Rockford, IL

In 2019, 23 Illinois municipalities and counties, including Rockford, received the coveted SolSmart designation in a ceremony at Argonne National Laboratory. These communities received no-cost technical assistance from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, which served as a SolSmart Advisor and was the chief catalyst in the communities’ drive to seek designation.

• Created an online permitting checklist, increasing transparency for community members and solar installers
• Reviewed local zoning codes and identified restrictions that intentionally or unintentionally prohibit solar PV development
• Allowed solar by-right accessory use in all zones (so solar installations don’t require special permits or hearings)
• Cross-trained both inspection and permitting staff on solar PV
• Provided a streamlined permitting pathway for small PV systems

Rockford, Illinois earned the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC) EV-Ready Bronze designation in 2025 for their work to increase access to EV charging infrastructure and remove barriers to EV adoption. Their achievements include updates to permitting and inspection practices, safety training for staff, zoning updates, and more.

MMC’s EV-Ready program is a partner of Charging Smart. View additional MMC designees on the Energy Ready Communities map.