rock Falls, August Smith, built a mitten factory which employed some 80 girls and
produced some $100,000 in good yearly. In later years the building was to serve as a school and
the last occupant and owner was the Rock Falls Odd Fellows Order.
Also during the year of 1869, a class holding meetings in an unfinished store in Rock Falls
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organized and proceeded to build the very first church in the city. This group founded the present
Rock Falls United Methodist Church and the first church facility was built in 1870 and the cost was
set at $4,189. The largest concern in the young city of Rock Falls in the year 1870 was through an
organization of the Keystone Company by Galt and Tracy, formerly of Sterling. Galt and Tracy
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owned a factory in Sterling which was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1867 and almost
immediately, they crossed he river to Rock Falls and laid the foundation for the new works which
grew into the Keystone Company in 1871. They engaged in the manufacture of corn planters and
other farm machinery and their warehouses crowded the bank of the Rock River.
At the time (1870) the Keystone Company was organized the official population of Rock Falls was
471 residents. After the death of George Tracy, several changes were made and among them, the
name "International Harvester Company". The extended International Harvester plant covered
seven acres and the buildings proper, averaging three stories, occupied five of the seven acres.
The yearly production was between 45,000 to 50,000 farm machines of various kinds. The foundry
was making yearly some 1,500,000 casting using about eight million pounds of iron. In 1871 the
railroad was completed giving Rock Falls a direct communication with Chicago. Eureka
Manufacturing Company also organized in 1871 and was followed by the Industrial Building at a
cost of $50,000 and then, the Globe Mills.
The first Rock Falls bank was organized in October of 1874 along with the Keystone Burial Case
Company and the White Swan Ferry business between Sterling and Rock Falls. In 1876 W.E.
Lukens platted a nursery and began selling lots. The first new store was built in 1867 by T. Culver.
The first free bridge over the Rock River connecting the twin cities was built in 1878. In 1879 the
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Northwestern Barbed Wire Company was organized. In 1880 the first high school class had six
graduates and the Rock Falls population was 894 persons. In 1881, A.C. Stanley purchased the
grocery business owned by John Newton. The Rock Falls News was established in 1882 by
Captain William Parker and first located in rooms over the Rock Falls post office.
Highlights of the year 1883 in Rock Falls included the construction of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad Bridge across the Rock River and the purchase of the IOOF Cemetery at the east
edge of Rock Falls. On April 18, 1883 the trustees from the Rock Falls Independent Order of Odd
Fellows were authorized to purchase a 10 acre land tract east of Rock Falls for the purpose of
establishing a cemetery. The land was purchased from B.F. LeFever and A.C. Stanley was the
first treasurer of the cemetery. Records indicate the third lot in the cemetery was sold to T.
Stevenson for the sum of $10.
There is little in the historical record to be found about the first cemetery in Coloma Township or
Rock Falls. An earlier record did indicate a small cemetery plot located at the corner of Dixon
Avenue and First Avenue but no records have been found to substantiate the number of graves or
when they were apparently moved to the IOOF Cemetery (now the Coloma Township Cemetery).
In 1885 George W. Packer purchased the E.F. Brook Company which manufactured Yankee hand
sleds, butter tub machinery and blacksmith punches. The Merrill School was built in 1888 and still
in 1889, an old schoolhouse was purchased for the Rock Falls City Hall. The population of Rock
Falls had grown to 1,950 in the 1890 census. In 1892, the population was 2,535 and at the end of
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1897, the population was estimated at 3,500.
In 1891 the paper mill exploded killing four men and destroying the building. Also during 1891 A.C.
Stanley, a prominent merchant, built a three story brick building in the 100 block on West Second
Street called "The Stanley House". Stanley house featured a hotel in the upper stories and
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restaurant in the lower level. City Officers in 1893 included Ward Lincoln, Mayor; E.C. Winters,
city clerk; H.L. Shelton, city attorney; Phil H. David, treasurer; T.S. Welch, marshal and John Rae,
superintendent of streets. B.F. Kadel was chief of the Rock Falls Fire Department; W.C. Holbrook,
city engineer;; Dr. E.L. Dow, health commissioner; Charles M. Fox, city electrician and E.C.
Winters, city collector.
The board of aldermen included R.E. Wetzell and H.N. Shaffer, first ward; John Dickson, R.H.
Woods, second ward; A.S. Goodell and E.A. Macomber, third ward. Progressing rapidly, the City
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of Rock Falls telephone line was extended to Tampico in 1894 and in 1895, the first electric light
plant was established. The first Christian Church of Rock Falls was established in 1897 and area
sons were enlisting in the Spanish-American War during 1898. Street names were changed in
Rock Falls during 1899 and the Frank Building was built.
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At the turn of the century, Rock Falls boasted fine business houses which represented every line
of trade enhanced by a busy "Main Street" district. A.J. McNeil was the leading hardware dealer
along with E.U. Taylor. The A.C. Stanley grocery store was listed as the biggest business in town.
E.R. Hopkins ran a jewelry store and F.H. Geyer operated the largest furniture store. J.M. Bickford
operated the leading drug store and Rolla H. Woods ran the Billiard Hall. Kline & Son ran a drug
store also in the Geyer block.
At this time, among the factories and establishments were large lines of agricultural implements,
barrel carts, butter tubs, lumber, building material, cabinet furniture, carpet weavers, carriages,
wagons, chairs, dairy good, garden implements, hardware specialties, harness and saddlery
good, ladder trucks, machine shops, paint shops, stock waterers and windmills. Among the retail
stores there were three dealers in agricultural and farm implements; two bakeries; three barber
shops; six blacksmiths and horse shoers; three boot and shoemaker stores; two lumber, wood,
coal, brick and building dealers and three carpenters, building and contractors.
Others were, three dry goods and carpet firms; two dentists, three dressmakers; two dealers in
harness and horse furnishings, installment house, livery, feed and sale stables, three livestock
dealers; five market gardeners, and three quarry building stone, masons and contractors. Others
included three meat markets, three music teachers; four physicians and surgeons; five real estate
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dealers; two variety stores; six boarding houses; three book printers including books and
stationery; five insurance agencies, four clothing stores; four restaurants and a number of fruit and
vegetable growers on the edge of the city.
In addition to the manufacturing climate in Rock Falls at the turn of the century, the city provided a
water system, electric light plant, a sewer system that was under construction, improved streets
many with brick and cement walks, schools of the highest standard and many churches.
Surrounded by one of the finer agricultural regions in the state, Rock Falls was further enhanced
at the turn of the century by many beautiful homes lending assurance to the fact it was at that time
a "rapidly growing city" offering many desirable advantages.
Section 1.2 Past Planning In Rock Falls
The City of Rock Falls last adopted a comprehensive plan in the late 1960's.
In 1999, Schreiber / Anderson Associates, Inc. prepared a small-area redevelopment plan for the City titled “Reliant
Redevelopment Master Plan” with the stated purpose as follows: Develop the best site concept plan / site design
renditions for the project area with input from the Riverfront Committee that incorporates concepts and “best use”
ideas for the project area. The plan should increase riverfront connectivity to the Hennepin Canal, recreational
trail, river walkway and riverfront bike path. The plan should include open space for public activities. The existing
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river walls and river bank should be enhanced and stabilized. The plan should show the enhancement of inter-
connections to existing downtown attractions. Finally, the plan should accommodate parking, traffic and pedestrian
needs and improve multimodal traffic flow in relation to existing and proposed attractions and events.
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In 2006, Vandewalle & Associates prepared a small-area redevelopment plan for the City titled “City of Rock Falls
Redevelopment Opportunity Analysis: Remedial Reuse Strategy for the Rock Falls Riverfront Redevelopment
Area.” As the introduction to this document states, “This document examines opportunities for redevelopment with
special focus on two key sites: the former Reliant Fastener site and the former Northwestern Steel and Wire property
better known as the Parish Alford or P.A. site. It includes initial implementation steps to assist the City with
revitalization of the riverfront redevelopment area. The Opportunity Analysis develops “big picture” ideas that are
inspired both by the community’s present assets and by unrealized potentials identified in part through consultation
with area stakeholders and experts. The Opportunity Analysis also considers the unique history, geography,
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economics, organizations and demographics that make up the Rock Falls community. This process is designed to
take a fresh look at the community to identify the most effective catalysts for redevelopment.
Section 1.3 The Comprehensive Planning Process

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The comprehensive planning process involves several basic phases. The first phase involves research. Activities
include acquiring a thorough knowledge of the existing community setting, identifying problems that require
solutions, analyzing critical factors that need to be changed before progress can be made toward community goals,
and establishing goals and objectives for growth and development.
The second phase of the comprehensive planning process involves the formation of planning policy. Planning
policies recommend a course of action that will accommodate expected change, produce desired change, or prevent
undesirable change.
The next phase involves the selection of a preferred alternative for guiding future growth. The Land Use Element
relates how the City is expected to grow, identifying in general terms how development should proceed in the future
to achieve community goals.
The final phase involves implementation of the plan and programs that will influence the day-to-day decisions made
by government officials, private enterprise, and individuals. Plan implementation provides the means by which
community goals can be achieved. Three major tools of implementation are the zoning ordinance, subdivision
regulations, and capital improvements program. Zoning regulations act to control growth and development so that it
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is harmonious with the proposals and recommendations set forth in the Comprehensive Plan. They promote sound,
orderly development directed toward the preservation of property values and the improvement of the overall
appearance of the community. Subdivision regulations assure that new land divisions are designed in an orderly and
efficient manner and are in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. The capital improvements program is a long-
range financial plan for major public improvements. It proposes the best means for utilizing available financial
resources to provide residents with necessary facilities and services.
The Comprehensive Plan is the primary link between the past, the present, and the future, making it perhaps the best
resource for achieving continuity over a period of time. It is to be used as a guide by those making decisions with
regard to the development of the community. The Comprehensive Plan must also remain flexible so that it can be
modified to reflect the processes of actual development and the changing attitudes and priorities of the community.
To maintain an updated Comprehensive Plan, new information must be continually gathered and studied to
determine trends and re-evaluate projections, forecasts, and plans. Even policy recommendations, which are
relatively permanent statements, may require periodic review to determine their appropriateness and suitability in
relation to the direction and character of community development at that time. A well thought-out and updated
Comprehensive Plan, with a solid base of public involvement, is one of the most fruitful investments a community
can make. As a collection of policies and plans designed to guide future growth and development, it will help ensure
continuity over time as changes occur within the City of Rock Falls.
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1.6
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1.7
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Section 1.4 Demographic Trends
A. Population Change
Every 10 years the Federal government performs the National Census, and these Census results are the main source
of the information used to understand how communities change over time. As illustrated in the following tables 1.1
and 1.2, the City of Rock Falls increased in population between 1970 and 1980, but showed decreases in population
between 1980 and 1990, 1990 and 2000, and 2000 and 2009.
Table 1.1
City of Rock Falls Population 1970 - 2009
Year 1970 1980 1990 2000 2009*
Population 10,287 10,633 9,654 9,580 9,268

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census
*
U.S. Bureau of the Census Population Estimate
Table 1.2
City of Rock Falls Population Change and Percent Change
1970-1980, 1980-1990, 1990-2000, 2000-2009
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Period (Years) 1970 - 1980 1980-1990 1990 - 2000 2000 - 2009
Population Change 346 -979 -74 -312
Population % Change
AF 3.4 -9.2 -0.8 -3.3
The City grew by 3.4% between 1970 and 1980, but decreased by 9.2% between 1980 and 1990 (a trend not
uncommon during this recessional period). However, the population continued to decrease during the period 1990 to
2000, and 2000 to 2009. Whiteside County as a whole increased in population from 1970-1980, but decreased in
population between 1980 and 1990 by 8.8%, a decrease similar to that of the City of Rock Falls. Whiteside
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County’s population rebounded to increase by 0.8% between 1990 and 2000, but has decreased by 2.8% between
2000 and 2009.
B. Age Distribution
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Table 1.3 below details the number of City residents that occupied specific age groups in the past two Census years.
Insight into the nature of the City population’s change over time can be gained through examining how these age
groups change as they move through their life cycles. The age groups (or “cohorts” as they are called when tracking
a group of same-aged people) have been displayed within the table in ten-year increments to more easily see how
their numbers increase or decline over different Census years. The diagonal series of gray or white boxes within
Table 1.3 indicate the path of each age cohort through the two Census periods.
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Table 1.3
Distribution of Population by Ten-Year Age Groups
City of Rock Falls
1990 2000 Cohort Cohort % Class Class %
Change Change Change Change
1990-2000 1990-2000 1990-2000
Under 5 Years 778 703 --- --- (75) -9.64%
5 - 14 years 1,423 1,380 (197) -13.84% (43) -3.02%
15-24 years 1,450 1,226 (112) -7.72% (224) -15.45%
25-34 years 1,443 1,338 (134) -9.29% (105) -7.28%
35-44 years 1,324 1,309 (90) -6.80% (15) -1.13%
45-54 years 899 1,234 (34) -3.78% 335 37.26%
55-64 years 859 865 (68) -7.92% 6 0.70%
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65-74 years 812 791 (238) -29.31% (21) -2.59%
75-84 years 518 574 (358) -69.11% 56 10.81%
85 years and over 148 160 --- --- 12 8.11%

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All cohorts showed decreases between 1990 and 2000. The 75-84 and 65-74 cohorts showed the most dramatic
decreases of 69.11% and 29.31% respectively. Of the younger cohorts, the 5-14 cohort showed the greatest
decrease at 13.84%. The cohort that showed the least amount of decrease was the 45-54 cohort at 3.78%.
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Table 1.4
% Population of Age Groups 1990 and 2000; Change in % Population of Age Groups 1990-2000
City of Rock Falls
1990 1990 % of 2000 2000 % of Change %
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Population Population Population

1990-2000
Under 5 778 8.1% 703 7.3% -0.8
5-24 years 2,873 30.0% 2,606 27.2% -2.8
25-44 years 2,767 28.9% 2,647 27.6% -1.3
45-64 years 1,758 18.4% 2,099 21.9% 3.5
65-84 years 1,330 13.9% 1,365 14.2% 0.3
85 years and 148 1.5% 160 1.7% 0.2

over
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As indicated in Table 1.4 above, the age groups under 5, 5-24 years and 25-44 years all declined in percentage of the
total City population between 1990 and 2000; however, the age groups 45-64, 65-84 and 85 and over all increased in
percentage of the total City population between 1990 and 2000. This indicates a population that is becoming older.
C. Education Levels
Table 1.5 below compares the educational attainment information for the City of Rock Falls. Between 1990 and
2000 the City population has become more educated. The population with high school education or less has
decreased by 144 persons, or 3.3%, and in 2000 accounted for 66.9% of the population 25 years of age and over
compared to 72.5% in the 1990 census year. The number of persons with at least some college education up to a
graduate or professional degree has increased by 446 persons, or 27.1%. Persons with at least some college
education but no degree, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree or a graduate or professional degree accounted
for 33.2% of the population of the City over 25 years of age in the 2000 census year, compared to 27.5% in the 1990
census year. In Whiteside County as a whole in the 2000 census year, 58.0% of the population 25 years of age and
over had a high school education or less, and 42.0% of the population 25 years of age and over had at least some
college education but no degree, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree or a graduate or professional degree.
Table 1.5
Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years and Over
City of Rock Falls
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1990 2000 Change (+/-) % Change
Less than 9th Grade 950 602 (348) -36.6%

15.9% 9.6%
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9th - 12th Gr., no diploma 1,079 1,126 47 4.4%
18.0% 17.9%
High School Graduate 2,316 2,473 157 6.8%

38.7% 39.3%
Some college, no degree 1,027 1,317 290 28.2%

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17.1% 20.9%
Associate’s degree 347 402 55 15.9%

5.8% 6.4%
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Bachelor’s degree 162 232 70 43.2%

2.7% 3.7%
Graduate or professional degree 110 141 31 28.2%

1.8% 2.2%
Total 5,991 6,293 302 5.0%

100% 100%
D. Households and Income
The City of Rock Falls residential community is made up of different types of households. Table 1.6, below, details
the changes in the make-up of City households between 1990 and 2000. Family households have seen their number
decrease, and the percentage of total households has also decreased between 1990 and 2000. Non-family households
have increased significantly from 1990 to 2000 in both number (from 1,131 to 1,335) and percentage of total
households (from 30.3% to 34.3%). Married-couple households have seen their number and percentage of family
households decrease between 1990 and 2000. Single-mother family households have increased in number and
1.10
percentage of total family households. The Persons Per Household (Average Household Size) calculation for the
City has decreased from 2.56 in 1990 to 2.43 in 2000. The average household size in Rock Falls is 3.2% smaller
than the average household size of Whiteside County as a whole in the 2000 census year, which was 2.51.
Table 1.6
Households, Average Household Size and Household Type
City of Rock Falls
1990 2000 Change (+/-) % Change
Households 3,734 3,895 161 4.31%
Average Household Size 2.56 2.43 (0.13) -5.08%
Households by Type:
Family Households 2,603 2,560 -43 -1.65%

(% of Total Households) (69.7%) (65.7%)
Married-couple families 2,015 1,852 -163 -8.09%

(% of Family (77.4%) (72.3%)
Households)
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Female householder, no 461 534 73 15.84%
husband present (17.7%) (20.9%)
(% of Family
Households)
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Non-Family Households 1,131 1,335 204 18.04%
(% of Total Households) (30.3%) (34.3%)
Householder living alone 1,005 1,145 140 13.93%

(% of Total Non-Family (88.9%) (85.8%)
Households)
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Householder 65 years 559 540 -19 -3.40%
and older (49.4%) (40.4%)
(% of Total Non-Family
Households)
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Another instructive piece of information on the state of households within the City is the level of income that each
household achieves. Again the Census provides insight into the range of incomes present within the City of Rock
Falls.
Table 1.7
Household Income 1990 - 2000
City of Rock Falls
Household Income ($) 1990 2000 Change (+/-) % Change
Less than 951 435 (516) -54.26%

10,000 (25.5%) (11.1%)
10,000 - 14,999 363 325 (38) -10.47%

(9.7%) (8.3%)
15,000 - 24,999 802 623 (179) -22.32%

(21.5%) (15.9%)
25,000 - 34,999 650 612 (38) -5.85%

(17.4%) (15.6%)
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35,000 - 49,999 692 839 147 21.24%
(18.5%) (21.4%)
50,000 - 74,999 212 728 516 243.40%

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75,000 - 99,999 49 240 191 389.80%

(1.3%) (6.1%)
100,000 - 12 89 77 641.67%
149,999 (0.3%) (2.3%)
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150,000 or more 0 32 32 ---
(0.0%) (0.8%)
Total Households 3,731 3,923 192 5.15%

(100%) (100%)
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Median
Household
Income ($) 21,607 34,442 12,512 57.91%
Table 1.7 above describes how household incomes changed between 1990 and 2000. It is a testimony to both the
inflation of wages and the increased earning power of the residents of the City of Rock Falls that the percentage of
households making greater than $50,000 per year increased from 7.3% in 1990 to 27.8% in 2000. Median household
income increased from $21,607 to $34,442 over the same period. The increase in the percentage of households
earning greater than $50,000 for Whiteside County as a whole is similar over the 10-year period (15.4% to 37.8%).
The median household income for the County was 20.2% higher than the City of Rock Falls in 1990 ($27,085);
however, the median household income for Whiteside County as a whole was 14.7% higher than Rock Falls in 2000
($40,354), indicating that median household income is increasing at a greater pace in the City of Rock Falls
compared to Whiteside County.
With the examination of income information, the City should also assess the poverty status of its residents.
“Poverty” is generally defined as a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to
1.12
determine who is poor. If a family’s total income is less than that family’s threshold, then that family, and every
individual in it, is considered poor. The poverty thresholds do not vary geographically. That is, they are the same
throughout the United States. However, the poverty thresholds are updated annually for inflation using the Consumer
Price Index (CPI-U). The official poverty definition counts money income before taxes and does not include capital
gains and non-cash benefits (such as public housing, food stamps, and Medicaid). Poverty is not defined for people
in military barracks, institutional group quarters, or for unrelated children under age 15 (such as foster children).
Table 1.7 below outlines poverty thresholds for years 1989 and 1999. Table 1.8 lists the Census information on
poverty for the total number of residents and children within the City of Rock Falls.
Poverty status declined within the City of Rock Falls between 1989 and1999 among families and all individuals.
Compared to Whiteside County as a whole, poverty status among families and all individuals also decreased
between 1989 and 1999, although poverty status rates in Rock Falls are higher than Whiteside County as a whole.
The poverty status rate in 1999 among families in Rock Falls was 10.3% compared to 6.2% in Whiteside County as
a whole; for all individuals, the 1999 poverty status rate in Rock falls was 11.5% compared to 8.5% in Whiteside
County as a whole; for children under 18 years of age the 1999 poverty status rate in Rock Falls was 15.0%
compared to 11.7% in Whiteside County as a whole; and, for persons 65 years of age and over the 1999 poverty
status rate in Rock Falls was 6.8% compared to 4.8% for Whiteside County as a whole.
Table 1.8
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Weighted Average Poverty Thresholds - 1989 and 1999
Size of Family Unit 1989 1999
One Person $6,310 $8,501

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Two Persons $8,067 $10,869
Three Persons $9,885 $13,290
Four Persons $12,674 $17,029
Five Persons $14,990 $20,127

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Six Persons $16,921 $22,727
Seven Persons $19,162 $25,912

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Eight Persons $21,328 $28,967
Nine Persons or more $25,480 $34,417

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Table 1.9
Poverty Status 1989 and 1999
City of Rock Falls
1989 1999 Change (+/-) % Change
Families - All Income Levels 2,630 2,523 (107) -4.1

Below Poverty Level 425 260 (165) -38.8
% Below Poverty Level 16.2 10.3 --- ---
All Individuals* 9,504 9,495 (9) -0.9

Below Poverty Level 1,775 1,095 (680) -38.3
Children Under 18 Year of Age 2,594 2,430 (164) -6.3

Poverty Level 641 365 (276) -43.1
Persons 65 Years and Over 1,401 1,440 39 2.8

Below Poverty Level 263 98 (165) -62.7
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*All individuals for whom poverty status is determined.
E. Employment Characteristics
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Table 1.10 below summarizes employment by industry data provided for the last two Census years. This information
represents what type of industry that the working residents of the City were employed by, and is not a listing of the
employment currently located within the City of Rock Falls. The discussion of the City economy will take place
within the Economic Development Element of this Comprehensive Plan. It should be noted that the method used for
classifying industries was changed between the 1990 and 2000 Census, and therefore the information included in the
industry categories of Table 1.10 is not entirely consistent for comparison between those years. The table attempts to
place the two Census years in a useable context.
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Table 1.10
Summary of Employment by Industry
City of Rock Falls
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Industry 1990 2000 Change (+/-) % Change
Agriculture, forestry,
fishing and hunting, and 62 19 (43) -69.35%
mining
Construction 155 188 33 21.29%
Manufacturing 1,648 1,533 (115) -6.98%
Wholesale trade 114 118 4 3.51%
Retail trade 777 535 (242) -31.15%
Transportation and
warehousing, and utilities 129 185 56 43.41%
Information --- 49 49 ---
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Finance, insurance, real
estate, and rental and 100 123 23 23.00%
leasing
Professional, scientific,
management,
administrative, and waste --- 200 200 ---
management services
Educational, health and

social services 513 754 241 46.98%
Arts, entertainment,
recreation, 157 376 219 139.49%
accommodation and food
services
Other services (except

public administration) 366 212 (154) -42.08%
Public administration 92 145 53 57.61%
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Total Employed Persons 16
Years and Over 4,113 4,437 324 12.03%
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Section 1.5 Population Projections
Projections are estimates of future populations based on statistical models that extrapolate past and present trends
into the future. Projections can be created through very simple or very complex calculations. The type of calculations
used is based on the available data and desired use of the projection.
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Forecasts are also estimate of a future population based on statistical models. Forecasts, however, include additional
adjustments made to reflect assumptions of future changes.
Targets express desirable future populations based on policies and goals.

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Developing population projections is a complex process. There is always a greater difficulty in deriving population
projections for small geographic areas such as townships and small cities. Projections for larger geographic areas are
more reliable, since the large population base will be less likely to exhibit short term variations. Likewise, any
projection results that extend for periods longer than ten years become statistically less reliable as inputs to the
projection are based on calculations rather than actual numbers. In summary, the smaller the area and the longer the
period, the less likely a projection will be accurate.
The City of Rock Falls population decreased by 1,365 residents between 1980 and 2009. Between 1980 and 1990,
the City population decreased dramatically by 979 persons or -9.2%. Between 1990 and 2000 the rate of population
decline leveled of, decreasing by a nominal 74 person or -0.8%. Between 2000 and 2009, the rate population
decline increased again, although not as dramatically as seen during the 1980-1990 period, decreasing by 312
persons or -3.3%.
The population is projected to be in decline into the future. The current population decrease in Rock Falls is likely
being caused by a decline in the number of persons per household, as younger persons leave their parents homes and
the City. This trend is accounted for by an increasing age for City residents, and the declining numbers in the
younger age classes and age cohorts as shown in Table 1.3. The number of new housing units available within Rock
Falls will increase modestly into the future (see Section 1.5(A) below) leaving persons per household as a main
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determinant of the number of residents within the City of Rock Falls. According to the 2000 Census (Table 1.6
above), Rock Falls averaged 2.43 persons per household (PPH) in 3,895 households. It is anticipated that this
average will decrease into the future based on the existing trend.
To estimate the Rock Falls population for 2020, 2030 and 2040, two different methodologies were employed, as
follows:
Population Projection Methodology A:
The number of households and persons per household within the City was projected out to 2020, 2030, and
2040, using a simple mathematical progression projection assuming a 20.4% increase per 10-year period for
households and a 10.7% decrease per 10-year period for persons per household. The projected number of
households was multiplied by persons per household to yield an estimated population.
Population Projection Methodology B:
The 10-year population rates of population change from 1970-1980, 1980-1990, 1990-2000 and 2000-2009
were divided by the number of years per period to yield an average annual rate of population change. The
average annual rates of population change per decade and nine-year period (2000-2009) were averaged to
yield an average annual rate of population change between 1970 and 2009 of -0.26%. This average annual
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rate of population change was then used to project the population for 2020, 2030 and 2040.
This population projection does not include any large-scale development of vacant land for residential uses within
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the planning period. It is still possible, however, for vacant or developed lands within and/or adjacent to the City to
be developed or redeveloped. Larger-scale residential development could have a significant impact on the number of
housing units and the City’s population.
Table 1.11A
Methodology A Projected Population
City of Rock Falls
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Year 2020 2030 2040
Population 9,223 9,061 8,859

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Table 1.11B
Methodology B Projected Population
City of Rock Falls
Year 2020 2030 2040
Population 9,003 8,762 8,521
1.16
Calculating an average of the projected populations of the two methodologies may yield a result that is more
accurate.
Table 1.11C
Projected Population
Based on Average Projected Population of Methodology A and Methodology B
City of Rock Falls
Year 2020 2030 2040
Population 9,113 8,912 8,690
Section 1.6 Community Goals, Objectives and Policies
The following goals, objectives and policies provide the framework for guiding future community development
activities within Rock Falls. Goals are stated as desirable conditions to strive for in the future. They are common
ideals of the community that can be achieved through the actions of government leaders, private enterprise and
individuals. Objectives are general targets to be achieved along the path of satisfying community goals. Policies are
methods of action to accomplish these stated objectives. Together these three pieces express the uniqueness of the
community while stating changes that will produce desirable patterns for growth and development.
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A. Goal:
Rock Falls shall pursue policies that preserve, enhance and improve its current quality living environment. It is the
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goal of the City to maintain, enhance and improve the overall aesthetic quality of its residential, recreational,
commercial and industrial areas.
B. Objectives:
1. Promote the maintenance and improvement of existing development within Rock Falls.
2. New development, either at the City edge, on re-development sites or on in-fill sites, should be designed in
a manner that allows urban services to be most efficiently and economically provided.
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3. Ensure that newly developed or redeveloped areas are compatible with existing uses of land.
4. To improve long range fiscal planning for the City.
C. Policies:
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1. The City of Rock Falls should implement the recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure the
City remains a desirable place to live and work, and support maintaining the current balance of residential,
commercial, industrial and recreational land uses.
2. Current implementation tools, such as the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and other City
ordinances should continue to be used and enforced.
3. The City should develop a capital improvement program to address future public utility, transportation, and
other public needs.
4. The City should encourage development which protects and enhances the City’s tax base.
5. The Rock Falls Planning Commission should maintain an active role in assessing City needs, evaluating
development, and utilizing the planning process as a means of accomplishing the recommendations
contained in the Comprehensive Plan.
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CHAPTER 2
Housing in the City of Rock Falls
Section 2.1 Housing Inventory
A. Housing Tenure
Housing tenure information sheds light on how residents live in the community. Occupancy and vacancy
characteristics can help indicate if the current amount of housing stock is sufficient to meet existing
demand. Between 1990 and 2000, the City of Rock Falls experienced a net increase of 161 units to its
housing stock, an increase of 4.3% (Table 2.1). Over that time period, Rock Falls owner-occupied housing
units increased by 4.8%, while renter-occupied housing units increased by 3.4%. Whiteside County overall
had a higher percentage of owner-occupied housing units in the 2000 Census year (74.5% to 64.1%), and a
lower percentage of renter-occupied housing units (25.5% to 35.9%).
Table 2.1
Comparison of Housing Occupancy
City of Rock Falls and Whiteside County
Rock Falls Rock Falls Whiteside Whiteside
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1990 2000 County County 2000
1990
Occupied Housing Units 3,734 3,895 22,740 23,684

% of Total Housing Units
AF 96.0% 95.0% 94.8% 94.6%
Owner-occupied 2,381 2,496 16,312 17,633

% of Occupied Units 63.8% 64.1% 71.7% 74.5%
Renter-occupied 1,353 1,399 6,428 6,051

% of Occupied Units 36.2% 35.9% 28.3% 25.5%
Vacant Housing Units 157 203 1,260 1,341

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% of Total Housing Units 4.0% 5.0% 5.2% 5.4%
Total Housing Units 3,891 4,098 24,000 25,025

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has established a minimum target rate for overall
unit vacancy of 3% to assure an adequate choice of housing for consumers. An acceptable vacancy rate for
owner-occupied housing is 1.5%, while a vacancy rate of 5% is acceptable for rental units. According to
Census data, the City of Rock Falls has a homeowner vacancy rate of 1.2% and a rental vacancy rate of
6.7%. Table 2.1 shows that the City of Rock Falls had an overall year 2000 vacancy rate of 5.0% (up 4.0%
from 1990), a rate slightly lower than Whiteside County as a whole.
B. Structure Type
Structure type information (single family, duplex, multi-family, etc.) is a common method used for
describing the physical characteristics of housing stock. The following “number of units in structure”
information provides insight into the mix of housing types in the City. Table 2.2 below compares the
distribution of structure types within the City of Rock Falls with Whiteside County as a whole, over two
Census periods. In the year 2000, single-family homes (1-unit detached) made up 77.6% of Rock Falls
housing units, a slightly lower percentage than Whiteside County (79.8%). The single-family detached
homes within Rock Falls increased in number, but decreased in percentage of total units over the last ten
years. Whiteside County as a whole has also seen the number of single family homes increase, but the
2.1
single family homes as a percentage of total units has remained the same (79.8%). The City of Rock Falls
has seen an increase in the number of all types of dwelling units with the exception of “Mobile home, trailer
or other”, which has decreased in number and percent. Whiteside County as a whole has similarly seen
increases in the number of all types of structures with the exception of “Mobile home, trailer or other”.
Table 2.2
Comparison of Total Housing Units and Structure Type
1990 2000 County County
1990 2000
1 Unit Detached 3,035 3,183 19,148 19,982

78.0% 77.6% 79.8% 79.8%
1-Unit Attached 31 37 182 284

0.8% 0.9% 0.8% 1.1%
2-4 Units 392 409 1,950 2,127

10.1% 10.0% 8.1% 8.5%
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5-9 Units 153 177 798 838
3.9% 4.3% 3.3% 3.3%
10 or more Units
AF 243 274 749 1,547
6.2% 6.7% 3.1% 3.6%
Mobile home, trailer or 37 23 1,173 899

other 1.0% 0.6% 4.9% 3.6%
Total Housing Units 3,891 4,103 24,000 25,025

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2.2
C. Housing Conditions: Age and Value
Age is often used as a measure of a houses condition. It should, however, not be the sole criterion since
many older homes are either remodeled or kept in a state of good repair to maintain their value. Table 2.3
below shows a comparison of housing age between the City of Rock Falls and Whiteside County as a
whole.
Table 2.3
Comparison of Housing Age
Year Structure Built Rock Falls Rock Falls Whiteside Whiteside
1990 2000
1999 to March 2000 --- 18 --- 276

0.4% 1.1%
1995 to 1998 --- 111 --- 1,078

2.7% 4.3%
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1990 to 1994 --- 89 --- 813
2.2% 3.2%
1980 to 1989 223 126 1,558 1,319

AF 5.7% 3.1% 6.5% 5.3%
1970 to 1979 568 645 4,370 3,998

14.6% 15.7% 18.2% 16.0%
1960 to 1969 645 636 3,673 3,606

16.6% 15.5% 15.3% 14.4%
1940 to 1959 1,347 1,561 6,725 6,553

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34.6% 38.0% 28.0% 26.2%
1939 or earlier 1,108 917 7,674 7,381

28.5% 22.3% 32.0% 29.5%
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2.3
Housing value is another important aspect for gauging the overall condition of the current housing stock.
The value of housing has risen significantly since 1990 all across Whiteside County. Table 2.4 shows the
distribution of housing values across various price ranges, as well as the median home price, for the City of
Rock Falls and Whiteside County. In 1990 Rock Falls had 77.4% of its housing units valued at less than
$50,000. By 2000, only 15.6% of housing units remained valued at less than $50,000. According to data
from the 2000 Census, the majority of housing units in the City of Rock Falls (66.2%) were valued between
$50,000 and $99,999; 9.2% were valued between $100,000 and $149,999; and, 0.1% of the housing units
were valued between $150,000 and $199,999. No housing units were valued at over $200,000. The 2000
median value for housing within the City of Rock Falls was $62,800. This was 20.5% lower than the
median value for Whiteside County as a whole ($75,700).
Table 2.4
Comparison of Owner-Occupied Housing Values
1990 2000
Less than $50,000 1,734 595 8,223 2,417

77.4% 24.5% 60.0% 15.6%
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$50,000 - $99,999 498 1,608 4,861 9,096
22.2% 66.2% 35.4% 58.7%
$100,000 - $149,999
AF 6 224 461 2,721
0.3% 9.2% 3.4% 17.6%
$150,000 - $199,999 0 3 113 934

0.0% 0.1% 0.8% 6.0%
$200,000 - $299,999 1 0 41 228

0.0% 0.0% 0.3% 1.5%
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$300,000 or more 1 0 17 91
0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.6%
Median Value $37,200 $62,800 $44,400 $75,700

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2.4
D. Housing Affordability
According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, no more than 30% of household
income should be spent on monthly housing costs in order for that home to be considered affordable. The
U.S. Census provides data on housing costs as a percentage of household income for home owners (Table
2.5) and renters (Table 2.6). The following information is taken from the U.S. Census Summary File 3,
which is based on a sample of households within a community, and not a total count of all households. The
“not computed” category represents units occupied by households reporting no income or a net loss, or for
which no cash rent was paid. Table 2.5 below shows monthly housing costs for home owners as a
percentage of their household income for the City of Rock Falls and Whiteside County. In 1999, 87.4% of
the households within the City of Rock Falls paid less than 30% of their monthly income toward housing
costs, and those units were therefore considered affordable to those living in them. This percentage is
slightly higher than that of Whiteside County as a whole (85.3%).
Table 2.5
Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income
1989 1999
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Less than 20% 1,604 1,585 10,118 10,373
69.8% 65.2% 72.7% 67.0%
20% to 24%
AF 234 326 1,483 1,895
10.2% 13.4% 10.7% 12.2%
25% to 29% 140 214 793 941

6.1% 8.8% 5.7% 6.1%
30% to 34% 82 59 416 639

3.6% 2.4% 3.0% 4.1%
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35.0% or more 200 233 1,001 1,545
8.7% 9.6% 7.2% 10.0%
Not Computed 39 13 99 94
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1.7% 0.5% 0.7% 0.6%

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Table 2.6 below shows monthly housing costs for renters as a percentage of their household income for the
City of Rock Falls and Whiteside County. In 1999, 57.6% of renters in the City of Rock Falls were paying a
monthly rent which was affordable to them. This percentage is lower than that of Whiteside County
(61.9%) as a whole.
Table 2.6
Monthly Renter Costs as a Percentage of Household Income
1989 1999
Less than 20% 428 506 2,249 2,301

31.6% 35.9% 38.5% 39.5%
20% to 24% 145 181 694 718

10.7% 12.8% 11.9% 12.3%
25% to 29% 182 126 558 590

13.5% 8.9% 9.6% 10.1%
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30% to 34% 96 197 357 505
7.1% 14.0% 6.1% 8.7%
35.0% or more
AF 443 301 1,653 1,288
32.7% 21.3% 28.3% 22.1%
Not Computed 59 100 327 417

4.4% 7.1% 5.6% 7.2%
Section 2.2 Housing Demand

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A. Population Trends
The City of Rock Falls increased in population between 1970 and 1980, but showed decreases in population
between 1980 and 1990, 1990 and 2000, and 2000 and 2009 (see Table 1.1). The City grew by 3.4%
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between 1970 and 1980, but decreased by 9.2% between 1980 and 1990 (a trend not uncommon during this
recessional period). However, the population continued to decrease during the period 1990 to 2000, and
2000 to 2009 (see Table 1.2). The City population is projected to continue to gradually decrease over the
next 30 years based on the current trends.
B. Household Trends
The average number of residents that inhabit each home or apartment is identified by the U.S. Census as
persons per household, or PPH, and it is calculated by dividing the number of residents living in occupied
housing units (those not living in group or institutional quarters) by the number of occupied housing units
(those not classified as vacant). In order for the City to begin to approximate the future needs for housing
units, an assumption must be made on how the units will be occupied. The current decrease in population
in Rock Falls is likely being caused in large part by the decline in the number of persons per household, as
younger persons leave their parents homes and the City. This trend is accounted for by the declining
numbers in the younger age classes and age cohorts as shown in Table 1.3. The number of new housing
units available within Rock Falls will increase modestly into the future, leaving persons per household as a
2.6
main determinant of the number of residents within the City of Rock Falls. According to the 2000 Census
(Table 1.6), Rock Falls averaged 2.43 persons per household (PPH) in 3,895 households. It is anticipated
that this average will decrease into the future based on the existing trend.
C. Housing Development Environment
Of the land devoted to urban development, no single land use demands greater acreage than residential
activities. In 2010, over 33% of the total land area of the City of Rock Falls contains residential
development. The Transportation, Utilities and Community Facilities, and Land Use chapters will provide
a more detailed analysis of the following topics, but a brief summary is included here to provide some
context for housing unit development.
Infrastructure:
1. Transportation: There is a sufficient transportation network to allow for an economic and

efficient expansion of housing in the general Rock Falls area.
2. Water Distribution System: The City’s water distribution system is adequate at this time, but
may require upgrades to serve future development. The City utilizes three active public water
supply wells. Wells #2, #4 and #5 supply an average of 1.3 million gallons per day to 4,124
service connections or a population of 10,624 individuals. These wells operate nearly 14.5
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hours per day to meet average daily consumption needs. The City’s water storage capacity is
672,000 gallons and water treatment capacity is 3.6 million gallons. Average daily demand is
1.2 million gallons, peak daily demand is 1.6 million gallons, and excess capacity is 750,000
gallons.
3.
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Sanitary Sewage Treatment and Collection: A new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will be
completed and placed into service in late summer or early fall 2011. The new WWTP will be
capable of serving a population of 30,000. The design life expectancy is a minimum of fifty
(50) years.
The City of Rock Falls sanitary sewer collection system mains consist of vitrified clay and PVC
pipe; the service lines consist of Vitrified clay, Orangeburg, cast iron and PVC pipe. The
amount or length of sanitary sewer main lines in the City is unknown. The City of Rock Falls
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maintains ten (10) sanitary sewer lift stations located throughout the City.
Developable land: There is a limited amount of vacant developable land within the existing corporate
boundary of the City of Rock Falls to provide for future housing units. Annexation of land will likely be
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required to meet any future demand.
D. Housing Issues Identified by the Plan Commission
1. There is a lack of new housing in the City.

2. Older housing in the City is in need of rehabilitation.
3. Older homes on substandard lots.
Section 2.3: Conclusions – Housing Analysis
A. Between 1990 and 2000, the City of Rock Falls experienced a net increase of 161 units to its
housing stock (Table 2.1). In the year 2000, single-family homes (1-unit detached) made up
77.6% of Rock Falls housing units, which is slightly lower than Whiteside County as a whole
(Table 2.2).
B. The overall housing vacancy rate of 5.0% indicates that there is an adequate supply of available
housing within the City.
2.7
C. According to 2000 Census data, 60.3% of Rock Falls’s housing units were built before 1960,
while 8.4% of the housing units were built between 1980 and 2000.
D. The 2000 median value for housing within the City of Rock Falls was $62,800. This was 20.5%
lower than the median value for Whiteside County as a whole ($75,700).
E. In 1999, 87.4% of the households within the City of Rock Falls paid less than 30% of their
monthly income toward housing costs, and those units were therefore considered affordable to
those living in them. This percentage is slightly higher than that of Whiteside County as a
whole (85.3%). In 1999, 57.6% of renters in the City of Rock Falls were paying a monthly rent
which was affordable to them. This percentage is lower than that of Whiteside County (61.9%)
as a whole.
F. There is a limited amount of vacant developable land within the existing corporate boundary of
the City of Rock Falls to provide for future new housing units. Annexation of land that will
likely be required to meet anticipated future housing demands.
Section 2.4: Housing and Residential Development Goals, Objectives, Policies
Because of its major impact on community growth and development, efforts must be taken to protect the
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existing housing supply through effective building and land use code enforcement and to promote compact
growth of new residential neighborhoods in areas that can be served conveniently and economically with
public facilities and utilities.
A. Goal
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To preserve or improve the quality and integrity of existing residential housing and neighborhoods, and
encourage the provision of an adequate, affordable supply and choice of housing for all residents.
B. Objectives
1. Protect existing residential neighborhoods from intrusion by non-compatible or undesirable

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land use activities. Neighborhood design enhances community character.
2. Promote an adequate supply and choice of owner and renter type housing units to serve the
current and future residents of Rock Falls.
3. Promote decent, safe and sanitary housing that contains a variety of housing styles and
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creativity in design.
4. Be sensitive and aware of the housing issues of our senior citizens and those with special needs.
5. Promote the rehabilitation of historic and substandard homes in the community in order to
provide a decent and safe living environment for all residents.
6. Promote housing development that takes into consideration the protection of natural resources
and open spaces.
7. Ensure that new residential development pays its “fair share” of costs relative to its impact on
the local taxing districts, and does not create a burden on existing tax payers.
C. Policies
1. The City of Rock Falls should continue to use the zoning ordinance to maintain the character of
existing residential neighborhoods, ensure that new residential developments are located in
suitable areas and ensure that residential development proposals meet density standards.
2. Effective building and housing codes should be adopted to ensure the quality and safety of new
and existing housing units.
3. Any new elderly housing developments should be located in areas accessible to commercial,
recreational, medical, and other necessary facilities and services.
2.8
4. Work with local taxing districts to ensure that adequate public facilities and services are
available and/or can be provided to new development, and that adequate fees are paid by new
development to offset its impact.
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2.9
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CHAPTER 3
Transportation Facilities
Section 3.1 Transportation Facility Inventory
A. Roads & Highways
The existing functional class system (Map 3.1 and 3.2 in Appendix I Maps) categorizes streets, roads and
highways according to their two primary purposes: 1) to move vehicles (traffic mobility), and 2) to serve
adjacent land (land access). Arterials accommodate the movement of vehicles, while local streets provide a
land access function (neighborhood streets that lead to homes, etc.). Collectors serve both local and through
traffic by providing a connection between arterials and local roads.
The City of Rock Falls road system consists of a total of approximately 55.7 miles of public roadway within
the City. Arterials account for approximately 4.7 miles; City collector streets account for approximately 3.1
miles; and, local City streets account for approximately 47.9 miles.
The regional road system (roads outside the City and within the City’s planning area) consists of
approximately 51.9 miles of public roadway. Interstate Highway 88 accounts for approximately 14.2 miles
(including on-off ramps); arterials U.S. Route 30 and IL Route 40 account for approximately 6.0 miles;
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regional collector roads account for approximately 4.9 miles; and, local roads account for approximately
26.8 miles of public roadway.
The Illinois Department of Transportation 2009 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) and Average Daily Truck
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Traffic (ADTT) counts on various roads and streets within the City of Rock Falls are depicted on Map 3.1
and Map 3.2 (see Appendix I Maps). IDOT 2009 ADT and ADTT counts for roads and highways within
the City of Rock Falls planning area are depicted on Map 3.3 (see Appendix I Maps).
1. Arterials
U.S. Route 30 and IL Route 40 serve as arterial transportation routes both to and through the City of Rock
Falls. Traffic mobility is the major function of this highway, although land access is important for the
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businesses and residences along it.
IDOT is planning future highway improvement projects on U.S. Highways and State Routes. The
following projects (Table 3.1 below) are planned for Fiscal Years 2011-2016:
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3.1
Table 3.1
Planned IDOT Highway Improvement Projects 2011 through 2016
City of Rock Falls Planning Area
Route Location / Improvement Estimated
Street Name Cost
IL Route 40 Rock River between Sterling & Rock Falls / Bridge Replacement $21,600,000
IL Route 40 Rock River between Sterling & Rock Falls / Utility Adjustment $20,000
IL Route 40 Rock River between Sterling & Rock Falls / Land Acquisition $30,000
IL Route 40 Rock River between Sterling & Rock Falls / Construction $2,080,000
Engineering
IL Route 40 Hennepin Canal Feeder 0.5 Mile South of U.S. Route 30 / Bridge $1,750,000
Replacement and Bikeway
Source: Illinois Department of Transportation District 2, FY 2011-2016 Highway Improvement Program
2. Collectors
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Within the City, the following streets are classified as collector streets:
• Prophet Road-11th Avenue-W. 6th Street-W. 2nd Street

• Dixon Avenue
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Within the City of Rock Falls planning area, Prophet Road, Melvin Road and Dixon Avenue are classified
as collector roads.
3. Local Streets
The remaining roads are classified as local streets. Their primary function is land access.
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B. Pedestrian & Bicycle Facilities
The Hennepin Canal State Parkway State Park, which runs from the Rock River along the eastern edge of
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the City of Rock Falls, and then southwesterly through the City of Rock Falls planning area, is a major
recreational asset for the City of Rock Falls and the region. The Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park
provides recreational opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists via a paved trail that parallels the
Hennepin Feeder Canal. The trail is designated a State Trail; the Hennepin Feeder Canal trail is 29.3 miles
long and connects to the main Hennepin Canal near Sheffield, IL.
The Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan denotes potential open space and trails throughout the
County. Several potential “greenspace” areas and trails are designated within the City of Rock Falls and its
1.5 mile planning area (see Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan map located in Appendix II
Greenways & Trails Plan).
A “greenway” is a corridor of open land that is managed for conservation and/or recreation. Greenways
may follow natural land or water features such as rivers, shorelines or ridges, or human landscape features
such as abandoned railroad corridors, trails or canals. Greenways may form connections between
communities, parks, historic and cultural sites, and nature preserves. Greenways differ in their location and
function, but overall, a greenway will provide recreational benefits, protect natural areas, enhance natural
beauty and quality of life in neighborhoods and communities, or stimulate economic development
opportunities.
3.2
A “trail” or “path” is a type of greenway that is separated from vehicular traffic and is dedicated to the use
of pedestrians, bicyclists, roller skaters, wheelchair users, etc. Trails can be used for recreational purposes
as well as to connect different land uses and facilities.
The Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan provides information about the County; an inventory of
natural and cultural resources; an inventory of existing parks, greenways and trails; and identifies
opportunities for future greenways and trails.
The Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan is hereby incorporated in this Comprehensive Plan by
reference.
C. Trucking
The primary truck carrying routes in and through the city are U.S. Route 30 and IL Route 40. IL Route 40
registers the highest Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) count at 1,025 ADTT south of Route 30, and
1,050 ADTT north of W. 2nd Street. Route 30 registers 825 ADTT west of McNeil Road, 775 ADTT west
of Antec Road, and between 900 and 1,000 ADTT between IL Route 40 and Prophet Road. Interstate 88
carries an average of between 3,400 and 3,575 trucks per day (ADTT) in the Rock Falls planning area.
D. Air Transportation Facilities
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The Whiteside County Airport - Jos H. Bittorf Field is located within the City of Rock Falls planning area.
The Whiteside County Airport (FAA Identifier SQI) is a public airport owned by Whiteside County and
operated by M&M Aviation Services, Ltd. SQI has two runways. Runway 7/25 is 6,498' long by 150'
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wide, with a surface consisting of asphalt/porous friction courses in good condition. Runway 18/36 is 3,900'
long by 100' wide with a surface consisting of asphalt/grooved in good condition. There is no control tower
serving SQI. Airport services include fuel, hangars and tie-downs, major airframe and powerplant service,
and both bottled and bulk oxygen. Airport facilities include a pilot’s lounge, computerized flight planning,
public restroom/telephone, vending and wireless interned access. There are 34 aircraft based at SQI (33
single-engine airplanes and 1 multi-engine airplane). Aircraft operations average 90 per day (69% local
general aviation, 29% transient general aviation).
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The Northwest Chicagoland Regional Airport at Rockford (RFD) serves the region including the City of
Rock Falls.
RFD currently encompasses 3,000 acres of land in Winnebago County and is located on the southwestern
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edge of the City of Rockford approximately 30 miles from the City of Rock Falls. RFD is a publicly-owned
air carrier airport operated by the Greater Rockford Airport Authority (GRAA). The airport is currently
served by three cargo carriers (Airborne/DHL, BAX Global and UPS) and three passenger carriers
(Allegiant Air, Apple Vacations, and United Airlines).
The airport has two general purpose runways and a variety of terminal facilities, including a passenger
terminal, corporate and general aviation hangars, fixed base operator offices and facilities, an Air Traffic
Control Tower (attended continuously), airport maintenance facilities, air freight and air cargo facilities,
and a UPS cargo sortation facility. Although classified as an air carrier airport, RFD also serves as an
important general aviation facility for the Rockford and surrounding area.
RFD Runway 1/19, oriented north/south, is 8,199 feet long and 150 feet wide with a dual-double tandem
pavement strength of 850,000 pounds. Runway 1/19 is served with a Category I Instrument Landing
System. Runway 7/25, oriented to the northeast/southwest, is 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide with a
dual-double tandem pavement strength of 850,000 pounds. Runway 7/25 is served with a Category III
Instrument Landing System.
3.3
Runway 7/25, the primary runway on the airfield, is principally used for departures in west flow and
arrivals in east flow during the night-time hours, winds permitting. This is done in an effort to keep traffic
away from a majority of Rockford’s population located north of the airport. Runway 1/19 is principally
used by light general aviation and commuter aircraft during calm wind patterns. The flight patterns for
aircraft touch-and-go training (including that of the military) occurs either to the south of the airport (on
Runway 7/25) or to the west of the airport (on Runway 1/19). Military aircraft use both runways for
training purposes.
RFD is presently ranked as the twenty-fourth largest cargo airport in the nation when measured by landed
weight, and the 226th largest passenger airport. Over the past few years more than $183 million has been
invested in infrastructure improvements and facilities at RFD. RFD is a United States Customs Port of
Entry, home to thirty industrial tenants and the Greater Rockford Airport Authority is grantee for Foreign
Trade Zone 176. The diverse activities at RFD cause it to have a greater economic impact on the region it
serves than any other commercial service airport in the State of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago 's
system of airports.
The Quad City International Airport (MLI) is a public airport located three miles south of the central
business district of Moline, Illinois. MLI is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority and serves the
Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa, including the City of Rock Falls.
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MLI is the third-busiest commercial airport in Illinois behind Chicago O’Hare and Midway International
Airports. MLI’s international designation is for being an official port of entry and having a customs
service. A Foreign Trade Zone and U.S. Customs Office are located at MLI, enabling international inbound
and outbound shipments.
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MLI covers 2,600 acres and has three runways. Runway 9/27 is 10,002' long by 150' wide with a surface
consisting of asphalt/concrete/porous friction courses in fair condition. Runway 13/31 is 7,301' long by 150'
wide with a surface consisting of asphalt/concrete/porous friction courses in fair condition. Runway 5/23 is
5,015' long by 150' wide with a surface consisting of concrete in good condition. MLI can accommodate
any type of aircraft in virtually any type of weather conditions with its long runways, instrument landing
system (ILS), and high-intensity lighting.
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There are 88 aircraft based at SQI (60 single-engine airplanes, 20 multi-engine airplanes, 7 jet airplanes,
and 1 helicopter). Aircraft operations average 135 per day (35% air taxi, 29% transient general aviation,
22% local general aviation, 13% commercial and 1% military).
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MLI services include a visitor information center, car rental, a full-service restaurant, bar, gift shop, shoe
shine service and post office at the main terminal, and a snack bar, lounge, and coffee shop beyond the
security checkpoint. Wireless internet access is available throughout the airport.
Commercial passenger airlines serving MLI are: AirTran Airways (Atlanta, Orlando), Allegiant Air (Las
Vegas, Phoenix/Mesa), American Airlines/American Eagle (Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth), Delta
Connection (Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul), United Express (Chicago O’Hare, Denver).
Commercial cargo carriers serving MLI are: BAX Global, DHL and UPS Supply Chain Solutions.
E. Rail
The City of Rock Falls has no rail line within the City or its planning area. However, the Union Pacific
Railroad (UPRR) main line runs through the City of Sterling. A branch line of the UPRR runs from Nelson,
IL south to Peoria, IL. The Union Pacific Railroad is the largest railroad network in the United States, with
32,400 route miles in 23 states in the central and western United States west of Chicago and New Orleans.
It has achieved its size through the acquisition of other railroads including the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad, which formerly owned the line running through the City of Sterling.
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The UPRR owns and operates the Global III Intermodal Terminal facility in Rochelle, IL, which is
approximately 34 miles from Rock Falls. Global III is designed to serve as a critical interchange hub and
loading/unloading terminal for rail intermodal shipments. The 24-hour, 7-days-a-week Global III facility
covers an area of 1,200 acres and includes a large switching yard with about 13 tracks. The intermodal
terminal includes a 720,000 lift capability and a 7,200 unit container/trailer yard at full build-out. The
Global III facility is located at the intersection of the I-88 and I-39. These interstates have proved to be
major hub of transportation activity leading to business and commerce growth, making this an ideal
location for an intermodal facility. The impact of such growth has and will impact communities north-to-
south from Madison, Wisconsin to Bloomington, Illinois and east-to-west from DeKalb, Illinois to the Quad
Cities, including the City of Rock Falls.
Section 3.2 Transportation Issues Identified by the Planning Commission
• Lack of street curb/gutter and storm sewers in the City.

• Insufficient site distance at various street intersections in the City.
• Potential traffic congestion at 1st Avenue and 2nd Street.
Section 3.3 Goals, Objectives, Policies
A. Goal
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Develop an area-wide transportation planning and funding approach that maximizes efficiency and
minimizes conflicts between modes of transportation.
B. Objectives
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1. Provide a viable public transportation network for all City residents.
2. Provide for safe and efficient movement of all modes of transportation (vehicles, pedestrians and
bicycle traffic, etc.).
3. Plan for the timely and efficient maintenance of City transportation facilities.
C. Policies
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1. Consider recommendations within the Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan when making
decisions regarding the pedestrian and bicycle network.
2. Leverage the presence of the Union Pacific Railroad’s Global III intermodal facility; the Whiteside
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County Airport, RFD and MLI; and, Interstate 88, U.S. Route 30 and IL Route 40.
3. Develop, implement, and periodically update a Capital Improvements Program outlining
transportation facilities improvements.
4. Work with the Illinois Department of Transportation regarding traffic congestion at 1st Avenue and
2nd Street.
5. Work with the appropriate highway authorities to upgrade McNeil Road and 14th Avenue (Buell
Road) to 80,000 pounds.
6. Identify and designate truck routes within the City.
7. Assess and improve street crossings for pedestrians, bicyclists and persons with disabilities.
8. Provide traffic control mechanisms for emergency service providers.
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CHAPTER 4
Utilities and Community Facilities
Section 4.1 Public Utilities Inventory
The physical well-being of the City of Rock Falls is dependent upon the adequacy of its public utilities and
services. A safe and ample source of water, an adequate means of disposing of solid and liquid waste, and
adequate supplies of energy are essential in maintaining the public health, economy and natural resource
base of the City.
A. Wastewater Treatment Plant
The City of Rock Falls’s current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was put into service in late 1940s,
and is due to be decommissioned upon the completion of a new wastewater treatment plant in late summer
or early fall of 2011.
The new WWTP has a maximum design flow of 7.5 million gallons per day (MGD) and a design hydraulic
flow of 3 MGD. The WWTP design Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is 208 mg/L or 5,204 pounds per
day. The WWTP will employ an extended aeration Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) system consisting
of the following primary components: fine screening; vortex-type grit removal; oxidation ditch; secondary
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clarifiers; tertiary filtration; ultraviolet disinfection; digesters for aerobic sludge stabilization; belt presses
for sludge removal; septage receiving station; and, and excess flow lagoon.
The new WWTP will be capable of serving a population of 30,000. The design life expectancy is a
minimum of fifty (50) years.
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B. Sewage Collection System
The City of Rock Falls sanitary sewer collection system mains consist of vitrified clay and PVC pipe; the
service lines consist of Vitrified clay, Orangeburg, cast iron and PVC pipe. The amount or length of
sanitary sewer main lines in the City is unknown.
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The City of Rock Falls maintains ten (10) sanitary sewer lift stations located throughout the City.
C. Municipal Water
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1. Municipal Water Supply and Water Distribution System
The City of Rock Falls utilizes three active public water supply wells. Wells #2, #4 and #5 supply an
average of 1.3 million gallons per day to 4,124 service connections or a population of 10,624 individuals.
These wells operate nearly 14.5 hours per day to meet average daily consumption needs. The City’s water
storage capacity is 672,000 gallons and water treatment capacity is 3.6 million gallons. Average daily
demand is 1.2 million gallons, peak daily demand is 1.6 million gallons, and excess capacity is 750,000
gallons. A new City well is planned to be constructed in 2011-2012.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s “Source Water Assessment Summary” for the City of Rock
Falls, found in Chapter 5 Agriculture, Natural and Cultural Resources, Section 5.3 Paragraph D.
Groundwater, provides additional information about the City of Rock Falls’s water supply.
D. Storm Water Drainage Facilities
There are storm sewers located throughout most of the City. Approximately 95% of the stormwater drains
to the Rock River, with the remaining stormwater draining to the Hennepin Feeder Canal via the Centennial
Park pond or into agricultural fields.
4.1
Numerous short-term drainage problems exist throughout the City due to the level topography. Most
drainage problems occur within certain street intersections only during heavy downpours of rain, and in all
cases water drains away within one (1) hour.
E. Solid Waste Disposal - The City of Rock Falls currently has a municipal contract for solid waste and
recyclable materials disposal (weekly pickup) with Moring Disposal. Yard waste disposal service is also
provided by Moring Disposal from April through November.
F. Corporate Utilities
1. Natural gas is available throughout the City from NiCor Gas.

2. Electric Power - Electricity is provided by the City of Rock Falls Electric Utilities.
3. Telephone Service - Local telephone service, long distance, cellular and other specialized phone
services are available from a number of private firms.
4. Cable television service is provided by Comcast.
5. Satellite television service is available from a number of private firms.
6. Internet service is available to City residents through a variety of sources.
7. City-owned fiber optic broadband service is available.
8. Free wi-fi within various areas of the City is available.
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Section 4.2 Analysis of Public Utilities Needs
To maintain the public health, economy and natural resource base of the City, public utilities and services
must be adequate for existing and planned development. Rock Falls's public utilities and services were
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analyzed and the following recommendations were developed to ensure that the City has the continuing
capacity to serve existing and new development and that public utilities are provided in areas where they
can be most efficiently and economically extended:
A. Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sewage Collection System
The current wastewater treatment plant has reached the end of its serviceable life, and will be replaced with
a new, state-of-the-are wastewater treatment plant that should serve the needs of the City of Rock Falls for
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at least the next fifty (50) years. The City should continue to work toward an accurate inventory of sanitary
sewer mains, including type, age and condition of pipe, in order to plan for maintenance and upgrades.
C. Municipal Water System

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The City's municipal water system consists of the drinking water supply, a water distribution system and a
water storage facility. The municipal water system is adequate to serve existing needs, but provisions for
repairs and increased pumping capacity to serve future development are necessary.
D. Storm Water Drainage Facilities
The City should work toward identifying the location, type and condition of existing storm sewers within
the City. A maintenance program should be put in place, and storm sewer maintenance/improvements
included in a Capital Improvements Program.
E. Solid Waste Disposal
The City should continue its municipal contract for waste disposal.
4.2
F. Corporate Utilities
The City should keep the lines of communication open with corporate utility providers, and request to be
informed of future projects (e.g. line upgrades or new facilities) that may impact the City.
Section 4.3 Community Facilities Inventory
A. City Facilities and Services
1. City Hall - Rock Falls City Hall is a single story building located at 603 W. 10th Street. The City
hall consists of an office for the Mayor, City Administrator and City Clerk. The City Hall also
includes the Building Department, Public Works Department, Utility Payment Office, City
Council chambers, male and female restrooms, a utility room, and two committee meeting rooms.
2. Police Protection – The Rock Falls Police Department is located at 1013 7th Avenue. The mission
of the Rock Falls Police Department is to improve the quality of life within the community
through effective partnerships, which are committed to education, intervention, and prevention.
The Rock Falls Police Department consists of the Administration, Detective Division, Sergeant
Division, Patrol Division, Communications Division, and Community Services Officer.
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• The Police Department Administration consists of the Chief of Police, Operations
Commander and Administrative Commander.
• The Detective Division consists of a Detective Sergeant and a Detective.
•
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The Sergeant Division consists of four (4) Patrol Sergeants.
• The Patrol Division consists of ten (10 patrol officers.
• The Communications Division consists of a Telecommunicator/LEADS Coordinator and
five (5) Telecommunicator.
• The Police Department also employs a Community Services Officer.
3. Fire Protection - The Rock Falls Fire Protection District facility is located in the City of Rock Falls
at 1013 7th Avenue and provides fire protection and rescue services to the City of Rock Falls and
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to the Rock Falls Rural Fire Protection District encompassing approximately 80 square miles,
along with providing Automatic Aid to the Sterling Fire Department. Specific services provided
by the Rock Falls Fire Department are:
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• Firefighting
• BLS Emergency Medical Service
• Vehicle Rescue (Extrication)
• Search & Rescue
• Support
Rock Falls Fire Department staff includes a total of 24 personnel, 14 of which are full-time career
firefighters, and 10 of which are paid-on-call firefighters.
4. Emergency Service Disaster Agency - The City of Rock Falls Emergency Service Disaster Agency
(EDDA) is strictly a volunteer organization dedicated to help protect the citizens from natural and
manmade disasters that may strike in the City of Rock Falls. Responsibilities of Rock Falls
EDDA include: severe weather spotting, maintaining outdoor warning sirens, assisting in storm
damage response, flood pumping and sandbagging, public awareness events, maintaining
“Emergency Operations Plan”, acting as liaison with county, state, and federal emergency
management officials.
4.3
The City of Rock Falls currently operates seven outdoor warning sirens in cooperation with
Coloma Township, three in the city limits and four in the rural fire district. These sirens will be
activated for the following reasons: 1) A confirmed sighting of a tornado, or funnel cloud by a
trained spotter within five miles of the community; 2) A confirmed sighting, by a trained spotter,
of severe winds causing structural damage within five miles of the community; 3) A tornado
warning, issued by the National Weather Service, indicating that the community is in the direct
path of an oncoming tornado; 4) Severe weather watches, whether severe thunderstorm or tornado,
are traditionally issued for period of four (4) to six (6) hours. The National Weather Service may
terminate a "watch" early if weather conditions change and the threat of severe weather no longer
exists; 5) Severe weather warnings, whether severe thunderstorm or tornado, are traditionally
issued for periods of thirty (30) minutes to one (1) hour. Warnings are usually allowed to expire on
their own, without early termination by the Weather Service.
The siren activation area is located at the Rock Falls Fire Department. The locations of the seven
sirens are as follows:
• Rock Falls Fire Station

• W. 19th St. and 12th Avenue
• Avenue C and E.7th Street
• East Coloma School, 1602 Dixon Road
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• Dixon Avenue and Harbor Drive
• Riverdale School, 3505 Prophet Road
• Nelson School, 207 Pope Street, Dixon (Nelson), IL
5.
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City of Rock Falls Building Department - The Building Department, located at 603 W. 10th Street
is responsible for providing permits to residents for construction projects including new
residential/commercial/industrial construction, remodeling, roofing, heating, air conditioning,
plumbing (including sewer work on property), concrete, paneling, ventilation work, storage sheds,
fences, and garages (attached & detached). The Building Department is also the initial point of
contact for persons wishing to file a petition for various zoning actions that are heard by the City
of Rock Falls Planning Commission (zoning map amendment/rezoning, variation, interpretation of
zoning district map, special exception).
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6. Library - The Rock Falls Public Library (RFPL), also known as the Joseph and Dora Rubin
Library Building, is located at 1007 7th Avenue and was opened in February, 2001. The RFPL
provides many services including:
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• Library Cards: Library cards are provided free of charge to all residents of the Rock Falls
Public Library District, as part of the tax-supported library services. A library card grants
the cardholder borrowing privileges at the Rock Falls Public Library and at most public
libraries in Illinois, as well as access to special online resources.
• Interlibrary Loan: Upon request, the RFPL can borrow for-loan materials from other
libraries on behalf of library district residents.
• Programs and Events: The RFPL offers educational and cultural events for residents of all
ages.
• Computers: Computers are available for the use of library patrons.
• Photocopiers and Fax Machine are available for the use of library patrons for a fee.
• CD/DVD Cleaning and Repair: The RFPL offers CD/DVD repair for a fee.
• Community/Meeting Room: A Community Room is available.
7. Rock Falls Community Building which houses the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce and
provides space for youth activities, meetings, and other activities and events. The Rock Falls
Community Building is managed by the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce and is available for
public use.
4.4
B. Public School Facilities
The residents of Rock Falls are served by five (5) elementary school districts (East Coloma School District
#12, Montmorency Community Consolidated School District #145, Riverdale School District #14, Rock
Falls Elementary School District #13, and Nelson School District #8), a high school district (Rock Falls
Township High School District #301) and a private elementary school (St. Andrew’s Catholic School). The
following information for each school district is from the 2009 Illinois School District Report Card (Illinois
State Board of Education):
1. East Coloma School District #12:
East Coloma is an elementary school district encompassing kindergarten through 8th grade. East
Coloma has a student enrollment of 267.
In 2008-09, 44.5% of the district revenue was derived from local property taxes, compared to the
state average of 58.4%.
The district average teaching experience is 13.0 years, which is above the state average of 12.7
years. The average teacher salary in the district is $57,253, which is below the state average of
$63,296. The average administrator salary in the district is $106,291, which is below the state
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average of $109,091.
The district 2008-09 instructional expenditure per pupil was $5,151 (state average: $6,483). The
district 2008-09 operating expenditure per pupil was $8,141 (state average: $11,197).
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Overall student performance on all state tests in 2008-09 and 2009-10 exceed that of the state as a
whole.
2. Montmorency Community Consolidated School District #145:
Montmorency is an elementary school district encompassing pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.

Montmorency has a student enrollment of 317.
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whole.
3. Riverdale School District #14:
Riverdale is an elementary school district encompassing pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.

Riverdale has a student enrollment of 82.
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whole.
4. Rock Falls Elementary School District #13:
Rock Falls Elementary School District #13 has a student enrollment of 1,024, and consists of
Merrill Elementary School (pre-kindergarten, 3-5 grades), Dillon Elementary School (pre-
kindergarten through 2nd grade) and Rock Falls Middle School (grades 6 through 8).
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$63,296. The average administrator salary in the district is $122,167, which is above the state
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whole.
5. Nelson School District #8:

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Nelson is an elementary school district encompassing kindergarten through 8th grade. Nelson has a
student enrollment of 31.
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whole.
6. Rock Falls Township High School District #301:
Rock Falls Township High School District #301 is a high school district encompassing grades 9
through 12. Rock Falls Township High School has a student enrollment of 675.
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years. The average teacher salary in the district is $66,325, which is above the state average of
$63,296. The average administrator salary in the district is $136,715, which is above the state
Overall student performance on all state tests in 2008-09 and 2009-10 were below that of the state
as a whole.
7. St. Andrew Catholic Grade School:
St. Andrew Catholic Grade School (pre-kindergarten through 8th grade) is a parochial school
offering a curriculum in religion, reading/phonics, mathematics, language arts, science, social
studies, music, art, and physical education.
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C. Junior College Facilities
Residents of the City of Rock Falls and the immediate surrounding area are served by Sauk Valley
Community College, located between Dixon, IL and Sterling, IL. As a community college, its mission is to
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be an institution of higher education that provides quality learning opportunities to meet the diverse needs
of its students and community, with its vision to be recognized as a benchmark institution of higher
education that provides exceptional learning opportunities in response to the diverse needs of its students
and community. Sauk Valley Community College is a two-year community college offering associate
degrees in 34 disciplines for transfer to four-year colleges; career-oriented associate degrees in 19 areas,
and one liberal studies degree.
D. Parks, Recreation and Open Space

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1. The Coloma Township Park District owns and maintains the following parks located within the
City of Rock Falls planning area:
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• A.V. Sieglinger Memorial Park (9th Avenue & W. 22nd Street)

• Bennett Park (W. Bennett Drive)
• John W. Bowman Family Park (Downtown riverfront)
• Dillon Park (W. 19th Street & 11th Avenue)
• Liberty Bell Monument Park (IL Route 40 & 2nd Avenue)
• Centennial Park (Avenue D & E. 11th Street)
• Kiwanis Playground Park (W. 12th Street & 7th Avenue)
• Logan Memorial Park (E. U.S. Route 30 near McNeil Road)
• Lower Dam Park (Downtown riverfront)
• Miss Isabel Johnston Property (South side of E. 2nd Street near Seward-Riverside Park)
• Nims Park (E. 3rd Street & Avenue E)
• Optimist Park (14th Avenue & Prophet Road)
• Rock Falls Rotary Park (E. Minkle Road)
• Seward/Riverside Park (E. 2nd Street & Avenue C)
• Veterans Memorial Park (5th Street & Galt Avenue)
• Wallingford Park (E. 8th Street & Avenue C)
• Josh Nailor Park (A Street & Riverdale Road)
4.7
2. Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park - The Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park runs from the
Rock River along the eastern edge of the City of Rock Falls, and then southwesterly through the
City of Rock Falls planning area. It is a major recreational asset for the City of Rock Falls and the
region. The Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park provides recreational opportunities for
pedestrians and bicyclists via a paved trail that parallels the Hennepin Feeder Canal. The trail is
designated a State Trail; the Hennepin Feeder Canal trail is 29.3 miles long and connects to the
main Hennepin Canal near Sheffield, IL.
E. Other Community Facilities and Services
1. Churches - Sixteen (16) churches are located in the City of Rock Falls and its planning area:
• Berean Baptist Church, 1119 10th Avenue

• Harvest Time Bible Church, 1802 Dixon Avenue
• First Southern Baptist Church, 902 W. 12th Street
• Maranatha Baptist Church, 2103 Walter Street
• St. Andrew Catholic Church, 708 10th Avenue
• First Christian Church, 506 5th Avenue
• Community Church of Christ, 2002 9th Avenue
• Rock Falls Church of Christ, 9843 Hoover Road
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• Rock River First Church of God, W. Route 30
• First Congregational Church of Rock Falls, 905 Dixon Avenue
• Evangelical Congregational Church, 1602 13th Avenue
• Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 501 8th Avenue
•
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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 435 Martin Road
• First Open Bible Church, 2105 E. Rock Falls Road
• Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 501 W. 2nd Avenue
• Rock Falls United Methodist Church, 210 4th Avenue
2. Senior Citizen’s Services and Activities - NICAA Golden Meals, 1409 8th Avenue. NICAA
Golden Meals provides meals and social activities to senior citizens 60 years and older (an spouse)
at their facility, as well as home delivery of meals.
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3. Senior Citizen Housing:
• Arrow Wood Residence and Willow Wood Health Care Center, 430 Martin Road
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• Civic Plaza I, 1101 5th Avenue

• Garden Homes, 7th Avenue
• New Beginnings Care Center, 1000 Dixon Ave.
• Rock Falls Living Center, 2202 12th Ave.
F. Community Facilities Needs/Issues
To maintain its attractiveness as a residential community, the City must continue to provide a high level of
community services and facilities. The following recommendations are offered to strengthen the City's
existing facilities and services and ensure that future improvement and building programs are economical
and efficient.
1. City Facilities and Services Needs/Issues:
a. City Hall: The City is comfortable with the current level of service.
b. Police Protection: The Police Department is currently fully staffed as recommended by
the Police Chief.
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c. Fire Protection: Staffing of the Rock Falls Fire Protection District currently meets the
needs of the City.
d. Emergency Warning/Emergency Preparedness (Rock Falls ESDA): The City is currently
comfortable with the level of service.
d. Building Department: The City is currently comfortable with the level of service.
e. Library: The City is currently comfortable with the level of service.
2. Public School Facilities Needs/Issues: None identified.
3. Junior College Facilities Needs/Issues: A community outreach center is needed in the City of Rock
Falls.
4. Parks, Recreation and Open Space Needs/Issues: None identified.
5. Other Community Facilities and Services Needs/Issues: None identified.
A. Public Utilities And Services Goals, Objectives, Policies
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1. Goal
To provide sanitary sewer, water and other necessary public utilities, facilities and services to existing and
planned future development in an efficient and cost effective manner.
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2. Objectives
a. Promote the expansion, maintenance, and rehabilitation of utilities and community

facilities/services to achieve housing, economic development, land use and other
comprehensive planning goals.
b. Continue the municipal waste hauling contract.
c. Encourage the provision of public utilities in areas that can be most efficiently and
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economically served.
d. Promote the extension of public utilities only in areas environmentally suitable for urban
development.
e. Promote the fair and equitable distribution of benefits and costs for future public utility
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upgrades and expansions.

f. Reduce the “carbon footprint” of the City.
3. Policies
a. The capital improvements program should be developed and implemented to complement

land use strategies of the Comprehensive Plan. (A capital improvements program should
be updated and reviewed on a regular basis.)
c. Land developers should be responsible for the cost of providing facilities and services in
order to promote the fair and equitable distribution of costs and benefits.
d. Continue to maintain and protect the quality of the City water supply through the City’s
wellhead protection ordinance.
e. Work with Whiteside County to coordinate future growth and development.
f. Continue to work toward a digital inventory of all City infrastructure.
g. Continue to educate the public about public utility safety, home energy efficiency, and
other important matters.
4.9
B. Community Facilities Goals, Objectives, Policies
1. Goal
To maintain and provide community facilities and services that will make Rock Falls a more
attractive community in which to live and work.
2. Objectives
a. Work with the Rock Falls Fire Department to ensure that adequate fire protection, and
ambulance and emergency medical services are provided to all areas of the City.
b. Adequately fund and staff the police force to meet the public safety needs of the
community.
c. Encourage the provision of a wide variety of social, cultural and educational activities for
the benefit and enjoyment of all residents.
d. City officials should periodically communicate with the various school officials in the
City and the City’s planning area any education-related issues or concerns.
3. Policies
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a. The City of Rock Falls should continue to work with the Rock Falls Fire Department to
provide fire protection services that will attain the highest levels of efficiency in
providing for the safety and welfare of residents.
b. The City police force should maintain an active and visible presence within the
community.
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c. The City’s capital improvements program should be implemented to insure long range
financial planning for needed public facilities.
C. Parks, Recreation and Open Space Goals, Objectives, Policies
1. Goal
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Ensure that adequate open space and recreation facilities are provided for and made accessible to
all the residents of Rock Falls.
2. Objective
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a. The City of Rock Falls should continue to work with the Coloma Township Park District
to ensure the adequacy of existing park facilities.
b. Promote expanded and new community recreational services and activities to meet the
needs and desires of the community.
c. Negotiate with future development to provide park and/or open space lands.
4.10
CHAPTER 5
Agriculture, Natural and Cultural Resources
Section 5.1 Climate
The area in which Rock Falls is located is cold in winter. In summer it generally is hot but has occasional
cool spells. Precipitation falls as snow during frequent snowstorms in winter and chiefly as rain showers,
which often are heavy, during the warmer periods, when warm moist air moves in from the south. The
amount of annual rainfall usually is adequate for corn, soybeans, and small grain.
In winter, the average temperature is 23 degrees F and the average daily minimum temperature is 14
degrees F. In summer, the average temperature is 72 degrees and the average daily maximum temperature
is 83 degrees.
Total annual precipitation is 37.60 inches. Of this total, 23.86 inches, or about 63 percent, usually falls in
April through September. The growing season for most crops falls within this period. In 2 years out of 10,
the rainfall in April through September is less than 12.31 inches. Thunderstorms occur on about 50 days
each year.
The average seasonal snowfall is 34.7 inches. On average, 60 days of the year have at least 1 inch of snow
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on the ground. The number of such days varies greatly from year to year. Tornadoes and severe
thunderstorms strike occasionally. They are of local extent and of short duration and cause only sparse
damage in narrow belts. Hailstorms sometimes occur during the warmer periods. The hail falls in scattered
small areas.
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Section 5.2 Agricultural Resources
Grain farming is the predominant agricultural activity in the City of Rock Falls planning area. 79% of the
City’s planning area is in agricultural or agriculturally-related uses.
The economic activity of agriculture has some very specific land use requirements, depending on the type
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of farming. The growing of crops for profit necessitates relatively large, contiguous parcels, the slope of
which should not be excessive and the soils, fertile and well drained. This is particularly true of grains and
soybeans. Other types of agricultural pursuits, such as feed lots, garden farms, and dairies generally
demand increased labor and less land to be profitable. Generally, agricultural units are limited to the
physical characteristics of the land and are relatively flexible with respect to location. This is in marked
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contrast to other economic activities where the location of the activity with respect to others is a very
important part of their economic framework.
Whiteside County is one of the top agricultural producing counties in the State. Whiteside County’s
dominant crops are corn and soybeans. In 2008, Whiteside County ranked 10th in the State for corn
production with 44,435,500 bushels, and 57th in the State for soybean production with 3,601,800 bushels
(Illinois Agricultural Statistics - 2009). Livestock production also plays a major part in the agricultural
economy of Whiteside County. In 2008, Whiteside County ranked 11th in the State in the number of hogs
& pigs, 10th in the State in the number of cattle & calves, and 44th in the State in the number of beef cows
(Illinois Agricultural Statistics - 2009). In 2008, Whiteside County ranked 16th in the State for crop cash
receipts and 7th in the State for livestock cash receipts (Illinois Agricultural Statistics - 2009).
Other Whiteside County agricultural items and trends of note (Source: 2002 and 2007 U.S. Census of
Agriculture):
• The number of farms increased 13.1% between 2002 and 2007 from 1,001 farms to 1,132 farms.
• The amount of land in farms increased 6.8% between 2002 and 2007 from 379,366 acres to
405,333 acres.
5.1
• The average farm size decreased 5.5% between 2002 and 2007 from 379.0 acres to 358.1 acres.
• The average value of agricultural products sold per farm increased 72.3% between 2002 and 2007
from $143,962 to $248,037.
Section 5.3 Natural Resources
This section will describe the existing conditions of natural resources in the City of Rock Falls and
surrounding area. Natural resources include: soils, watersheds, streams, groundwater, floodplains, wetlands,
forests, vegetation and wildlife.
A. Topography and Physiography
The topography of the City of Rock Falls planning area is mostly level to gently sloping, and is primarily
the result of glaciofluvial, fluvial and erosional processes, as well as the actions of several glacial advances
that crossed Whiteside County during the Pleistocene Epoch. The two glacial ages of particular importance
to the physiographic development of the planning area and the region in general were the Illinois Episode
and the more recent Wisconsin Episode, which ended approximately 10,000 years ago.
Typical elevations in the City of Rock Falls planning area range from approximately 640' above mean sea
level (MSL) to 650' MSL. The lowest elevations in the planning area are along and within the Rock River.
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The highest elevations in the planning area are found in the southern portion of the planning area north of
Thome Road between IL Route 40 and Polo Road.
Physiographically, the City of Rock Falls planning area is located in the Rock River Hill Country of the Till
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Plains Section of the Central Lowlands Province. The Central Lowlands Province is principally the State of
Illinois. This area is characterized by its rolling hills, thin glacial drift and narrow valleys. The Rock River
Hill Country Division is divided into two sections; Freeport and Oregon. Two distinct bedrock types are
recognized in these section, dolomite and limestone under the Freeport Section and sandstone under the
Oregon Section. These different bedrock types have a significant effect on the resultant flora and natural
communities of the two sections.
B. Geology and Mineral Resources

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1. Geology:
As previously mentioned, the City of Rock Falls planning area is located in the Rock River Hill
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Country physiographic division. The Rock River Hill Country is characterized by subdued rolling
hills whose shape is controlled primarily by the bedrock surface. A thin cover of Illinois episode
drift overlies the bedrock surface.
Glacial drift deposits, loess, and alluvium materials form the present day land surface in the region
encompassing the City of Rock Falls planning area, and vary greatly in thickness. Glacial drift
ranges from less than 25' to 200' in the City of Rock Falls planning area. Beneath the glacial
deposits, the upper bedrock formations consist principally of beds of dolomite (a limestone-like
rock) and shale.
Silurian dolomite underlies the glacial drift in the vast majority of the City of Rock Falls planning
area. Silurian rocks, chiefly dolomite with some chert and shale, unconformably overlie the
Ordovician Maquoketa Group and fill erosional valleys cut as deep as 100 ft. (30.5 m) into the
Maquoketa Group (L arson et al. 1993; Kolata and Graese 1983; Willman 1973).
The Maquoketa Group (Ordovician age) underlies the glacial drift in a portion of the eastern part
of the planning area. The Maquoketa Group is composed of silty, dolomitic shale to silty,
argillaceous dolomite (Kolata and Graese 1983). This uppermost Ordovician unit ranges in
5.2
thickness from 0 (where eroded) to about 225 feet (0 to 69 m). Below the Maquoketa Group there
is a thick sequence of hydrologically connected rocks that is referred to as the Cambrian-
Ordovician aquifer system. This aquifer system consists in downward order of the Galena and
Platteville Dolomite Groups, Glenwood-St. Peter Sandstone, Prairie du Chien Group, Eminence-
Potosi Dolomite, Franconia Formation, and Ironton-Galesville Sandstone.
Bedrock geology is a significant consideration for land use planning. Dolomite and sandstone
bedrock formations are an important source of groundwater in northern Illinois. Land use
decisions should consider the protection of groundwater resources from potential contamination.
In addition, dolomite and sandstone formations near land surface are current or potential rock
product resources. The geologic units commonly penetrated by water wells and other shallow
boreholes in the City of Rock Falls planning area include Paleozoic bedrock, deposited as marine
sediments, overlain by younger unlithified Quaternary sediments, predominantly glacial deposits.
These rocks and sediments, roughly 2000 ft. (610 m) thick in northern Illinois, overlie
Precambrian crystalline basement (Willman et al. 1975).
Source: Illinois State Geological Survey
2. Mineral Resources:
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The primary potential mineral resource in the City of Rock Falls planning area is sand and gravel
products. Future development, however, depends on the underlying economic factors, the costs
and returns. Stone and sand/gravel products are low-value commodities. Since these are bulk
commodities with low unit values and high transportation costs, the pits and quarries tend to be
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located close to the major areas of demand.
C. Soils
Soil is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the
land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that
are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of
energy and matter or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment. The upper limit of soil is
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the boundary between soil and air, shallow water, live plants, or plant materials that have not begun to
decompose. Areas are not considered to have soil if the surface is permanently covered by water too deep
(typically more than 2.5 meters) for the growth of rooted plants. The lower boundary that separates soil
from the non-soil underneath is most difficult to define. Soil consists of horizons near the earth's surface
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that, in contrast to the underlying parent material, have been altered by the interactions of climate, relief,
and living organisms over time. Commonly, soil grades at its lower boundary to hard rock or to earthy
materials virtually devoid of animals, roots, or other marks of biological activity. For purposes of
classification, the lower boundary of soil is arbitrarily set at 200 cm (From Soil Taxonomy, second edition).
Soils in the City of Rock Falls and its 1.5 mile planning area are generally well-suited to agricultural uses.
68% of the soil types identified in the planning area are classified as being “prime farmland”; 29.2% are
classified as being “Not prime”; and, 2.8% are classified as “Farmland of State-wide importance.” and the
remaining 10% are classified as “farmland of statewide importance”. "Prime farmland" is of major
importance in meeting the Nation's short- and long-range needs for food and fiber. Because the supply of
high-quality farmland is limited, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes that responsible levels of
government, as well as individuals, should encourage and facilitate the wise use of our Nation's prime
farmland. See “Appendix I Maps” for maps titled Map 5.1: Soil Map Units, City of Rock Falls Planning
Area and Map 5.2: Farmland Classification of Soils, City of Rock Falls Planning Area.
Prime farmland, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is land that has the best combination of
physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops and is
available for these uses. It could be cultivated land, pastureland, forestland, or other land, but it is not urban
5.3
or built-up land or water areas. The soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply are those needed for
the soil to economically produce sustained high yields of crops when proper management, including water
management, and acceptable farming methods are applied. In general, prime farmland has an adequate and
dependable supply of moisture from precipitation or irrigation, a favorable temperature and growing
season, acceptable acidity or alkalinity, an acceptable salt and sodium content, and few or no rocks. The
water supply is dependable and of adequate quality. Prime farmland is permeable to water and air. It is not
excessively erodible or saturated with water for long periods, and it either is not frequently flooded during
the growing season or is protected from flooding. Slope ranges mainly from 0 to 6 percent. More detailed
information about the criteria for prime farmland is available at the local office of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
For some of the soils identified in the table as prime farmland, measures that overcome a hazard or
limitation, such as flooding, wetness, and droughtiness, are needed. Onsite evaluation is needed to
determine whether or not the hazard or limitation has been overcome by corrective measures.
A recent trend in land use in some areas has been the loss of some prime farmland to industrial and urban
uses. The loss of prime farmland to other uses puts pressure on marginal lands, which generally are more
erodible, droughty, and less productive and cannot be easily cultivated.
In some areas, land that does not meet the criteria for prime or unique farmland is considered to be
"farmland of statewide importance" for the production of food, feed, fiber, forage, and oilseed crops. The
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criteria for defining and delineating farmland of statewide importance are determined by the appropriate
State agencies. Generally, this land includes areas of soils that nearly meet the requirements for prime
farmland and that economically produce high yields of crops when treated and managed according to
acceptable farming methods. Some areas may produce as high a yield as prime farmland if conditions are
favorable.
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The United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (in cooperation with
other Federal, State and local agencies), has prepared a soil survey for Whiteside County. Soil surveys
contain information that affects land use planning in the soil survey areas. They include predictions of soil
behavior for selected land uses. The survey highlights soil limitations, improvements needed to overcome
the limitations, and the impact of selected land uses on the environment.
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Soil surveys are designed for many different users. Farmers, foresters, and agronomists can use the surveys
to evaluate the potential of the soil and the management needed for maximum food and fiber production.
Planners, community officials, engineers, developers, builders, and home buyers can use the survey to plan
land use, select sites for construction, and identify special practices needed to ensure proper performance.
Conservationists, teachers, students, and specialists in recreation, wildlife management, waste disposal, and
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pollution control can use the surveys to help them understand, protect, and enhance the environment.
Great differences in soil properties can occur within short distances. Some soils are seasonally wet or
subject to flooding. Some are too unstable to be used as a foundation for buildings or roads. Clayey or wet
soils are poorly suited to use as septic tank absorption fields. A high water table makes a soil poorly suited
to basements or underground installations. These and many other soil properties that affect land use are
described in the Whiteside County Soil Survey. The location of each soil is shown on the detailed soil
maps found in the Whiteside County Soil Survey. Each soil in the survey area is described, and
information on specific uses is given. The published soil survey consists of a manuscript and a set of soil
maps.
“Appendix III Soil Reports” of this document contains a table of the soils found in the City of Rock Falls
and its 1.5 mile planning area. Many other detailed soil reports are available in the Whiteside County Soil
Survey or from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Web Soil Survey.
5.4
D. Groundwater
Groundwater is generally plentiful in the City of Rock Falls and the surrounding area. The Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency’s “Source Water Assessment and Protection Program” for Rock Falls
provides the following information regarding the City of Rock Falls’ public water supply:
Importance of Source Water

The City of Rock Falls (Facility Number 1950450) utilizes three active public water supply wells.
Wells #2 (IEPA Well #11917), #4 (IEPA #11919) and #5 (IEPA #00716) supply an average of 1.3
million gallons per day to 4,124 service connections or a population of 10,624 individuals. These
wells operate nearly 14.5 hours per day to meet average daily consumption needs.
Source Water Quality
The public water supply wells at Rock Falls were sampled as part of the Statewide Groundwater
Monitoring Network beginning in 1984. The well samples were analyzed for inorganic chemicals
(IOC), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and synthetic organic compounds (SOC).
Review of the IOC analyses collected for Rock Fall's three wells indicated that the parameters
were characteristic of those found in other sand and gravel aquifers in Illinois. This determination
is based, in part, on information provided in a United States Geological Survey report, "The
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Groundwater Atlas of the United States", Segment 10 (730-K), which provides a discussion of the
background levels for IOC in Illinois aquifers. It is important to note that the IOC results were
below the groundwater quality standards established in 35 Illinois Administrative Code Part
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620.410. However, concentrations of manganese and iron are slightly elevated, with the highest
levels detected being 130 and 4,500 parts per billion (ppb), respectively. The numerical
groundwater standard established for manganese and iron is 150 and 5,000 ppb, respectively.
The VOC analyses performed did not detect quantifiable levels of organic chemicals in Wells #2
and #5. However, on April 1, 1997, low levels of 1,1-Dichloroethane and 1,2-Dichloropropane
(1.20 ppb, of each) were detected in Well #4. These detections have not been confirmed by the
Illinois EPA. The level of these constituents is well below the numerical groundwater quality
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standard established under 35 Illinois Administrative Code Part 620.410 for 1,2-Dichloropropane
of 5 ppb. Currently, there has not been a groundwater standard established for 1,1-Dichloroethane.
However, the Illinois EPA Office of Chemical Safety has calculated a Health Advisory Level of
700 ppb for 1,1-Dichloroethane.
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Review of the SOC data collected for these sampling events did not detect any quantifiable levels
of these compounds in the groundwater utilized by City of Rock Falls.
Susceptibility To Contamination
To determine Rock Falls susceptibility to groundwater contamination, the following documents

were reviewed: a Well Site Survey, published in 1990 by the Illinois EPA; and a Source Water
Protection Plan prepared by the City of Rock Falls, and published by the Illinois Rural Water
Association in May of 1997. Based on the information obtained in these documents, there were no
potential sources of groundwater contamination identified that could pose a hazard to groundwater
utilized by the Rock Falls community water supply wells. However, information provided by the
Leaking Underground Storage Tank and Remedial Project Management Sections of the Illinois
EPA indicated several sites in the vicinity of Rock Falls with on-going remediation which may be
of concern.
Based upon this information, the Illinois EPA has determined that the Rock Falls Community
Water Supply's source water is susceptible to VOC and SOC contamination. The basis for this
determination includes the detections of VOC in well #4, and the land use within the recharge
5.5
areas of the wells. This land use includes both residential and agricultural properties. However, as
a result of monitoring conducted at the wells and entry point to the distribution system, the land
use activities and source water protection initiatives by the city (refer to the following section of
this report), the Rock Falls Community Water Supply's source water is not susceptible to IOC
contamination.
Source Water Protection Efforts
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act provides minimum protection zones of 400 feet for
Rock Falls wells. These minimum protection zones are regulated by the Illinois EPA. To further
reduce the risk to the source water, the city has implemented a wellhead protection program that
includes source water protection management strategies, a source water education committee, and
contingency planning. This effort resulted in a reduced risk of SOC contamination to the
community water supply. Hence, the community water supply received a special exception permit
from the Illinois EPA which allows a reduction in SOC monitoring. The outcome of this
monitoring reduction has saved the city considerable laboratory analysis costs.
As authorized by the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, the City of Rock Falls enacted a
"maximum setback zone" ordinance that allows county and municipal officials the opportunity to
provide additional potential source prohibitions up to 1,000 feet from their wells. In addition to the
minimum and maximum setback zones, the Illinois EPA has delineated a five-year recharge area
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for wells #2, #4 and #5. This recharge area is defined as the geographic area surrounding a well or
a well field providing potable water to a community water supply as modeled using computer
software to determine a five-year time related capture zone. The city also developed a recharge
area management program to further protect the community's source water from potential
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contamination sources for which it is susceptible.
To further minimize the risk to the city's groundwater supply, the Illinois EPA recommends that
four additional activities be considered. First, the community should consider maximum setback
zone protection for well #6, when the well becomes active. Second, the water supply staff may
wish to revisit their contingency planning documents in order to ensure the plans are kept current,
and the water department and emergency response staff are aware of and adequately trained to
implement emergency procedures. Contingency planning documents are a primary means to
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ensure that, through emergency preparedness, a community will minimize their risk of being
without safe and adequate water. Third, the water supply staff is encouraged to review and sustain
their cross connection control program to ensure that it remains current and viable. Cross
connections to either the water treatment plant (for example, at bulk water loading stations) or in
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the distribution system may negate all source water protection initiatives provided by the
community. Finally, the Illinois EPA recommends that the City of Rock Falls continue to evaluate
additional source water protection management options to address the regulatory and non-
regulatory land use activities within the community wells' recharge area. Specifically, these
management options should include potential effects from non-point sources related to agricultural
land uses. If these additional source water protection management options are not addressed, the
city may risk revocation of their Safe Drinking Water Act Monitoring Waiver for SOC.
Source: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Information updated November 13, 2007)
E. Surface Water
The City of Rock Falls is located in the Rock River basin, Rock River sub-basin, and the Rock River
watershed. Other streams flowing to the Rock River through the planning area are Howland Creek, Union
Drainage and Hennepin Feeder Canal. There are also numerous ponds/lakes within the planning area
ranging in area from less than 0.1 acre to over 33 acres.
5.6
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) annually collects chemical, physical, biological,
habitat and toxicity data on rivers and streams, inland lakes, Lake Michigan and groundwater to satisfy
reporting requirements found in Section 305(b) of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The primary
purpose of the Section 305(b) process is to provide for an assessment of the overall water quality conditions
of Illinois waters. The Rock River is the only stream in the City of Rock Falls planning area for which the
IEPA provides an assessment of. According to the Draft Illinois Integrated Water Quality Report and
Section 303(d) List - 2010, the Rock River within the City of Rock Falls planning area (Assessment Unit ID
No. IL_P-06) is fully supportive of aquatic life, primary contact and secondary contact; it is not supportive
of fish consumption. Potential causes of impairment are mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls. Potential
sources of impairment are atmospheric deposition (toxics) and other unknown causes.
F. Wetlands
In general terms, wetlands are lands where saturation with water is the dominant factor determining the
nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its
surface. The single feature that most wetlands share is soil or substrate that is at least periodically saturated
with or covered by water. The water creates severe physiological problems for all plants and animals except
those that are adapted for life in water or in saturated soil. Wetlands are lands transitional between
terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered
by shallow water. For purposes of classification, wetlands must have one or more of the following three
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attributes: (1) at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes; (2) the substrate is
predominantly undrained hydric soil; and (3) the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered
by shallow water at some time during the growing season of the year. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
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Wetlands found to occur within the City of Rock Falls planning area are classified by the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service as either “Palustrine”, “Lacustrine” or “Riverine” wetland systems.
The Palustrine System includes all non-tidal wetlands dominated by trees, shrubs, emergents, and mosses or
lichens. The Palustrine System was developed to group the vegetated wetlands traditionally called by such
names as marsh, swamp, fen, and prairie, which are found throughout the United States. It also includes the
small, shallow, permanent or intermittent water bodies often called ponds. Palustrine wetlands may be
situated shoreward of lakes, river channels, or estuaries; on river floodplains; in isolated catchments; or on
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slopes. They may also occur as islands in lakes or rivers.
The Lacustrine System includes wetlands and deepwater habitats with all of the following characteristics:
(1) situated in a topographic depression or a dammed river channel; (2) lacking trees, shrubs, persistent
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emergents, emergent mosses or lichens with greater than 30% areal coverage; and (3) total area exceeds 8
ha (20 acres). The Lacustrine System includes permanently flooded lakes and reservoirs (e.g., Lake
Superior), intermittent lakes (e.g., playa lakes), and tidal lakes with ocean-derived salinities below 0.5%
(e.g., Grand Lake, Louisiana). Typically, there are extensive areas of deep water and there is considerable
wave action. Islands of Palustrine wetland may lie within the boundaries of the Lacustrine System.
The Riverine System includes all wetlands and deepwater habitats contained within a channel, with two
exceptions: (1) wetlands dominated by trees, shrubs, persistent emergents, emergent mosses, or lichens, and
(2) habitats with water containing ocean-derived salts in excess of 0.5%. A channel is "an open conduit
either naturally or artificially created which periodically or continuously contains moving water, or which
forms a connecting link between two bodies of standing water" (Langbein and Iseri 1960:5). Water is
usually, but not always, flowing in the Riverine System. Upland islands or Palustrine wetlands may occur
in the channel, but they are not included in the Riverine System. Palustrine Moss-Lichen Wetlands,
Emergent Wetlands, Scrub-Shrub Wetlands, and Forested Wetlands may occur adjacent to the Riverine
System, often on a floodplain. Many biologists have suggested that all the wetlands occurring on the river
floodplain should be a part of the Riverine System because they consider their presence to be the result of
river flooding. However, we concur with Reid and Wood (1976:72,84) who stated, "The floodplain is a flat
expanse of land bordering an old river . . . . Often the floodplain may take the form of a very level plain
5.7
occupied by the present stream channel, and it may never, or only occasionally, be flooded . . . It is this
subsurface water [the ground water] that controls to a great extent the level of lake surfaces, the flow of
streams, and the extent of swamps and marshes."
Wetlands are widely dispersed throughout the City of Rock Falls Planning Area. Map 5.3 Wetlands, City of
Rock Falls Planning Area within “Appendix I Maps” of this document indicates the location and type of
wetlands (simplified description based upon the wetlands classification system) within the planning area.
There are 4,830.9 acres of wetlands within the planning area. “Riverine” wetlands account for 2,801.3
acres (57.9%); “Lakes” account for 1,670.3 acres (34.6%); “Freshwater Forested/Shrub” wetlands account
for 163.9 acres (3.4%); “Freshwater Emergent” wetlands account for 124.8 acres (2.6%); and, “Ponds”
account for 70.6 acres (1.5%).
G. Floodplains
Map 5.4: Flood Zones, City of Rock Falls Planning Area found in Appendix I Maps depicts the general
extent of flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas) within the City of Rock Falls and its planning area.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has completed county-wide Digital Flood Insurance
Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for Whiteside County including the City of Rock Falls. The Whiteside County
DFIRMs and Flood Insurance Study should be consulted as the definitive source for more precise flood
zone locations and flood elevations.
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Encroachment on flood plains by development, such as structures and fill, reduces the flood-carrying
capacity, increases the flood heights and velocities, and increases flood hazards in areas beyond the
encroachment itself. Therefore, development in low-lying and/or flood-prone areas, even if not mapped as
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a Special Flood Hazard Area, should be discouraged.
Floodplain lands and adjacent waters combine to form a complex, dynamic physical and biological system
found nowhere else. When portions of floodplains are preserved in (or restored to) their natural state, they
provide many benefits to both human and natural systems. These benefits range from providing aesthetic
pleasure to reducing the number and severity of floods, helping handle stormwater runoff and minimizing
non-point water pollution. For example, by allowing floodwater to slow down, sediments settle out, thus
maintaining water quality. The natural vegetation filters out impurities and uses excess nutrients. Such
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natural processes cost far less money than it would take to build facilities to correct flood, stormwater,
water quality and other community problems. Natural resources of floodplains fall into three categories:
water resources, living resources and societal resources. The following sections describe each category’s
natural and beneficial functions.
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Natural flood and erosion control

Over the centuries, floodplains develop their own ways to handle flooding and erosion with natural
features that provide floodwater storage and conveyance, reduce flood velocities and flood peaks,
and curb sedimentation. Natural controls on flooding and erosion help to maintain water quality
by filtering nutrients and impurities from runoff, processing organic wastes and moderating
temperature fluctuations. These natural controls also contribute to recharging groundwater by
promoting infiltration and refreshing aquifers, and by reducing the frequency and duration of low
surface flows.
Biologic resources and functions

Floodplains enhance biological productivity by supporting a high rate of plant growth. This helps
to maintain biodiversity and the integrity of ecosystems. Floodplains provide excellent habitats for
fish and wildlife by serving as breeding and feeding grounds. They also create and enhance
waterfowl habitats, and help to protect habitats for rare and endangered species.
5.8
Societal resources and functions
People benefit from floodplains through the food they provide, the recreational opportunities they
afford and the scientific knowledge gained in studying them. Wild and cultivated products are
harvested in floodplains, which are enhanced agricultural land made rich by sediment deposits.
They provide open space, which may be used to restore and enhance forest lands, or for
recreational opportunities or simple enjoyment of their aesthetic beauty. Floodplains provide areas
for scientific study and outdoor education. They contain cultural resources such as historic or
archaeological sites, and thus provide opportunities for environmental and other kinds of studies.
Floodplains can increase a community’s overall quality of life, a role that often has been
undervalued. By transforming floodplains from problem areas into value-added assets, the
community can improve its quality of life. Parks, bike paths, open spaces, wildlife conservation
areas and aesthetic features are important to citizens. Assets like these make the community more
appealing to potential employers, investors, residents, property owners and tourists.
H. Natural Areas and Open Spaces
Natural areas and open space provide Rock Falls with recreational opportunities, resource protection and
aesthetic beauty, and are an important part of the City’s identity. See the Utilities and Community Facilities
Element for a complete listing of parks and open spaces within the City of Rock Falls.
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As stated earlier in this chapter, 79% of the City’s 1.5 mile extra-territorial planning area, or 6,783 acres, is
in agricultural or agriculturally-related use, which is open space. Much of this open space is natural area,
particularly within riparian corridors.
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There are no Illinois Natural Areas Inventory Sites, no “Ecologically Significant” stream corridors, and no
known unique natural areas within the City or the 1.5 mile planning area.
I. Wildlife
There is little area within the City of Rock Falls considered suitable as wildlife habitat. Scattered wetlands,
woodlands, fence rows, riparian corridors exist throughout the City of Rock Falls’s planning area in
addition to the Rock River corridor, which provide habitat for various wildlife species, including white-
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tailed deer, wild turkeys, gray and fox squirrels, cotton tail rabbit, woodchucks, and bald eagles. These
habitats also serve as important islands of habitat for migratory birds.
Section 5.4 Cultural Resources

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Cultural and historic resources often help link the past with the present and can give a community a sense
of place or identity. These resources can include historic buildings and structures along with ancient,
historic and archeological sites.
Many of Rock Falls’s historic structures have been lost to time and the demolition crew, although the
commercial downtown has significant historical and cultural value. The cemeteries in the planning area are
an important cultural and genealogical resources, serving as records of past inhabitants of the area.
Early trails were important to the settlement and development of Whiteside County. Many trails that later
became wagon roads and stage routes were originally Indian trails. As settlers moved to the area, many
trails were blazed across the County to make travel and marketing of agricultural products easier and safer.
The timber groves in the area are also important cultural and historic resources. The groves served as
important resting places for travelers and sources of raw materials and the necessities of life in the early
settlement days, as they provided sources of shelter, lumber, fire wood, water, and game for food. The
groves later became recreational areas for community, church and family festivals and picnics.
5.9
The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency has identified the following cultural resources within the City of
Rock Falls:
• Frank’s Hall, 102 W. 2nd Street

• U.S. Government Lock & Dam over Rock River
• 112-114 W. 2nd Street. Historical significance: commerce/trade buildings - professional.
• Augustus P. Smith Monument and Time Capsule, E. 2nd St. & Ave. E along Rock River.
Historical significance: Recreation and culture - monument/marker.
• 1060 W. 5th Street. Historical significance: Vernacular architectural style of dwelling construction.
• Merrill School, W. 5th Street at 5th Avenue. Historical significance: Education/school circa 1888.
• 213 4th Avenue. Historical significance: Victorian (folk) architectural style of dwelling
construction.
• 311 W. 4th Street. Historical significance: Brick Asymmetrical (L-shaped) Italianate architectural
style of dwelling construction.
• Ronald Behrens Home on Habben Road. Historical significance: Wood Towered Italianate
architectural style of dwelling construction circa 1870.
• 1008 Leroy Avenue. Historical significance: Brick Colonial Revival architectural style of
dwelling construction.
• 306 W. 2nd Avenue. Historical significance: Wood Queen Anne architectural style of dwelling
construction.
308 2nd Street. Historical significance: Vernacular architectural style of dwelling construction.
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•
• 310 E. 2nd Street. Historical significance: Dwelling.
• 320 E. 2nd Street. Historical significance: Colonial Revival architectural style of dwelling
construction.
•
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400 W. 2nd Avenue. Historical significance: Wood Gothic Revival architectural style of dwelling
construction.
• 406 W. 2nd Street. Historical significance: Wood Towered Italianate architectural style of dwelling
construction.
• 801 W. 2nd Street. Historical significance: Dwelling.
• 816 W. 2nd Street. Historical significance: Tudor Revival architectural style of dwelling
construction.
• Hennepin Feeder Canal and Government Lock at east end of 2nd Street along Rock River.
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Historical significance: Water-related transportation circa 1891.
• U.S. Post Office, 2nd Avenue, south of W. 2nd Street. Historical significance: Government
building.
• 312 E. 3rd Street. Historical significance: Wood Centered Gable Gothic Revival architectural style
of dwelling construction.
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• 400 E. Third Street. Historical significance: Queen Anne architectural style of dwelling
construction.
• 401 E. Third Street. Historical significance: Brick Tudor Revival architectural style of dwelling
construction.
• 501 E. Third Street. Historical significance: Stone Craftsman architectural style of dwelling
construction.
Section 5.5 Issues Identified by the Planning Commission
No issues were identified.
A. Goal
Preserve and protect those features that reflect the unique history, natural resources and character of the
City of Rock Falls.
5.10
B. Objectives
1. Work with other state and local units of government to protect the City’s groundwater resources.
2. Work to maintain the Rock River and Hennepin Canal as environmental and recreational assets to
the City.
3. Ensure an adequate supply of open space within the City.
4. Preserve historic sites and structures within the City and the 1.5 mile planning area.
5. Promote orderly development in order to preserve the agricultural use of land.
C. Policies
1. Continue to enforce, monitor and update the City’s wellhead protection ordinance in order to
continued to protect the City water wells from potential sources of contamination.
2. Maintain and manage park and open spaces within the City to retain their cultural, recreational and
aesthetic qualities.
3. Adopt and enforce regulations to protect the flood plain and flood-prone areas of the City from
development.
4. Identify and make public more aware of historic and culturally significant sites and structures
within the City and the 1.5 mile planning area.
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5.11
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CHAPTER 6
Economic Development
Section 6.1 Introduction
This section of the Comprehensive Plan summarizes the City of Rock Falls’s existing economic activity and
conditions, and looks to what future conditions might be desirable. Economic development, which can be
defined as the type and level of business activity within an area, is often based on a combination of market
forces, regulation, and the extent of local government encouragement. This element concludes with goals,
objectives, and policies to promote the stabilization, retention, or expansion of the economic base. County
and State economic development information is included to help the City identify potential opportunities
that could be used to pursue appropriate economic development activities.
Section 6.2 Economic Base Characteristics
A. Labor Force Analysis
1. Educational Attainment
Paragraph C of Section 1.4 (Demographic Trends) of the Issues and Opportunities Chapter (Chapter 1)
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details educational attainment for the City of Rock Falls adults.
2. Earnings and Income

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Wages are not the only form of income that residents receive. "Total income" is defined by the US Census
as the sum of the amounts reported separately for wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips; self-
employment income from non-farm or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships; interest,
dividends, net rental income, royalty income, or income from estates and trusts; Social Security or Railroad
Retirement income; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); any public assistance or welfare payments from
the state or local welfare office; retirement, survivor, or disability pensions; and any other sources of
income received regularly such as Veterans' (VA) payments, unemployment compensation, child support,
or alimony.
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According to the 2000 Census, 2,950 (75.2%) of 3,923 Rock Falls households sampled were classified as
households with earnings; 1,259 (32.1%) were households with social security income; 225 (5.7%) were
households with supplemental security income; 800 (20.4%) were households that received retirement
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income; and, 103 (2.6%) households received public assistance, and 563 households (14.4%) had other
types of income. In order to better understand the existing wage-earning realities within the City of Rock
Falls, “earnings” data was considered to be more informative. “Earnings” are defined by the US Census
Bureau as the algebraic sum of wage or salary income and net income from self-employment, representing
the amount of income received regularly before deductions for personal income taxes, Social Security, bond
purchases, union dues, Medicare deductions, etc.
Table 6.1 compares income for households and individuals for the City of Rock Falls with Whiteside
County as a whole. Earnings are not included due to lack of historical data. The City of Rock Falls has
increased both median household income and per capita income at a greater rate than Whiteside County
overall; however, the total value of household income and per capita income are lower in the City of Rock
Falls compared to Whiteside County as a whole.
6.1
Table 6.1
Comparison of Household and Per Capita Income
Median Income Per Household Per Capita Income
1989 1999 Change 1989 1999 Change
City of Rock Falls $21,607 $34,442 59.4% $9,546 $16,524 73.1%
Whiteside County $27,085 $40,354 49.0% $12,245 $19,296 57.6%

Table 1.7 of the Issues and Opportunities Chapter details changes in household income over the two most
recently available census periods.
It is understood that the data displayed in this document is ten years old at the time this document is being
drafted. Updated/more recent data is not available for the City of Rock Falls and will not be available until
the 2010 Census data is released by the U.S. Bureau of the Census beginning in the first quarter of 2011. In
order to provide timely data, the following information comparative of Whiteside County as a whole and
the State of Illinois is provided.
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Table 6.2 below shows the most recent income information for Whiteside County compared with the State
of Illinois.
AF Table 6.2
Current Income Information
Whiteside County and the State of Illinois
Income Description Year Total
Median Family Income
Whiteside County 2006 $55,100.00

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Illinois 2006 $66,600.00
Difference $11,500.00
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Median Household Income
Illinois 2008 $53,254.00
Per Capita Income
Illinois 2009 $41,411.00
Source: U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Bureau of the Census and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
6.2
Table 6.3 below shows recent estimated wage information for Whiteside County compared with the State of
Illinois for the 1st Quarter 2009.
Table 6.3
Employment Wage Statistics
Total Average *Average Hourly *Average Weekly *Average Annual
Employment Wage Wage Wage
Whiteside County 20,511 $14.75 $590 $30,680
Illinois 5,560,156 $24.00 $950 $49,400
Difference 5,539,645 $9.25 $360 $18,720

Source: Labor Market Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program
*Assumes a 40-hour week worked the year round.
3. Percent in Labor Force and Unemployment
Table 6.4 below shows the number of residents 16 years and above living in the City of Rock Falls,
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Whiteside County and the State of Illinois. Age sixteen is considered to be the lower threshold for being
eligible for employment. The City of Rock Falls has a lower percentage of residents in the labor force
(56.6%) compared to Whiteside County (60.7%) and the State (65.1%). According to the 2000 Census
information, the City had an unemployment rate of 2.7%, slightly lower than the Whiteside County
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unemployment rate of 3.2%, and significantly lower than the State of Illinois unemployment rate (6.0%).
Table 6.4
Employment Status of Population 16 Years and Above (2000 Census)
City of Rock Whiteside State of Illinois
Falls County
Population 16 yrs. and over 7,373 47,198 9,530,946

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In Civilian Labor Force 4,729 29,804 6,208,597
% in Civilian Labor Force 64.2 63.1 65.1
Employed 4,437 28,343 5,833,185

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% Employed 93.8 95.1 94.0
Unemployed 292 1,461 375,412

% Unemployed 6.2 4.9 6.0
Not in Labor Force 2,641 17,377 3,300,329

% Not in Labor Force 35.8 36.8 34.6
As previously stated, the data displayed in this document is ten years old at the time this document is being
6.3
Table 6.5 below shows estimated labor force, employment and unemployment information in Whiteside
County compared to Illinois for September 2010. These figures are not seasonally adjusted.
Table 6.5
Area labor Force, Employment and Unemployment Data, September 2010
Civilian Labor Number Number Unemployment
Force Employed Unemployed Rate
Whiteside County 31,109 28,055 3,054 9.8%
Illinois 6,658,700 6,029,000 629,700 9.5%
Difference 6,627,591 6,000,945 626,646 -0.3%

Source: Labor Market Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program
4. Type of Employment for City Residents
Table 6.6 below provides information regarding the type of occupation that City of Rock Falls residents are
employed in. Table 1.9 of the Issues and Opportunities Chapter summarizes resident employment by
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industry for the two most recently available Census periods. Information for both these tables represents
what type of occupation/industry the working residents of the City were employed in, and is not a listing of
the employment opportunities currently located in the City.
AF Table 6.6
Rock Falls Resident Employment by Occupation
Number Percentage
Occupation
Employed civilian population >16 yrs. 4,437 100.0%
Management, professional, and related

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occupations 782 17.6%
Service occupations 841 19.0%
Sales and office occupations 983 22.2%

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Farming, fishing and forestry

occupations 17 0.4%
Construction, extraction, and

maintenance occupations 349 7.9%
Production, transportation, and material

moving occupations 1,465 33.0%
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census
As previously stated, the data displayed in this document is ten years old at the time this document is being
6.4
Table 6.7 below shows the distribution of industries in Whiteside County for the 1st Quarter, 2009.
Table 6.7
Current Industry Employment Distribution
Whiteside County, Illinois
Industry Sector Establishments Employees
Manufacturing 105 3647
Retail Trade 196 3537
Health Care and Social 93 3530

Assistance
Education Services 35 1849
Accommodation and Food 112 1494

Services
Admin., Support, Waste 36 1150

Management, Remediation
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Public Administration 38 955
Wholesale Trade 87 769

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Other Services (except Public 121 614
Admin.)
Transportation and Warehousing 67 561
Finance and Insurance 80 553
Construction 167 498

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Professional, Scientific & 69 490
Technical Services
Arts, Entertainment and 22 292

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Recreation
Information 18 261
Real Estate and Rental and 42 108

Leasing
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & 23 99

Hunting
Mining 4 57
Management of Companies and 4 27

Enterprises
Utilities 2 14
Unclassified Establishments 3 3
Source: Labor Market Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program
6.5
Table 6.8 below shows the distribution of occupations in Whiteside County for the 2006 - 2016 time frame.
Table 6.8
Occupational Employment Distribution
Occupation Group 2006 Estimated 2016 Projected Projected %
Employment Employment Change
Office and Administrative Support Occupations 3,456 3,429 -0.78%
Sales and Related Occupations 2,765 2,901 4.92%
Production Occupations 2,986 2,689 -9.95%
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations 1,949 1,986 1.90%
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations 1,746 1,952 11.80%
Management Occupations 1,850 1,791 -3.19%
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations 1,359 1,540 13.32%
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Education, Training and Library Occupations 1,277 1,392 9.01%
Healthcare Support Occupations 807 922 14.25%
Construction and Extraction Occupations 826 885 7.14%

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Occupations 820 857 4.51%
Business and Financial Operations Occupations 818 844 3.18%
Personal Care and Service Occupations 728 794 9.07%
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance 721 778 7.91%

Occupations
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Protective Service Occupations 506 524 3.56%
Community and Social Service Occupations 392 449 14.54%

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Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media 280 286 2.14%

Occupations
Architecture and Engineering Occupations 254 242 -4.72%
Computer and Mathematical Occupations 205 214 4.39%
Farming, Fishing and Forestry Occupations 171 162 -5.26%
Legal Occupations 115 122 6.09%
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations 111 118 6.31%
TOTAL 26,148 26,893 2.85%

Source: Labor Market Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program
6.6
5. Commuting
The mean travel time to work for Rock Falls residents is lower than both the County and State mean travel
time as indicated in Table 6.9 below.
Table 6.9
Mean Travel Time to Work
City of Rock Falls 17.7 minutes
Whiteside County 18.5 minutes
State of Illinois 28.0 minutes

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census
B. Economic Base Analysis
Businesses and industries (by category) in the City of Rock Falls and immediate area include:
• Agriculture & Mining: 9 establishments

• Construction: 30 establishments
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• Manufacturing: 14 establishments
• Transportation: 11 establishments
• Communication: 2 establishments
• Utility: 2 establishments
•
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Wholesale Trade: 17 establishments
• Home Improvement: 3 establishments
• General Merchandise Stores: 2 establishments
• Food Stores: 7 establishments
• Auto Dealers, Gas Stations, Auto Aftermarket: 12 establishments
• Apparel & Accessory Stores: 3 establishments
• Furniture & Home Furnishings: 6 establishments
• Eating & Drinking Places: 34 establishments
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• Miscellaneous Retail: 18 establishments
• Banks, Savings & Lending Institutions: 13 establishments
• Securities Brokers: 1 establishment
• Insurance Carriers & Agents: 8 establishments
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• Real Estate, Holding, Other Investment Offices: 8 establishments

• Hotels & Lodging: 6 establishments
• Automotive Services: 14 establishments
• Motion Pictures & Amusements: 9 establishments
• Health Services: 16 establishments
• Legal Services: 2 establishments
• Education Institutions & Libraries: 12 establishments
• Other Services: 82 establishments
• Government: 26 establishments
• Other unclassified business/industry: 2 establishments
Source: ESRI Forecasts for 2010
Section 6.3 Community Assessment: Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis
It is necessary for Rock Falls to look at the factors that influence its economy. Rock Falls has recently been
presented many challenges, primarily loss of jobs in the region due to closure of large employers such as
Northwestern Steel and Wire Company and the Reliant Fastener Company. It is likely that the loss of jobs
6.7
in the region is the primary factor in the decrease in population of Rock Falls and the area. As discussed in
Chapter 1, the current trend of a decreasing population in Rock Falls is likely a function of the decline in
the number of persons per household (as younger persons leave their parents homes and the City). This
trend is accounted for by an increasing age for City residents (median age of City residents has increased
from 36.0 in 2000 to an estimated 37.8 in 2010 according to the U.S. Census Bureau), and the declining
numbers in the younger age classes and age cohorts as shown in Chapter 1, Table 1.3. An additional
challenge for the City of Rock Falls is the mismatch of labor force in the community. Currently Rock Falls
has a high number of manufacturing sector employees in a non-manufacturing economy.
The City of Rock Falls is predominantly comprised of single family residential development, industrial
sites, a downtown central business district, two commercial corridors (IL Route 40 and U.S. Route 30), and
a riverfront area ripe for redevelopment. The City’s potential to expand south of the Rock River is virtually
unconstrained. Rock Falls is located near higher education institutions (Sauk Valley Community College,
Augustana College, Ashford University, Rockford College, Northern Illinois University, Highland
Community College, Blackhawk College, Blackhawk College-East Campus, Western Illinois University-
Quad Cities), entertainment, medical facilities, and numerous other urban amenities. The City of Rock Falls
provides a full range of municipal services including street maintenance, sewer/water service, police
protection and electric utility service; fire and rescue service is provided by the Rock Falls Fire Department.
The under-utilized Whiteside County Airport is within the City’s planning area. The City of Rock Falls is
strategically situated at the intersection of IL Route 40 / U.S. Route 30, the intersection of IL Route 40 /
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Interstate 88 and the intersection of U.S. Route 30 / Interstate 88.
Part of the process of economic development planning should be for the community to assess categories or
particular types of new businesses and industries that are desired by the community, and to assess it’s
|
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strengths and weaknesses for attracting and /or retaining business and industry. The City of Rock Falls
| Comprehensive Plan Committee hosted a public planning forum on (DATE). The input received during
| this forum, along with input from the Committee, is reflected in the following:
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| A. Categories or types of new businesses and/or industries that are desired by the community:
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| • Retail craft/hobby
| • Grocery
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| • Food/beverage
| • Furniture
| • Electronics
| • Lumber/do-it-yourself
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| • Clothing/shoes
| • Banquet facility
| • Bagel store
| • Great Harvest Bread store
| • Coffee house
| • Toy/gaming
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| B. Community strengths for attracting/retaining businesses and industry:
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| • Redevelopment of downtown
| • City-owned utilities
| • Reliable, cost-effective utility service
| • High traffic count at IL Route 40/U.S. Route 30 intersection
| • Community support for businesses that are targeted for Rock Falls
| • Location and ability to draw consumers from wide area, including small towns in area.
| • Interstate 88, IL Route 40 and U.S. Route 30
| • Enterprise Zone and TIFF
|
6.8
C. Community weaknesses for attracting/retaining businesses and industry: |
|
• Lack of clusters of certain types of retail establishments |
• Demographics do not accurately reflect why business/industry should locate here |
|
Section 6.4 Economic Development Programs
This section contains a brief description of the City of Rock Falls development actions and various
programs that could potentially assist the City’s businesses with loans and grants.
A. Local
1. Rock Falls Community Development Corporation
The Rock Falls Community Development Corporation (RFCDC) is a not-for-profit organization providing
ONE-STOP-SHOP service for the purpose of delivering economic development services. RFCDC works
closely together with City, County and State officials to provide access to the necessary information and
resources required for business retention, expansion, attraction and an improved quality of life for the
residents of Rock Falls.
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The stated vision of the RFCDC is as follows:
The Rock Falls Community Development Corporation is nationally recognized as a premier organization
employing successful development practices to informatively create economic opportunities for Rock Falls
and the surrounding region.
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The stated mission of the RFCDC is as follows:
The Rock Falls Community Development Corporation is a public-private partnership that transforms the
Rock Falls area into an ever more vibrant, globally competitive community by proactively leveraging and
effectively focusing scarce resources into diverse economic opportunities and jobs.
2. Whiteside County Economic Development Corporation

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The Whiteside County Economic Development Corporation provides confidential development services to
businesses considering expansion or a location in Whiteside County. The Economic Development
Corporation provides a variety of services including but not limited to: site selection, labor market analysis,
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financial packaging services, liaison between governments and businesses and researching federal and state
programs to leverage private dollars on economic development projects.
B. Regional
Blackhawk Hills Economic Development District (EDD)
The mission of the Blackhawk Hills EDD is to develop and implement a regional Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy that will enhance job opportunities and improve the quality of life for
local communities. The focus that the Council has adopted for economic development issues is to:
• Promote the importance of the planning process to facilitate positive and desirable economic
growth within the individual communities of the EDD;
• Assemble and implement a regional plan based on the needs of the communities within the region;
• Provide technical assistance to the communities in the EDD by connecting local people, with
specific projects, to the appropriate local, state, and federal offices;
• Provide assistance in grant or loan applications; and
• Provide support for communities in the form of statistical, demographic, and economic data.
6.9
C. State
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
DCEO has a broad range of financial assistance programs to help communities with economic
development. DCEO offers a number of innovative programs to augment conventional sources of financing
and help with business locations, relocations, and expansions including the following:
Participation Loan Program

The program works through banks and other conventional lenders to generally provide subordinated
financial assistance to small businesses that will employ Illinois workers. The state will participate in loans
up to 25 percent of the total amount of a project, but not less than $10,000 nor more than $750,000.
Minority, Women and Disabled Participation Loan Program

This program is similar to the Participation Loan Program, except that participation may not exceed 50
percent of the project, subject to a maximum of $50,000.
Enterprise Zone Financing Program

Similar to the Participation Loan Program, except that DCEO will generally provide favorable interest rates
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to businesses either locating in or expanding in one of the 93 certified enterprise zones located throughout
the state.
Development Corporation Participation Loan Program

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This program provides financial assistance through a Development Corporation to small businesses that
provide jobs to workers in the region served by the Development Corporation. The state will participate in
loans up to 25 percent of the total amount of a project, but not less than $10,000 nor more than $750,000.
Capital Access Program (CAP)

The Capital Access Program is designed to encourage financial institutions to make loans to new and small
businesses that do not qualify for conventional financing. A reserve fund is established at the lending bank
and is available to draw upon should any of the bank's CAP loans default. There is a maximum loan amount
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of $100,000.
The Technology Venture Investment Program (TVIP)

The Technology Venture Investment Program was created to provide seed and early stage capital, in the
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form of a qualified security investment, to Illinois entrepreneurs that are developing an advanced
technological device or process commercially exploitable by Illinois businesses. DCEO may invest up to
$500,000, but no more than 50 percent of the equity financing of the project. A qualified co-investor(s) with
expertise in the related field of technology must assume at least 50 percent of the additional equity
contribution.
Surety Bond Guarantee Program

The program is designed to assist Illinois' small, minority and women contractors with technical assistance;
help them receive experience in the industry; and assist in obtaining bid, performance and payment funds
for government, public utility and private contracts.
Business Development Public Infrastructure Program

The Business Development Public Infrastructure Program provides low-interest financing to units of local
government for public improvements on behalf of businesses undertaking expansion or relocation projects
that meet the program criteria and demonstrate great potential for creating and retaining jobs. The
infrastructure improvements must be made on public property and must directly result in the creation or
retention of private-sector jobs. The local government must demonstrate clear need for the financial
assistance to undertake the improvements.
6.10
Affordable Financing of Public Infrastructure Program
This program provides financial assistance to, or on behalf of local governments, public entities, medical
facilities and public health clinics for the purpose of making affordable the financing of public
infrastructure improvements needed to insure health, safety and economic development in a community.
Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP)

CDAP is a federally funded program that assists smaller Illinois local governments in financing public
facilities, housing rehabilitation projects or economic development needs. Grants are made to units of local
government and may be loaned to businesses for projects that will create or retain jobs in the community.
Grant funds may also be used by the local government for improvements to public infrastructure that
directly support economic development. The program is limited to communities with populations under
50,000 that are not located within one of the eight large urban counties that receive funds directly from the
federal government. Funds are targeted toward projects that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income
people.
Community Services Block Grant Loan Program (CSBG)

This program provides long-term, fixed-rate financing to new or expanding businesses that create jobs and
employment opportunities for low-income individuals. The program links federal, state and private
financing by using CSBG funds at low interest rates in combination with bank funds and equity.
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Large Business Development Program
The Illinois Large Business Development Program (LBDP) provides incentive financing to encourage large
out-of-state companies to locate in Illinois or existing large companies to undertake substantial job
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expansion or retention projects. Funds available through the program can be used by large businesses (500
or more employees) for typical business activities, including financing the purchase of land and buildings,
construction or renovation of fixed assets, site preparation and purchase of machinery and equipment.
LBDP funds are targeted to extraordinary economic development opportunities; that is, projects that will
result in substantial private investment and the creation and/or retention of 300 or more jobs.
Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP)

This state-funded program assists Illinois companies in training new workers or upgrading the skills of their
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existing workers. ETIP grants may be awarded to individual companies, multi-company efforts and
intermediary organizations offering multi-company training.
Technology Challenge Grant Program

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The Technology Challenge Grant Program provides grants to fund science and technology projects,
partnerships between universities and industry, high-tech commercialization projects, transfer projects and
infrastructure improvements.
Illinois Technology Enterprise Center (ITEC) Program

The ITEC program provides operational support for regional centers that serve technology entrepreneurs,
innovators and small businesses and provide investments to or on behalf of young or growing companies in
cooperation with private sector investments. Centers assist entrepreneurs to locate critical pre-seed and
early stage financing, help entrepreneurs in high growth, high technology fields to further their technical
and/or managerial skills, and assist with new product development and marketing in support of new venture
formation within Illinois.
Illinois Technology Enterprise Development and Investment Program

Provides investment, loans or qualified security investments to or on behalf of young or growing businesses
in cooperation with private investment companies, private investors or conventional lending institutions.
Investors assume a portion of the investment loan or financing for a business project. New or emerging
businesses also are eligible through financial intermediaries as they commercialize advanced technology
projects.
6.11
Recycling Industry Modernization (RIM) Program
The Recycling Industry Modernization Program provides grants to manufacturers to encourage them to
modernize their operations and divert materials from the solid waste stream. RIM projects require the use of
recycled materials and/or solid waste reduction activities. Grants of $30,000 are available for modernization
assessments, with grants up to $150,000 available for modernization implementation projects. Grants
require an applicant investment.
Recycling Market Development Program

Provides grants to encourage private-sector investment in the manufacture, marketing and
procurement/demonstration of products containing recycled commodities. These funds may be used for
capital equipment, certain marketing expenses, and to offset costs to procure and demonstrate the use of
recycled-content products. The Recycling Market Development Program provides grants up to $250,000.
Grants require an applicant investment.
Section 6.5 Economic Development Issues/Conclusions
• Additional business and industry is needed to expand / grow tax base.

• New housing to grow population is needed.
• Downtown and riverfront redevelopment plans need to be implemented to assist in the
revitalization of the City’s economy.
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• Community’s culture and quality of life needs enhancement.
• Workforce re-training is necessary.
Section 6.6 Economic Development Goals, Objectives, Policies

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A. Goal
Promote the stabilization and expansion of the current economic base, while fostering an environment of
high aesthetic appeal for existing and new commercial and industrial establishments.
B. Objectives
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1. Maintain, enhance and improve the appearance and quality of existing commercial businesses and
industry in the community.
2. Identify and prioritize the needs of the business community.
3. Encourage commercial and industrial development in areas that are compatible with and accessible
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to existing utility services and commercial or industrial activities.

4. Promote the availability of land for orderly commercial and industrial development that supports a
healthy economy through redevelopment, retention and attraction.
5. Capitalize on economic development programs available from the local, regional and state level.
6. Develop a community atmosphere and educational system that retains and attracts a quality labor
force that is paid livable wages.
7. Work toward identifying community cultural enhancements that can improve the quality of life.
C. Policies
1. Utilize development review requirements to maintain a high level of aesthetic quality for Rock
Falls commercial and industrial development.
2. There should be no expansion of industrial uses beyond areas identified for such use by this
Comprehensive Plan.
3. Overhead power/utility/cable tv wires should be buried underground within the City whenever
possible or appropriate, as a part of roadway reconstruction projects or site development or
redevelopment.
4. Actively identify, support, promote and market the culture of Rock Falls.
6.12
CHAPTER 7
Intergovernmental Cooperation
Intergovernmental Cooperation
The intergovernmental cooperation chapter identifies opportunities for establishing or maintaining

cooperation between local units of government. Cooperation improves lines of communication between
different units of government, aids in the recognition and possible resolution of conflicts between
jurisdictions, and allows for the identification of mutual service needs and improvements. The intent of this
chapter is to identify, inventory and analyze existing and potential cooperative relationships.
Section 7.1 Inventory of Intergovernmental Agreements
Inventory and examination of existing municipal relations allows for the understanding of how units of
local government currently work together and how these relationships can be enhanced. As Rock Falls
develops and redevelops in the future it is important for the City to continue to work with surrounding units
of local government. The City of Rock Falls has several standing agreements with other units of local
government as follows:
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A. Joint Operations Agreement For Provisions of Automatic Fire Suppression Assistance (Sterling-
Rock Falls).
B. Rock Falls is part of MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) Division 30.
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C. Illinois Municipal Utilities Association Mutual Aid Agreement.
D. Agreement for Intergovernmental Cooperative Police Service (Albany, Prophetstown, Fulton,

Tampico, Sterling, Erie, Morrison).
E. Intergovernmental Agreement for Backup Communication Services (Whiteside, Rock Falls,

Sterling - PSAP’s).
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F. Illinois Water and Wastewater and Assistance Agreement.
G. Intergovernmental Agreement with Coloma Township for machinery and equipment.

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H. Governmental Agreement thru the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association and the American
Public Power Association for response of electrical support in disaster.
I. The City of Rock Falls is a partner in the Whiteside County Enterprise Zone. This
intergovernmental agreement is for the purpose of administering the Whiteside County Enterprise
Zone, setting policies, boundary changes, and the sharing of administrative costs. Other partners
in the Whiteside County Enterprise Zone are Whiteside County and the Whiteside County
municipalities of Sterling, Morrison, Fulton, Lyndon and Prophtstown; and, Carroll County and
the Carroll County municipalities of Savanna, Thomson and Mt. Carroll.
Section 7.2 Issues/Conclusions Regarding Intergovernmental Relations
• The City of Rock Falls should continue its existing intergovernmental agreements.
• The City should continue to actively participate in the Whiteside County Enterprise Zone
partnership to ensure that the Enterprise Zone benefits the residents of the City.
7.1
• The City should maintain communications with Whiteside County to ensure that County and City
plans and land use decisions are consistent.
• The City should work with the City of Sterling regarding an extraterritorial planning and municipal
boundary agreement.
Section 7.3 Goals/Objectives/Policies
A. Goals
1. Encourage cooperation between City of Rock Falls and other units of government, where
appropriate, to ensure availability of services and facilities.
2. Encourage Whiteside County to adopt plans and land use regulations that are consistent with City
plans for future development.
3. All intergovernmental agreements shall be entered into with the best interests of the residents of
the City of Rock Falls getting foremost consideration.
B. Objectives
1. Share services across county, township or municipal borders whenever deemed appropriate by the
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City.
2. Seek to negotiate annexation boundary agreements with neighboring municipalities in order to
avoid future conflicts.
3. Periodically review intergovernmental agreements to re-affirm that they are still in the best
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interests of the residents of Rock Falls.
C. Policies
1. Establish and maintain communication with Whiteside County, surrounding townships and other
units of local government for discussion on land use and other related issues.
2. Maintain existing intergovernmental relations and cooperation.
3. Explore additional opportunities for intergovernmental cooperation and beneficial agreements.
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7.2
CHAPTER 8
Land Use
The purpose of this plan’s land use chapter is to compile an inventory of existing land use information, and
establish the goals, objectives and policies which will be used to guide public and private actions
concerning future land use and development. These goals, objectives and policies express ideas that are
consistent with the desired character of the community and the other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan.
Section 8.1 Existing Land Use Within the City of Rock Falls
The City of Rock Falls consists of primarily single family homes. Commercial uses are primarily located
along IL Route 30, 1st Avenue (IL Route 40) and in the central downtown area located on W. 2nd Street.
Industrial uses are located on W. Rock Falls Road (IL Route 30) at Antec Road in the western part of the
City, in the Rock Falls Industrial Park located on E. Rock Falls Road in the southeast part of the City, and
in the downtown area along W. 1st Street, E. 3rd Street and E. 4th Street. Table 8.1 details existing land use
within the City of Rock Falls. Map 8.1: Existing Land Use, City of Rock Falls found in Appendix I Maps
graphically details existing land uses.
Table 8.1
Existing Land Use Within the City of Rock Falls
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Land Use Area (Acres) % of City
1-2 Family Residential 747 30.6
Multi-Family Residential
AF 64 2.6
Commercial 189 7.7
Industrial 124 5.1
Public/Governmental 180 7.4

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Institutional 128 5.2
Parks/Open Space 146 6.0
Farmland 172 7.0

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Vacant 188 7.7
Street/Road R.O.W.; Water 507 20.7
Total 2,445 100.0

Source: Michael Reibel, City Planning Consultant
The following sections describe the different land use categories present within the City.
A. Residential Land Use
Existing residential development within the City is classified into two categories: 1-2 Family and Multi-
family.
1. 1-2 Family is the largest residential category, accounting for 747 acres, or 30.6% of the City land
area.
8.1
2. Multi-Family includes structures that contain 3 or more units. The multi-family category accounts
for 64 acres, or 2.6 % of City land area.
B. Commercial
Commercial land uses account for 189 acres, or 7.7% of City land area.
C. Industrial
Industrial land uses account for 124 acres, or 5.1% of City land area.
D. Public/Government
Public/Governmental land uses include the City Hall, sewage treatment facility, and other City facilities;
the Rock Falls Public Library, and federal and state governmental land uses such as the armory and the post
office. These uses account for 180 acres, or 7.4% of City land area.
E. Institutional
Institutional land uses include schools, churches, and nursing homes. Institutional land uses account for
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128 acres, or 5.2% of the City land area.
F. Parks/Open Space
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Total park/open space acreage in Rock Falls is 146 acres, 6.0% of City land area.
G. Vacant
188 acres within the City, or 7.7% of the City land area, are classified as vacant. “Vacant” lands have
potential to be developed for urban uses in the future.
H. Farmland
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172 acres, or 7.0% of the City land area, is in agricultural production.
I. Street/Road Right-of-Way; Water

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The remaining land within the City is classified as public street/road right-of-way and water, since the City
boundary extends to the middle of the Rock River. 507 acres, or 20.7% of the City land area is classified as
street/road right-of-way and water.
Section 8.2 Existing Land Uses Within the Extra-territorial Planning Area
The City of Rock Falls’s extra-territorial planning area encompasses approximately 8,692 acres exclusive
of the area of the City. 79% of the planning area is in agricultural or agriculturally-related use.
Approximately 8.6% of the planning area is currently devoted to residential and residentially-related uses.
Table 8.2, below, details existing land use within the City of Rock Falls’s extra-territorial planning area.
Refer to Appendix I Maps for map titled Map 8.2: Existing Land Use Within 1.5 Miles of the City of Rock
Falls.
8.2
Table 8.2
Existing Land Use Within 1.5 Miles of the City of Rock Falls
Land Use Area (Acres) % of Area
Agriculture 6,783.0 79.0
Cemetery 18.0 0.2
Public/Institutional 488.0 5.7
Residential 741.0 8.6
Commercial 180.0 2.1
Industrial 124.0 1.4
Open Space 100.0 1.2
Golf 104.0 1.2
Vacant 45.0 0.5
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Total 8,583.0 100.0
Source: Michael Reibel, City Planning Consultant
Section 8.3 Land Use Trend Analysis and Projected Land Use
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The City of Rock Falls is a community that is virtually unconstrained in its ability to expand its borders
east, west and south to accommodate any new development; however, the City cannot expand its border to
the north due to the City of Sterling. Future development will consist of annexation of land adjacent to the
City, filling appropriate vacant parcels, and possibly through redevelopment of land currently developed.

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The City of Rock Falls increased in population between 1970 and 1980, but showed decreases in population
between 1980 and 1990, 1990 and 2000, and 2000 and 2009 (see Table 1.1). The City grew by 3.4%
between 1970 and 1980, but decreased by 9.2% between 1980 and 1990 (a trend not uncommon during this
recessional period). However, the population continued to decrease during the period 1990 to 2000, and
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2000 to 2009 (see Table 1.2). The City population is projected to continue to gradually decrease over the
next 30 years based on the current trends (see Chapter 1, Issues and Opportunities for Planning).
Between 1990 and 2000, the City of Rock Falls experienced a net increase of 161 units to its housing stock
(see Chapter 2, Housing). Future demands for housing will require annexation of additional land to the
City, or development of the vacant land that is currently within the City.
B. Commercial Land Use
To encourage commercial vitality within the City of Rock Falls it will be necessary to maintain and
improve the appearance and quality of existing businesses, while encouraging high quality new commercial
development and redevelopment of areas where needed.
C. Industrial Land Use
The limited industrial base of the City is stable, and current industrial users are not anticipated to expand
their current operational footprint to any large extent. The City should encourage new industrial uses where
identified as appropriate, and prepare its infrastructure to accommodate potential industrial uses.
8.3
D. Infill and Redevelopment Areas
The City of Rock Falls has completed several redevelopment plans that are incorporated herein by
reference:
• Rock Falls Uptown & Riverfront Revitalization Plan, Tincher & Associates (2004)
• City of Rock Falls Redevelopment Opportunity Analysis: Remedial Reuse Strategy for the Rock
Falls Redevelopment Area, Vandewalle & Associates (2006)
• Reliant Redevelopment Master Plan, Schreiber / Anderson Associates, Inc. in association with
Wendler Engineering Services (2009)
There are no areas specifically identified or available for other types of in-fill development or re-
development in the future. All other areas within the City should remain in its current and existing use.
Section 8.4 Goals, Objectives, and Policies
A. Goal
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1. Provide a balance of land uses to serve existing and future residents of the City, as well as non-
residents, that minimizes conflicts between adjacent land uses.
B. Objectives
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1. Add to the commercial and industrial base of the City.
2. Encourage re-development, as well as new development in buildable, vacant areas of the City, that
is consistent and compatible with surrounding areas.
C. Policies
1. Support land uses that primarily serve local community needs.

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2. Encourage safe and attractive development; ensure that the development site is physically suited to
the proposed use; apply sound design and landscape principles in the planning, layout and
construction of new development.
3. Ensure that proposed uses are compatible with surrounding uses; give consideration to the
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opinions of neighboring landowners and interests of the City in general.

4. Facilitate mixed-use developments through the Zoning Ordinance.
Section 8.5 Future Land Use Recommendations
The map titled General Development Plan Map found in Appendix I illustrates the Future Land Use
recommendations of the City of Rock Falls Comprehensive Plan, and identifies how development should
proceed in the future to meet the City’s goal of encouraging a pattern of community growth and
development that will provide a quality living environment. Future development and redevelopment should
be encouraged in an orderly pattern adjacent to and compatible with existing development. Land Use
recommendations include both immediate and long range planning recommendations to be implemented.
Where differences exist, the long range Land Use Plan recommendations are not considered to be
inconsistent or in conflict with the City’s existing zoning map because they will be implemented over a
period of many years as development proposals and land use changes are presented to the City for
consideration.
8.4
Residential development may be 1-2 family residential or residential planned development.
1. 1-2 Family Residential includes one-unit residential structures as well as two-unit residential
structures.
2. Residential Planned Development – mixed-residential projects consisting of single family, duplex,
and multi-family structures, including condominium-type development, subject to site plan
approval by the Rock Falls Plan Commission and City Council. Maximum allowable unit density
will be established during the site plan review process.
3. Multi-Family includes structures that contain 3 or more units.
4. The following development guidelines should be considered when reviewing residential
development proposals:
a. Balconies, porches, stoops, garden walls, varied building and facade setbacks, varied roof
designs, bay windows and similar design features should be strongly encouraged. Long,
monotonous building facades and boring, box-like buildings that detract from the visual
quality of the community should be avoided.
b. The architectural design should be compatible with and fit the context of the surrounding
neighborhood, and with the City’s historic character. This includes proper selection of
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building and facade materials, building height, building bulk, setbacks, window and door
styles and placements, rood designs and colors.
c. In general, multi-family dwelling units should be designed to appear as a grouping of
smaller residences. Parking lots and garages serving multi-family uses should abide by
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the following guidelines: (a) garage doors and parking lots should be located so that they
are not the dominant visual element; (b) all outdoor parking areas should be partially
screened from public view by peripheral hedges and ornamental trees; (c) large parking
lots should be broken up with landscaped islands and similar features; (d) parking lots
should be directly linked to building entrances by pedestrian walkways that are physically
separated from vehicular movement areas; and (e) large, unarticulated parking garages
are undesirable and should be avoided wherever possible. When such structures are
necessary to meet parking requirements, the facades of the structures should be broken up
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with foundation landscaping, varied facade setbacks or projections, and recessed garage
doors.
d. For multi-family uses, landscaping should be provided (a) along all public and private
street frontages; (b) along the perimeter of all paved areas (parking lots, driveways); (c)
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along all building foundations; (d) along yards separating land uses which differ in
intensity, density or character; (e) around all outdoor storage areas such as trash
receptacles and recycling bins; (f) around all utility structures or mechanical structures
that are visible from public right-of-ways or less intensive land uses; and (g) within open
areas of the site.
e. On-site open space areas and age-appropriate recreational equipment should be provided
to serve the needs of the development’s residents.
f. Travel by pedestrians and bicyclists should be encouraged within and between
neighborhoods through a comprehensive network of sidewalks, pedestrian paths, and bike
routes.
g. Residential developments should be connected to other neighborhoods by a network of
streets that discourage high travel speeds but still allow access to emergency and
maintenance vehicles.
8.5
B. Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development (MUPUD)
A Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development (MUPUD) is a real estate project with planned integration of
some combination of retail, office, residential, hotel, recreation or other functions subject to site plan review
and approval by the Rock Falls Plan Commission and City Council. It is pedestrian-oriented and contains
elements of a live-work-play environment. It maximizes space usage, has amenities and architectural
expression and tends to mitigate traffic and sprawl. Maximum allowable unit density should be established
during the site plan review process. The residential development guidelines (Section 8.5 [A.4] of this
document), and commercial design standards (Section 8.5 [C.1] of this document) should be required of all
Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development projects.
C. Commercial
Commercial land use includes small and large-scale retail and service establishments (i.e. stand-alone
buildings and strip centers, etc.). Office land use includes doctors, lawyers, financial services, government
agencies, etc.
1. The following design standards should be required in all new or expanded commercial uses
through the City zoning ordinance:
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• New driveways with adequate throat depths to allow for proper vehicle stacking.
• Limited number of access drives along arterial and collector streets.
• Common driveways serving more than one commercial use, wherever possible.
• High quality landscaping treatment of buffer yards, street frontages, paved areas and
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building foundations.
• Street shade trees along all public street frontages.
• Parking lots heavily landscaped with perimeter landscaping and/or landscaped islands.
• Screening (hedges, berms, trees, and decorative walls) to block the view of parking lots
from public streets and adjacent residential uses.
• Signage that is high quality and not excessive in height or total square footage.
• Complete screening of loading docks, dumpsters, mechanical equipment, and outdoor
storage areas through use of landscaping, walls, and architectural elements.
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• Location of loading docks, dumpsters, mechanical equipment, and outdoor storage areas
behind buildings.
• Provisions for safe, convenient, and separated pedestrian and bicycle access to the site,
and from the parking areas to the buildings.
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• Site design features that allow pedestrians to walk parallel to moving cars.
• Illumination from lighting confined on site, preferably through use of cut-off luminaries.
2. The following design features should be encouraged in all new or expanded commercial
developments (through site plan review):
• High quality building materials, such as brick, wood, stone, and tinted masonry.
• Low reflectant, solid earth tone, and neutral building colors.
• Canopies, awnings, trellises, bays and windows to add visual interest to facades.
• Variations in building height and roof lines, including parapets, multi-planed, and pitched
roofs.
• Staggered building facades (variations in wall depth and/or direction).
• Prominent entryways.
• All building facades of similar quality as the front building facade.
• Animating features on the building facade.
• Repeated elements of architectural detail and color on the building.
• Use of landscaping and architectural detailing along building foundations to soften the
visual impact of large buildings.
8.6
• Appropriate pedestrian connections to adjacent neighborhoods.
• Central features which contribute to community character, such as patios, benches, and
pedestrian areas.
• Parking to the sides and rear of buildings, rather than having all parking in the front.
• In multi-building commercial developments and adjacent commercial developments, link
all buildings with safe pedestrian walkways that are separated from vehicular traffic
areas.
3. The following design features should be avoided in new commercial developments (through site
plan review):
• Large, blank, unarticulated walls on visible building facades.

• Unpainted concrete block walls.
• Metal siding.
• Large, bulky, monotonous “box-like” structures.
• Inappropriate mixtures of unrelated styles and materials.
• Extra-deep building setbacks.
• Excessive signage (e.g. height, square footage, color).
• Unscreened outdoor storage, loading and equipment areas.
• Poorly designed, unscreened parking lots.
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• An excessive number of driveway access points along arterial and collector streets.
• Creation of inadequately designed driveways and entryways.
D. Interchange-Related Commercial
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Development of quality projects at and near Interstate 88 will allow the City of Rock Falls to capitalize on
the opportunity presented by the City’s direct access to I-88. The commercial design standards (Section 8.5
[C.1] of this document) and industrial design standards (Section 8.5 [E.1] of this document) should be
required in all new or expanded development through the City’s zoning ordinance.
The I-88/1st Avenue interchange presents an opportunity for regional retail and office development. The
areas designated for “Interchange-Related Commercial” land uses should be master-planned with a defined
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development vision and design guidelines. Uses within the I-88/1st Avenue “Interchange-Related
Commercial” future land use designation include an oasis, regional retail, hospitality uses, a Hennepin
Canal trailhead and visitor area and a high-tech office park. The office park should be located to take
advantage of the Whiteside County Airport and could also offer high-tech reliable power and extension of
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the community’s fiber optic system.
Uses within the I-88/U.S. Route 30 “Interchange-Related Commercial” future land use designation include
logistics businesses. These businesses will take advantage of the region’s strength in logistics and provide
additional employment opportunities for the area.
E. Industrial
Industrial land use includes processing and manufacturing operations as well as wholesale sales and
establishments with large amounts of outside storage of materials. Industrial land uses may also include
bio-tech/research facilities, research & development/technology-related facilities, and renewable resource
technology-related facilities.
1. The following design standards should be required in all new or expanded industrial uses through
the City’s zoning ordinance:
• New driveways with adequate throat depths to allow for proper vehicle stacking.
• Limited number of access drives along arterial and collector streets.
8.7
• High quality landscaping treatment of buffer yards, street frontages, paved areas and
building foundations.
• Screening where industrial uses abut non-industrial uses, in the form of hedges, evergreen
trees, berms, decorative fences or a combination.
• Screening of parking lots from public rights-of-way and non-industrial uses.
• Complete screening of all loading areas, outdoor storage areas, mechanical equipment,
and dumpsters using berms, hedges, or decorative walls or fences.
• Street trees along all public road frontages.
• Location of loading areas at the rear of buildings.
• Separation of pedestrian walkways from vehicular traffic and loading areas.
• Design of parking and circulation areas so that vehicles servicing the site are able to
move from one areas of the site to another without re-entering a public street.
• Variable building setbacks and vegetation in strategic locations along foundations to
break up building facades.
2. The following design features should be avoided in new industrial developments (through site plan
review):
• Long, monotonous industrial building facades.

• Large, blank unarticulated wall surfaces.
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• Non-architectural facade materials such as untreated exterior cement block walls and
metal siding with exposed fasteners.
• “Pole barn” type metal or wood buildings.
• Large parking lots between the building and the public rights-of-way. Smaller parking
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lots (i.e. visitor parking lots) may be located in front of the building if well-screened.
• Use of public streets for truck parking, loading , or staging activities.
• Unscreened chain-link fences and barbed wire fencing.
F. Conservation/Open Space
Lands placed within this category include wetlands, lands that are designated by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency as being subject to the Base Flood, or 100-year flood, for National Flood Insurance
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regulatory purposes, and non-designated flood plain, riparian corridors, natural area, groves, as well as
other lands which are intended to remain in a natural state in order to provide a buffer between adjacent
land uses with different intensities of use (industrial / residential, etc.).
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G. Continued Agricultural Use
Land that is currently in agricultural or agriculturally-related use and should remain in agriculture or
agriculturally-related use until precluded by the natural, orderly and logical development of the City.
8.8
CHAPTER 9
Implementation
Section 9.1 Introduction
The Comprehensive Plan is intended to be used as the guide for future development decisions. Its real value,
however, will be measured in the results it produces. To accomplish the goals, objectives, and policies of the plan,
specific implementation measures must be taken to ensure the City of Rock Falls’s actions meet the desires of the
comprehensive plan.
The Comprehensive Plan, as set forth on the preceding pages, has little or no value unless it is implemented.
Therefore, the success of the plan will be dependent to a large extent, on proper administrative action to carry out its
proposals and recommendations -- especially enforcement of the various regulating ordinances. It will be effective
and useful only if active steps are taken to carry out its proposals and recommendations so they can be used by the
citizens of Rock Falls in making everyday decisions. Every community is developed as the result of countless
individual decisions such as: To buy or sell land; to subdivide land; to build homes, business, industries, schools and
other community facilities; and to construct streets and install utilities. Each day, decisions are made that will affect
the future of the City. They are made by landowners, lawyers, real estate professionals, public officials and all
private citizens. Whether these individual actions will add up to a well-developed, attractive and economically sound
community will depend, to a large measure, on how well they are related to the City's objectives and plans.
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Successful implementation of the plan can only be accomplished through adequate legislative and administrative
tools, public support and enthusiastic leadership.
While the City of Rock Falls Planning Commission is charged with the responsibility of preparing the
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comprehensive plan, it is by law only an advisory body and does not have the legislative power necessary to
implement it. The City Council shall, therefore, receive all planning recommendations and take the necessary steps
to effectuate them and give them legal status.
Section 9.2 Comprehensive Plan Adoption Procedures
The City of Rock Falls Planning Commission should recommend the adoption or amendment of the comprehensive
plan by adopting a resolution by a majority vote of the entire Commission. The vote shall be recorded in the official
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minutes of the Planning Commission. The resolution shall refer to maps and other descriptive materials that relate to
one or more elements of a comprehensive plan. The recommended Comprehensive Plan shall be forwarded to the
City Council for formal official adoption by the City. Adoption should be in the form of a resolution passed by a
majority vote of the City Council. Upon adoption by the City Council, the adopted Comprehensive Plan should be
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filed for record with the Whiteside County Recorder.
One copy of the adopted Comprehensive Plan, or of an amendment to such a plan, shall be sent to all of the
following:
1. Every governmental body that is located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the City and within the
1.5 mile extra-territorial planning area of the City;
2. The Whiteside County Planning & Zoning Department;
3. The Rock Falls Public Library.
Section 9.3 Comprehensive Plan Implementation
Upon formal and official adoption of the Comprehensive Plan by the City Council, the City should undertake a
review of its regulatory tools (zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, etc.) for compatibility and consistency with
the various goals, objectives and policies of the adopted comprehensive plan, and identify any sections of the
documents that may need updating to accomplish this.
9.1
Section 9.4 Integration, Amendment, and Update of Comprehensive Plan Elements
The goals, objectives, and policies contained within the preceding eight elements (chapters) of this Comprehensive
Plan, along with the accompanying inventory and analysis, have been thoroughly reviewed and approved by the
Rock Falls Planning Commission and City Board. Throughout the drafting and review process, great care was taken
to include all issues and concerns from Board and Commission members, as well as from the community at large.
Special attention was then given to making sure that the policies required to address the individual issues or concerns
did not conflict, either with each other within the chapter, or between the different chapters. The future revision of
any Comprehensive Plan goal, objective, or policy should receive the same level of deliberation and analysis as the
original Plan; special attention should be given so that the new adopted language does not create conflicts within or
between chapters.
Section 9.5 Monitoring/Formal Review of the Plan and Continuation of the Planning Process
To assure that this Comprehensive Plan will continue to provide useful guidance regarding development within the
City, the Rock Falls Planning Commission must periodically review and amend the Plan to ensure that it remains
relevant and reflects current City attitudes. In order to achieve this, the City Planning Commission should once each
year place the performance of the Comprehensive Plan on the agenda for discussion and recommendation to the City
Council. Discussion should include a review of the number and type of zoning map amendments approved
throughout the previous year, as well as those that were denied. This information serves to gauge the adequacy of
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existing policies; multiple changes indicate policy areas in need of re-assessment. Other topics would include
changes to either the development market or resident attitudes toward different aspects of City life. As a result of this
discussion, the Planning Commission would recommend either no change to the Plan, or one or more specific
changes that should be addressed.
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9.2
Appendix I
Maps
Map 3.1: City of Rock Falls Transportation Facilities and
µ
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Volume
0 1,320 2,640 5,280

Feet
Minkel St
Avenue F
Avenue E
Avenue D
1st
21,5
St Lincoln St
2 nd
1,100
Av B
Avenue C
E
Garfield St
Avenue B
ridg
0
Wood Av
Swallow Ct
0
Ada St
e
9,200
Martin Rd
t
dS
Avenue E
E 3rd St Verio Ct
St 2n
t E
Smith Ct
1s E 4th St Arland St Quail Ct
Haskell Av
W
Emmons Av
Cardinal St
3r
Charles St
7,600
2n
4th
Avenue B
12th Av
Av
6,2
Allen St
d
Av
St
Av
Leroy Av
00
Dr le Dr
d
3r
W St E 5th St
4th
c
W 2nd St Luke Ln
Cir
St
Avenue E
W
13th Av
4,9
7th Av
5th E 6th St
3,300
r
6th Av
Kane St W 5th St
er D
Dix
50
ze
W
Regan Rd
St
Culver St
on
Avenue A
Marsha Ln
6th
Hein
E 7th St A v
Galt Av
950
Wik
15th Av
W
Avenue C
Avenue D
r
Clearwater Dr
W 6th St th S
t Ci
W6 en
Keith Dr
Mc Neil Rd
Antec Rd
W 6th St
rd
50 R d Ga
Grace Av
E 8th St
18,700
2,0Prophet
W 7th St
7,80
7th Av
Stanley Ct
6th Av
W 8th St
Hudson Dr E 9th St
6,200 8,600 3,450 1,900E 10th St
0
£
E 10th St
Mc Neil Rd
W Rock Falls Rd
10th Av
30
9th Av
W 10th St
Avenue C
W Rock Falls Rd
7th Av
6th Av
W 11th St
11th Av
Bennett Dr
A Ct
13, E 11th St
750
100 W 12th St
W 13th St E 12th St
1,200
5th Av
N Ridge Dr
Flock Av
W 14th St W1 E 13th St
4 th W 14th St
Lancaster Dr
13, S t
Beltway St
W E 14th St
Ro
800
17,500
u te W 15th St
30
W 16th St
Wike Dr
Roberts St
7th Av
5th Av
6th Av
13th Av
1,700
W 16th St
E 17th St
7,8
3rd Av
12th Av
Lindy Av
00
14th Av
1,150
Mc Neil Rd
8th Av
ER
Industrial Park Rd
W 18th St o ck
W 19th St F all
W 19th St sR E 18th St
9,300
d
1,150
7th Av
W 20th St
4th Av
9th Av
W 21st St Canal St W 20th St W 21st St

W 22nd St
11th Av
ER
o ck
1,300
1st Av
F all
W 23rd St sR
City of Rock Falls d
7,4
W 24th St
00
Road/Street Functional Classification
Local
£
¤ 30
Collector
Arterial
¬
« 40
§
¦
¨ 88
Map 3.2: City of Rock Falls Transportation Facilities and
Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) Volume
0 1,320
µ 2,640 5,280
Feet
Minkel St
Avenue F
Avenue E
Avenue D
1st
1,05
St Lincoln St
2 nd
Avenue C
Av B
E
Avenue B
Garfield St
ridg
Wood Av
0
Ada St Swallow Ct
Martin Rd
t
dS
Avenue E
E 3rd St Verio Ct
St 2n
t E
Smith Ct
1s E 4th St Arland St Quail Ct
Haskell Av
W
Emmons Av
Cardinal St
3r
Charles St
2n
4th
Avenue B
12th Av
Av
Allen St
d
Av
St
Av
Leroy Av
Dr le Dr
d
3r
W St E 5th St
Luke Ln
4th
c
W 2nd St
Cir
St
Avenue E
W
13th Av
7th Av
5th E 6th St
r
6th Av
Kane St W 5th St
er D
Dix
ze
Regan Rd
W St
Culver St
on
Avenue A
Marsha Ln
6th
Hein
E 7th St A v
Galt Av
15th Av
Wik
t
th S W
Avenue C
Avenue D
W6 r
Clearwater Dr
W 6th St Ci
n
Mc Neil Rd
Keith Dr
Antec Rd
W 6th St
r de
Ga
Grace Av
E 8th St
Rd W 7th St
750
7th Av
t
ph e
Pro Stanley Ct
725
6th Av
725
W 8th St
Hudson Dr E 9th St
E 10th St
£30
Mc Neil Rd
¤ W Rock Falls Rd
10th Av
E 10th St
9th Av
W 10th St
Avenue C
W Rock Falls Rd
7th Av
6th Av
W 11th St
900
11th Av
Bennett Dr
A Ct
E 11th St
W 12th St E 12th St
W 13th St
5th Av
N Ridge Dr
Flock Av
W 13th St E 13th St
W 14th St
1,0 W 15th St
Lancaster Dr
Beltway St
W W1 W 14th St E 14th St
4 th
14th Av
Ro
00
u te St
30
750
W 16th St
Wike Dr
Roberts St
7th Av
5th Av
6th Av
13th Av
W 16th St
775
E 17th St
3rd Av
12th Av
Lindy Av
Mc Neil Rd
8th Av
ER
Industrial Park Rd
W 18th St o ck
W 19th St F all
W 19th St sR E 18th St
d
1,025
W 20th St
4th Av
9th Av
W 21st St Canal St W 20th St

W 22nd St
11th Av
W 21st St ER
825
o ck
City of Rock Falls W 23rd St
1st Av
F all
Road Street Funcional Classfication

sR
W 24th St d
£ 30
Local
Collector
¤
40
Arterial
¬
«
§
¦
¨ 88
Map 3.3: City of Rock Falls Planning Area Transportation Facilities and
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) / Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) Volume
1 0.5 0 1
Miles
Martin Rd
Ann St
1st
Av B
Lincoln St
River View Dr
r
idge
Emmons Av
Haskell Av
n ce Pk
Lawre
Regan Rd
W Humphrey Av
E Humphrey Av
Hoffman Dr
Hill Dr
Isla
nd
Rose St
Vie
w
4,9
Dr
Loc w Dr
£
¤ 30 50
Dix
Su st Dr
W Rock Falls Rd
r
on
AD
tD
Lenore St
Av
6,300 ADT
Dr
Regan Rd
kvie
T
nse
Riverdale Rd
u
A St
bor
DT
Par
A
Mc Neil Rd
B St
Har
50 3,6
3,5 00
D St
A DT
Teresa Av
Rd
et
Hickory Hills Rd
ph
Melvin Rd
Pro
New High St
Angle St
AD T
0 AD
TT
40 0
T
Melvin Dr
3, ,60
AD
Ma
5,700 ADT
13
00
p
£30
7,7001stADT
¤
14th Av
le
700 ADTT
Ln
2,5
Av
Mc Neil Rd
E Rock Falls Rd
Walter St 700 ADTT
10,200 ADT
E French St
10,400 ADT
W French St
Hoover Rd
3,575 ADTT 3,350 ADTT
Ridge Rd
§
¦
¨
88 Duden Rd
Mc Neil Rd
Prairie St
Polo Rd
Buell Rd
6,500 ADT
775 ADTT
City of Rock Falls

Hoover Rd
Airport Rd
City of Rock Falls 1.5 Mile Planning Radius
Road/Street Functional Classification

40
Local
1,5OO ADT
¬
« Thome Rd
Collector
Arterial
Interstate Highway 88
Map 5.1: Soil Map Units
1400A
485B
3321A 354A W
3321A 727A
485B
3321A
88A
3321A 3321A 727A 87B2
87B2 88C 87A
3321A
1400A 533
3321A 564A
1400A 727A
3321A
564B 87B2
87B2
87B2 1400A
865 689B 1082A
W 802B 88C 354A 354A
485B 2485B 87A
689B 865 564C2 2198A 88C
485B W 564A 87A 87B2
486C2 175F 87B2
87A
565B 87B2 354A 198A 87B2
533689B 802B 1082A
88C 485B 88C 564A
727A 727A
564A 802B 533 759A
87B2 727A 564A 689B
487A 727A
87B2 565B 727A
88C 87B2 87A 1082A
727A
564B 727A 88A 8302A
564A W 88A 564A 564B 87B2
3400A87B2 564A 727A 88C
W 564A 727A
3400A 88A 87A 2087B 87A
1400A3321A 564A 87A 8302A 727A
354A W 759A 802B 564A
647A 354A 689B 88A
201A 647A 88A 759A
865 87B2 87A 88C
917C2 88A 564A 647A 87A 533 87B2 87B2 647A
727A
87A 81A485B 172A 564A87A
W 727A 87B2 564A 354A
87A 152A 727A 87B2 727A 727A
3400A W
7103A 485B 2198A 152A 727A 727A
727A 81A 564A 88C 647A
3321A 81A 759A 727A
3321A 760A 152A 87B2 760A
W 564A 198A 87B2 760A 727A
727A 689B 198A 802B 564A
727A
727A
3321A 485B 647A 152A 172A
802B 354A 727A 87A 2408A 152A2408A
7682A1107A W 759A 88A 198A 647A
7073A 727A 759A 759A 802B
87A 88A 88A 198A 152A
7082A 727A 689B 760A
87A 88A
759A 759A
727A 759A 647A
647A 760A 727A 647A 87A
7073A 1082A 727A 198A87B2430A 647A
564A 759A
7682A 49A W 727A
87A W 87A
206A 87A 88A 727A 689B
7682A W 7682A 8302A 88C 759A 88C 759A 87B2
1400A 760A 802B 87B2
564A 87A 727A
1400A 802B 802B 759A 760A
564A
802B 727A 88C 727A 200A
87A 727A 647A
172A 647A 87B2
87B2
759A 647A 759A
87B2 759A 647A 647A
647A 759A 647A 727A
354A 172A 354A
87B2 760A 727A 727A
647A 200A
172A 759A 87B2 87A
759A 647A 200A
87B2 760A
104A
647A 87B287B288C727A 2408A 200A
760A 87A 354A 727A 200A
µ
647A 759A
759A 647A 200A
760A 87B2 88C
488A 760A 88C 759A 727A 88C727A 727A
87B2 759A 760A
87B288C 88C 87A 88C 727A 727A 87B2
88C
200A 87B2
647A 88C 200A
City of Rock Falls 0 2,640 5,280 10,560

Feet
Rock Falls 1.5 Mile Radius
Map 5.2: Farmland Classification of Soils
City of Rock Falls
µ
Not prime farmland
Farmland of statewide importance
Prime farmland if drained
Prime farmland if protected from flooding or not frequently flooded
Prime farmland if drained and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded 0 2,640 5,280 10,560
Feet
All areas are prime farmland
Map 5.3: Wetlands
µ
City of Rock Falls
Wetland Type
Freshwater Emergent Wetland
Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland
Freshwater Pond
Lake 0 2,640 5,280 10,560
Feet
Riverine
Source: United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Preliminary Wetlands Inventory
Map 5.4: Flood Zones
µ
City of Rock Falls
Flood Zones
500-Year Flood Zone
100-Year Flood Zone - No Base Flood Elevations 0 2,640 5,280 10,560
Feet
100-Year Flood Zone - Flood Elevations Determined
Flood Zone Data Source: FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map, Whiteside County, IL
Appendix II
Whiteside County Greenways and Trails Plan
Appendix III
Soil Reports
Map Unit Description
[Minor map unit components are excluded from this report]
Map unit: 49A - Watseka loamy fine sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Watseka (85%)
The Watseka component makes up 85 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of sandy sediments and/or eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural
drainage class is somewhat poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches
is low. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 18 inches during
January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability
classification is 3s. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 81A - Littleton silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Littleton (90%)
The Littleton component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on stream terraces, alluvial
fans. The parent material consists of alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is
somewhat poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is
very high. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 18 inches
during January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land
capability classification is 1. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 87A - Dickinson sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Dickinson (90%)
The Dickinson component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on stream terraces,
outwash plains. The parent material consists of eolian sands over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches.
The natural drainage class is well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches
is low. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72
inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2s. This soil does
not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 87B2 - Dickinson sandy loam, 2 to 7 percent slopes, eroded
The Dickinson component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 2 to 7 percent. This component is on stream terraces. The
parent material consists of eolian sands over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage
class is well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is low. Shrink-swell
potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72 inches. Organic matter
content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2e. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 88A - Sparta loamy sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Sparta (91%)
The Sparta component makes up 91 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on stream terraces, stream
terraces. The parent material consists of sandy outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage
class is excessively drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is low.
Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72 inches.
Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 4s. This soil does not
meet hydric criteria.
Survey Area Version: 8

Survey Area Version Date: 01/08/2010 Page 1 of 11
Map unit: 88C - Sparta loamy sand, 6 to 12 percent slopes
Component: Sparta (92%)
The Sparta component makes up 92 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 6 to 12 percent. This component is on stream terraces. The
parent material consists of sandy outwash and/or eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural
drainage class is excessively drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is
low. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72
Map unit: 104A - Virgil silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Virgil (95%)
The Virgil component makes up 95 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The parent
material consists of loess over outwash and/or till. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is
very high. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 15 inches
Map unit: 152A - Drummer silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Drummer (92%)
The Drummer component makes up 92 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of loess over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is
poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is very high.
Shrink-swell potential is moderate. This soil is not flooded. It is occasionally ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches
capability classification is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria.
Map unit: 172A - Hoopeston sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Hoopeston (92%)
The Hoopeston component makes up 92 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains,
stream terraces. The parent material consists of loamy and/or sandy outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches.
The natural drainage class is somewhat poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth
of 60 inches is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at
18 inches during January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated
land capability classification is 2s. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 175F - Lamont fine sandy loam, 18 to 35 percent slopes
Component: Lamont (90%)
The Lamont component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 18 to 35 percent. This component is on stream terraces. The
parent material consists of eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is well
drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is moderate. Shrink-swell
content in the surface horizon is about 1 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 7e. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 198A - Elburn silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Elburn (90%)
The Elburn component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
somewhat poorly drained. Water movement in the most Survey Area layer
restrictive Version: 8
is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is
high. Shrink-swell potential is moderate. This soil is not
Survey flooded.
Area VersionIt isDate:
not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 18Page
01/08/2010 inches
2 of 11
Map unit: 198A - Elburn silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes

high. Shrink-swell potential is moderate. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 18 inches
Map unit: 200A - Orio loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Orio (98%)
The Orio component makes up 98 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains,
depressions, stream terraces. The parent material consists of loamy and/or sandy outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater
than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available
water to a depth of 60 inches is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is frequently ponded. A seasonal zone
of water saturation is at 6 inches during January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2
percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria.
Map unit: 201A - Gilford fine sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Gilford (90%)
The Gilford component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains, stream
terraces. The parent material consists of loamy and/or sandy outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The
natural drainage class is poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is
moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is occasionally ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6
inches during January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 3 percent. Nonirrigated land
capability classification is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not
exceed 15 percent.
Map unit: 206A - Thorp silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Thorp (94%)
The Thorp component makes up 94 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on depressions. The parent
material consists of loess over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is poorly
drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately low. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high. Shrink-swell
potential is moderate. This soil is not flooded. It is frequently ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during January,
February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 5 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification
is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria.
Map unit: 354A - Hononegah loamy sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes
Component: Hononegah (99%)
The Hononegah component makes up 99 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of eolian sands over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage
class is excessively drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is very high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is very
not meet hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed 25 percent.

Map unit: 430A - Raddle silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Raddle (95%)
The Raddle component makes up 95 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on stream terraces. The
parent material consists of slope alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is well
drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is very high.
Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 3 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 1. This soil does not meet
hydric criteria.
Map unit: 485B - Richwood silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes
Component: Richwood (90%)
The Richwood component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 2 to 5 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is very high.
Shrink-swell potential is moderate. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72
inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2e. This soil does
Map unit: 486C2 - Bertrand silt loam, 5 to 10 percent slopes, eroded
Component: Bertrand (99%)
The Bertrand component makes up 99 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 5 to 10 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high.
Map unit: 487A - Joyce silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Joyce (97%)
The Joyce component makes up 97 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The parent
material consists of loess over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is
high. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 21 inches during
classification is 1. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 488A - Hooppole loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Hooppole (98%)
The Hooppole component makes up 98 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is poorly
drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high. Shrink-swell
potential is moderate. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during January,
is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed 15 percent.

Map unit: 533 - Urban land
Component: Urban land (90%)
Generated brief soil descriptions are created for major soil components. The Urban land is a miscellaneous area.
Map unit: 564A - Waukegan silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Waukegan (90%)
The Waukegan component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is moderate.
Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2s. This soil does not
Map unit: 564B - Waukegan silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes
well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high.
Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2e. This soil does not
Map unit: 564C2 - Waukegan silt loam, 5 to 10 percent slopes, eroded
parent material consists of loess over eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer, strongly contrasting textural stratification, is 24 to 39
inches. The natural drainage class is well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a
depth of 60 inches is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water
saturation within a depth of 72 inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability
classification is 3e. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 565B - Tell silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes
Component: Tell (93%)
The Tell component makes up 93 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 2 to 5 percent. This component is on ground moraines, outwash
plains. The parent material consists of loess over eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer, strongly contrasting textural stratification,
is 24 to 39 inches. The natural drainage class is well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high.
Available water to a depth of 60 inches is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no
zone of water saturation within a depth of 72 inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land
capability classification is 2e. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 647A - Lawler loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Lawler (90%)
The Lawler component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of eolian deposits over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer, strongly contrasting textural stratification, is 24
to 40 inches. The natural drainage class is somewhat poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high.
Available water to a depth of 60 inches is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal
zone of water saturation is at 18 inches during January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is
about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2s. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 647A - Lawler loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Lawler (90%)

zone of water saturation is at 18 inches during January, February, March, April, May. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is
about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2s. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 689B - Coloma sand, 1 to 7 percent slopes
Component: Coloma (85%)
The Coloma component makes up 85 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 1 to 7 percent. This component is on stream terraces. The
parent material consists of sandy alluvium and/or eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural
drainage class is excessively drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is
inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 1 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 4s. Irrigated land
capability classification is 3e. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 727A - Waukee loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Waukee (90%)
The Waukee component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer, strongly contrasting textural stratification, is 24 to 40 inches. The
natural drainage class is well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60
inches is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a
depth of 72 inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2s.
This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 759A - Udolpho loam, sandy substratum, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Udolpho (90%)
The Udolpho component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is moderate.
Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during January,
Map unit: 760A - Marshan loam, sandy subsratum, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Marshan (90%)
The Marshan component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during January,
Map unit: 802B - Orthents, loamy, undulating
Component: Orthents, loamy (85%)
The Orthents, loamy component makes up 85 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 1 to 7 percent. This component is on ground
moraines. The parent material consists of mine spoil or earthy fill. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural
drainage class is well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches
is moderate. Shrink-swell potential is moderate. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a
depth of 72 inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 1 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2e.
Map unit: 802B - Orthents, loamy, undulating
Component: Orthents, loamy (85%)

depth of 72 inches. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 1 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2e.
Map unit: 865 - Pits, gravel
Component: Pits, gravel (100%)
Generated brief soil descriptions are created for major soil components. The Pits is a miscellaneous area.
Map unit: 917C2 - Oakville-Tell complex, 5 to 10 percent slopes, eroded
Component: Oakville (50%)
The Oakville component makes up 50 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 5 to 10 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of eolian sands. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is
excessively drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is low. Shrink-swell
content in the surface horizon is about 1 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 6s. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Component: Tell (40%)
The Tell component makes up 40 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 5 to 10 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The parent
material consists of loess over outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is well
Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 3e. This soil does not
Map unit: 1082A - Millington silt loam, undrained, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded
Component: Millington (95%)
The Millington component makes up 95 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
material consists of calcareous alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is poorly
potential is moderate. This soil is frequently flooded. It is frequently ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during
January, February, March, April, May, June, November, December. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 5 percent.
Nonirrigated land capability classification is 5w. This soil meets hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches,
typically, does not exceed 20 percent.
Map unit: 1107A - Sawmill silty clay loam, undrained, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded
Component: Sawmill (90%)
The Sawmill component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
material consists of alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is poorly drained.
Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is very high. Shrink-swell

Map unit: 1400A - Calco silty clay loam, undrained, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded
Component: Calco (99%)
The Calco component makes up 99 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
Map unit: 2087B - Dickinson-Urban land complex, 1 to 7 percent slopes
The Dickinson component makes up 60 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 1 to 7 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
parent material consists of outwash. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is well drained.
Water movement in the most restrictive layer is high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is low. Shrink-swell potential is low. This
soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. There is no zone of water saturation within a depth of 72 inches. Organic matter content in the
surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 3e. This soil does not meet hydric criteria.
Map unit: 2198A - Elburn-Urban land complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes
high. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is not flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 18 inches during
classification is 1. This soil does not meet hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed
10 percent.
Map unit: 2408A - Aquents-Urban land complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes
Component: Aquents (60%)
The Aquents component makes up 60 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on depressions. The parent
material consists of alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is very poorly drained.
Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high. Shrink-swell potential
is low. This soil is not flooded. It is frequently ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during January, February,
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is
about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 5w. This soil meets hydric criteria.

Map unit: 2485B - Richwood-Urban land complex, 2 to 5 percent slopes
Component: Richwood (55%)
The Richwood component makes up 55 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 2 to 5 percent. This component is on outwash plains. The
well drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is very high.
Map unit: 3321A - Du Page silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded
Component: Du Page (85%)
The Du Page component makes up 85 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
material consists of alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is well drained. Water
movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high. Shrink-swell potential is low.
This soil is frequently flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 60 inches during February, March, April.
Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 2w. This soil does not
meet hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed 23 percent.
Map unit: 3400A - Calco silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, frequently flooded
Component: Calco (85%)
The Calco component makes up 85 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
potential is moderate. This soil is frequently flooded. It is occasionally ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during
classification is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed 18
percent.
Map unit: 7073A - Ross silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, rarely flooded
Component: Ross (90%)
The Ross component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
material consists of alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is well drained. Water
movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a depth of 60 inches is high. Shrink-swell potential is low.
This soil is rarely flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 60 inches during February, March, April. Organic
matter content in the surface horizon is about 4 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 1. This soil does not meet hydric
criteria.
Map unit: 7082A - Millington clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, rarely flooded
The Millington component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
is moderate. This soil is rarely flooded. It is occasionally ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during January,
is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed 20 percent.

Map unit: 7082A - Millington clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, rarely flooded
Map unit: 7103A - Houghton muck, 0 to 2 percent slopes, rarely flooded
Component: Houghton (90%)
The Houghton component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The
parent material consists of herbaceous organic material over alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The
natural drainage class is very poorly drained. Water movement in the most restrictive layer is moderately high. Available water to a
depth of 60 inches is very high. Shrink-swell potential is low. This soil is rarely flooded. It is occasionally ponded. A seasonal zone of
water saturation is at 6 inches during January, February, March, April, May, June, November, December. Organic matter content in the
surface horizon is about 85 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 3w. This soil meets hydric criteria.
Map unit: 7682A - Medway loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, rarely flooded
Component: Medway (90%)
The Medway component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
material consists of alluvium. Depth to a root restrictive layer is greater than 60 inches. The natural drainage class is moderately well
potential is low. This soil is rarely flooded. It is not ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 21 inches during February, March,
April. Organic matter content in the surface horizon is about 2 percent. Nonirrigated land capability classification is 1. This soil does not
meet hydric criteria. The calcium carbonate equivalent within 40 inches, typically, does not exceed 10 percent.
Map unit: 8302A - Ambraw loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, occasionally flooded
Component: Ambraw (90%)
The Ambraw component makes up 90 percent of the map unit. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. This component is on flood plains. The parent
is moderate. This soil is occasionally flooded. It is occasionally ponded. A seasonal zone of water saturation is at 6 inches during
classification is 2w. This soil meets hydric criteria.
Map unit: W - Water
Component: Water (100%)
Generated brief soil descriptions are created for major soil components. The Water is a miscellaneous area.

The map units delineated on the detailed soil maps in a soil survey represent the soils or miscellaneous areas in the survey area. The map unit
descriptions in this report, along with the maps, can be used to determine the composition and properties of a unit.
A map unit delineation on a soil map represents an area dominated by one or more major kinds of soil or miscellaneous areas. A map unit is identified
and named according to the taxonomic classification of the dominant soils. Within a taxonomic class there are precisely defined limits for the properties
of the soils. On the landscape, however, the soils are natural phenomena, and they have the characteristic variability of all natural phenomena. Thus,
the range of some observed properties may extend beyond the limits defined for a taxonomic class. Areas of soils of a single taxonomic class rarely, if
ever, can be mapped without including areas of other taxonomic classes. Consequently, every map unit is made up of the soils or miscellaneous areas
for which it is named and some minor components that belong to taxonomic classes other than those of the major soils.
The Map Unit Description (Brief, Generated) report displays a generated description of the major soils that occur in a map unit. Descriptions of non-soil
(miscellaneous areas) and minor map unit components are not included. This description is generated from the underlying soil attribute data.
Additional information about the map units described in this report is available in other Soil Data Mart reports, which give properties of the soils and the
limitations, capabilities, and potentials for many uses. Also, the narratives that accompany the Soil Data Mart reports define some of the properties
included in the map unit descriptions.

Appendix IV
Responses from Public Meeting
Map 8.1: Existing Land Use, City of Rock Falls, IL
Shore Acres Rd
Riv
er
Ann St
View
Dr
Sycamore Dr
Shore Acres Rd
Franklin St
Martin Rd
m e Ct
Tho Minkel St
Thomas Av
1st
Lincoln St Hilltop Dr
Avenue F
Av B
Avenue E
Lincoln St
ER
r
St
idge
V nd
RI E2
Kloss St
Avenue D
CK
Garfield St
RO Garfield St
Ada St
Avenue C
Ada St
Wood Av
Swallow Ct
Avalon St
Avenue G Bridge
t
k dS E 3rd St
nc e P 2n
Lawre E
Verio Ct
t
tS
Avenue E
1s
Meadowlark Ln
W
Canary Ln
Avenue B
Emmons Av
E 4th St Arland St Quail Ct
Goodell Ct
Smith Ct
Haskell Av
3r
d Av
Charles St Cardinal St
2n
d
St
Av
3rd
Leroy Av W
12th Av
Avenue B
Allen St
Dr
Louis Ln
10th Av
le
E 5th St
Circ
W 2nd St
Mason Av
Bu
Avenue D
Grace Av
rli
St
n
4th
Luke Ln
5 th
gt
on
W 4th St
Av
W E 6th St E 6th St E 6th St
Dr
Te
Kane St
W Humphrey Av
r
nze
6th Av
E 6th St Willey Ln Dix
Avenue E
on
Hei
Av
13th Av
t
W 5th St
6t hS Sel
mi
W Ln
7th Av
Sco
r Dr
E 7th St t t St
Culver St
Pleasant St
Wike
Galt Av
15th Av
t
th S St Marty Av
W6 W 6th St 7 th
Avenue C
W
Marsha Ln
W 6th St r
Ci
alley
rd en
Clearwater Dr
Ga
Keith Dr
Mc Neil Rd
Antec Rd
Mark
E 8th St Dr
W 7th St
Avenue B
Grace Av
7th Av
Regan Rd
Clover St
Rose St
Me Selmi Dr
Avenue C
11th Av
Stanley Ct a
E 9th St do
W 8th St w
15th Av
10th Av
Ct
d Hudson Dr
9th Av
6th Av
tR Franklin Dr
he
rop
P
Maple St E 10th St E 10th St
W 10th St
W Rock Falls Rd
Avenue B
Avenue C
Edon Park Dr
W 11th St
6th Av
Mary Av
Lenore St
E 11th St
7th Av
Bennett Dr
B Ct
A Ct
A St
Hickory Hills Rd
W 12th St
Mulnix St
E 12th St
Avenue A
5th Av
N Ridge Dr
Mary Av
6th Av
B St W 13th St
Sunset Ln
W 13th St
Yates St
Wolf Creek Dr E 13th St

Mulnix St
Lancaster Dr
Flock Av
C St W 14th St E 14th St
Industrial Park Rd
W1 W 14th St
4 th
WR St
out
Suzanne St e3
D St 0
Beltway St
W 15th St
W 15th St
15th St
13th Av
W 16th St
12th Av
7th Av
Roberts St W 16th St
6th Av
Wike Dr
Teresa Av
17th St
5th Av
Dawn St E 17th St
W 17th St
3rd Av
New High St
W 18th Av
14th Av
Lindy Av
W 18th St
8th Av
W 18th St Angle St
E 18th St
W 19th St Bourbon St
Harle
W 19th St
y Dav
11th Av
City of Rock Falls Corporate Boundary W 20th St
7th Av
Hickory Hills Rd
ids
W 20th St
on Dr
9th Av
Riverdale Rd
W 21st St ER
Single-Family Residential
Canal St
W 21st St ock
Fall
s Rd
W 22nd St
Multi-Family Residential
4th Av
Rd W 23rd St
h et
op
Pr
Ma
1st Av
p le
W 24th St Ln
Commercial W 24th St
Industrial
Public/Governmental
Kauffman St
Institutional Walter St
Yeoward St
Walnut St
µ
English St
Parks/Open Space
Hoover Rd
Vacant E French St
Buell Rd
Walnut St
W French St
Feet
Cropland
Hoover Rd
0 500 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000
Map 8.3: General Development Plan
0 0.25 0.5
® 1 1.5
Miles
City of Rock Falls, Illinois
Shore Acres Rd
Ann St
Sycamore Dr
Shore Acres Rd
Franklin St
Martin Rd
Minkel St
Thomas Av
1st
Avenue F
Avenue E
Av B
St Lincoln St
nd
E2
Kloss St
Avenue C
Avenue D
idger
Garfield St
Ada St
Wo
Ada St
River View Dr
od
Swallow Ct
Avenue G Bridge
Avalon St
Av
t
nce P
k dS E 3rd St
Lawre 2n
Emmons Av
t Verio Ct
Avenue B
tS E
1s
Avenue E
Haskell Av
W E 4th St Arland St Quail Ct
Goodell Ct
Smith Ct
Charles St Cardinal St
d St Humder Ln
3r
2n
Leroy Av
12th Av
W
Avenue B
dA
Allen St
St
r
Louis Ln
10th Av
4th E 5th St
le D
N
Avenue C
W 2nd St Luke Ln
H
W
W Humphrey Av
um
Circ
St
ph
Grace Av
Kane St 5th E 6th St
r ey
E 6th St
7th Av
W Ste
Avenue E
6th Av
St
Av
13th Av
W 5th St Sel ven
6th mi
Ln St
3r
W
d
E 7th St
Culver St
Avenue D
Sco
Av
Avenue A
Hoffman Dr
Marsha Ln
4th
t tt
Galt Av
th S St
15th Av
W6 W 6th St E Hill Dr
Av
W 6th St ir
nC
Clearwater Dr
alley My
de rtle
r St
Keith Dr
Ga
Antec Rd
E 8th St Isla
Regan Rd
W 7th St n dV
Grace Av
Wiker Dr
Hill Dr
iew
7th Av
Clover St
Rose St
Stanley Ct Dix Ro Dr
E 9th St on ck
r
6th Av
W 8th St Av
D
Dr
15th Av
Hudson Dr
es
Mid
d
rm
Maple St E 10th St E 10th St le D
W 10th St r
He
W Rock Falls Rd
Lawrence Rd
r
Kickapoo Ln
10th Av
r
9th Av
W 11th St
nd D
D
Mary Av
r
Avenue C
6th Av
ew
tD
ust
7th Av
Lenore St
E 11th St
kvi
nse
Holla
Deer Run
Loc
Bennett Dr
11th Av
Hickory Hills Rd
Par
Su
A St
5th Av
Dr
W 12th St
6th Av A Ct
E 12th St
bor
N Ridge Dr
Yates St
Har
B St W 13th St W 13th St
Sunset Ln
Wolf Creek Dr E 13th St
Industrial Park Rd
Mulnix St
C St Lancaster Dr W 14th St W1 E 14th St
Flock Av
WR 4th W 14th St
St
Mc Neil Rd
out
Suzanne St e3
Stacie Ln
Indian Ridge Rd D St
Rd
Beltway St
W 15th St W 15th St
15th St
ce
ren
W 16th St
Front St Teresa Av Roberts St W 16th St
Law
Wike Dr
6th Av
E 17th St
7th Av
5th Av
13th Av
Melvin Rd
12th Av
Lindy Av
14th Av
Hickory Hills Rd
New High St
3rd Av
Angle St
8th Av
W 18th St
W 19th St E 18th St
W 19th St
11th Av
W 20th St
ER
7th Av
W 20th St ock
Fal
9th Av
W 21st St ls
W 21st St Rd
Canal St
W 22nd St
Melvin Dr
W 23rd St
4th Av
W 24th St M
1st Av
ap
le
W 24th St Ln
Walter St
Pine St
Spruce St
Walnut St
Yeoward St
English St
t Rd
he
r op
P E French St
W French St
Hoover Rd
Duden Rd
Prairie St
Mc Neil Rd
City of Rock Falls Existing Land Use
Bo
tto
m
Rock Falls 1.5 Mile Planning Radius Agriculture

Rd
General Development Plan Residential

Riverdale Rd
Residential Cemetery
Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development Public/Institutional Airport Rd WHITESIDE
COUNTY
Commercial Commercial AIRPORT
Summerdale Rd
Interchange-Related Commercial Industrial
Polo Rd
Hoover Rd
Ridge Rd
Buell Rd
Industrial Parks/Open Space
Mc Neil Rd
Conservation/Open Space Golf Course Thome Rd
Hussung Rd
Vacant
Harper Dr
Woodside Dr
Flock Dr
Freeport Rd
Calhoun Rd
Larson St Woodside Dr
Laurel Ln
Woodside Dr
Morris Rd
Map by Michael Reibel, City Planning Consultant
Bertha Ln
Bertha Dr

Draft of The Rock Falls Comprehensive Plan

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Drepturi de autor:

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Draft of The Rock Falls Comprehensive Plan

Încărcat de

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City of

Rock Falls, Illinois

Adopted by the City of Rock Falls Planning Commission on (DATE)

Adopted by the City Council of the City of Rock Falls on (DATE)

City of Rock Falls Planning Commission:

Rock Falls Community Development Corporation:

Sandra Henreckin, Director

Chapter 1 Issues and Opportunities for Planning

Section 1.1 Brief History of the Planning Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1

Section 2.1 Housing Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1

Section 3.1 Transportation Facility Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1

Chapter 4 Utilities and Community Facilities

Section 4.1 Public Utilities Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1

Chapter 5 Agriculture, Natural and Cultural Resources

Section 5.1 Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1

Section 5.2 Agricultural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1

Chapter 6 Economic Development

Section 6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.1

Section 7.1 Inventory of Intergovernmental Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1

Chapter 8 Land Use

Section 9.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.1

Table 1.9 Poverty Status 1989 and 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.14

Table 2.1 Comparison of Housing Occupancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1

Table 6.1 Comparison of Household and Per Capita Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.2

Figure 1.1 Map of Rock Falls Geographic Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.7

Appendix III - Soils Reports

Appendix IV - Responses from Public Meeting

Section 1.1 Brief History and Description of the Planning Area

Section 1.2 Past Planning In Rock Falls

Section 1.3 The Comprehensive Planning Process

Population 10,287 10,633 9,654 9,580 9,268

Population Change 346 -979 -74 -312

Under 5 Years 778 703 --- --- (75) -9.64%

5 - 14 years 1,423 1,380 (197) -13.84% (43) -3.02%

15-24 years 1,450 1,226 (112) -7.72% (224) -15.45%

25-34 years 1,443 1,338 (134) -9.29% (105) -7.28%

35-44 years 1,324 1,309 (90) -6.80% (15) -1.13%

45-54 years 899 1,234 (34) -3.78% 335 37.26%

55-64 years 859 865 (68) -7.92% 6 0.70%

75-84 years 518 574 (358) -69.11% 56 10.81%

85 years and over 148 160 --- --- 12 8.11%

Population Population Population

Under 5 778 8.1% 703 7.3% -0.8

5-24 years 2,873 30.0% 2,606 27.2% -2.8

25-44 years 2,767 28.9% 2,647 27.6% -1.3

45-64 years 1,758 18.4% 2,099 21.9% 3.5

65-84 years 1,330 13.9% 1,365 14.2% 0.3

85 years and 148 1.5% 160 1.7% 0.2

Less than 9th Grade 950 602 (348) -36.6%

High School Graduate 2,316 2,473 157 6.8%

Some college, no degree 1,027 1,317 290 28.2%

Associate’s degree 347 402 55 15.9%

Bachelor’s degree 162 232 70 43.2%

Graduate or professional degree 110 141 31 28.2%

Total 5,991 6,293 302 5.0%

D. Households and Income

Households 3,734 3,895 161 4.31%

Average Household Size 2.56 2.43 (0.13) -5.08%

Family Households 2,603 2,560 -43 -1.65%

Married-couple families 2,015 1,852 -163 -8.09%

Householder living alone 1,005 1,145 140 13.93%

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

Less than 951 435 (516) -54.26%