ARTICLE XVII. COMMISSION ON CHICAGO HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS (2-120-580 et seq.)

2-120-580 Purpose of provisions.

   It is hereby declared necessary for the general welfare of the citizens of the City of Chicago as an exercise of the home rule authority of the City of Chicago under Article VII, Section 6, of the Illinois Constitution, to protect and encourage the continued utilization of areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other similar objects within the City of Chicago eligible for designation by ordinance as "Chicago Landmarks". The purpose of these sections is the following:

   1.   To identify, preserve, protect, enhance, and encourage the continued utilization and the rehabilitation of such areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects having a special historical, community, architectural, or aesthetic interest or value to the City of Chicago and its citizens;

   2.   To safeguard the City of Chicago's historic and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in such areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects determined eligible for designation by ordinance as "Chicago Landmarks";

   3.   To preserve the character and vitality of the neighborhoods and central area, to promote economic development through rehabilitation, and to conserve and improve the property tax base of the City of Chicago;

   4.   To foster civic pride in the beauty and noble accomplishments of the past as presented in such "Chicago Landmarks";

   5.   To protect and enhance the attractiveness of the City of Chicago to homeowners, home buyers, tourists, visitors, businesses and shoppers, and thereby to support and promote business, commerce, industry, and tourism and to provide economic benefit to the City of Chicago;

   6.   To foster and encourage preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects, including entire districts and neighborhoods, and thereby prevent future urban blight and in some cases reverse current urban deterioration;

   7.   To foster the education, pleasure, and welfare of the people of the City of Chicago through the designation of "Chicago Landmarks";

   8.   To encourage orderly and efficient development that recognizes the special value to the City of Chicago of the protection of areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects designated as "Chicago Landmarks";

   9.   To encourage the continuation of surveys and studies of Chicago's historical and architectural resources and the maintenance and updating of a register of areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects which may be worthy of landmark designation; and

   10.   To encourage public participation in identifying and preserving historical and architectural resources through public hearings on proposed designations, building permits, and economic hardship variations.

(Prior code § 21-62; Added Coun. J. 3-11-87, p. 40272)

2-120-590 Commission – Creation, composition and officers.

   There is hereby created a commission on Chicago landmarks. The commission shall consist of nine members, eight of whom shall be appointed by the mayor by and with consent of the city council of the City of Chicago. The ninth member shall be the commissioner of planning and development or his designee. The members shall serve without compensation. One of the members shall be designated by the mayor as chairman, another as vice-chairman, and another as secretary. For the purposes of this Article XVII, the "commission" means the commission on Chicago landmarks.

(Prior code § 21-63; Added Coun. J. 3-11-87, p. 40272; Amend Coun. J. 6-22-88, p. 14547; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10936; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. VII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-10, p. 106597, Art. IX, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-13, p. 67481, Art. I, § 6)

2-120-600 Commission membership and meetings.

   A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission shall meet on the call of the chairman or of four of its members. The term of each member shall be for four years and until a successor is appointed. Commission members shall be selected from professionals in the disciplines of history, architecture, historic architecture, planning, archaeology, real estate, historic preservation, or related fields, or shall be persons who have demonstrated special interest, knowledge, or experience in architecture, history, neighborhood preservation, or related disciplines.

(Prior code § 21-64; Added Coun. J. 3-11-87, p. 40272; Amend Coun. J. 10-16-19, p. 7852, § 1)

2-120-610 Commission – Powers and duties.

   The commission shall have and may exercise the following duties, powers, and responsibilities:

   1.   To conduct an ongoing survey of the City of Chicago for the purpose of identifying those areas, district, places, building, structures, works of art, and other objects of historic or architectural significance; the results of such an ongoing survey shall be carried and transmitted online on the City of Chicago website, and the website identification shall be carried on the City of Chicago TV Public Access Channel.

   2.   To hold hearings and to recommend that the city council designate by ordinance areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects as official "Chicago Landmarks", if they qualify as defined hereunder, and to recommend that such designation include all or some portion of the property or any improvements thereon;

   3.   To cause plaques to be manufactured and installed that identify the significance of designated landmarks and landmark districts;

   4.   To prepare and publish maps, brochures, and other descriptive and educational materials about Chicago's landmarks and landmark districts and their designation and protection;

   5.   To review permit applications for alteration, construction, reconstruction, erection, demolition, relocation, or work of any kind affecting landmarks and structures or unimproved sites in landmark districts and to require the presentation of such plans, drawings, elevations, and other information as may be necessary to review those applications;

   6.   To advise and assist owners or prospective owners of designated or potential landmarks or structures in landmark districts on technical and financial aspects of preservation, renovation, rehabilitation and reuse, and to establish standards and guidelines therefor;

   7.   To apply for and accept any gift, grant, or bequest from any private or public source, including agencies of the federal or state government, upon approval by the city council, for any purpose authorized by these provisions;

   8.   To make recommendations to the city council concerning means to preserve, protect, enhance, rehabilitate and perpetuate landmarks and structures in landmark districts;

   9.   To adopt, publish, and make available rules of procedure and other regulations for the conduct of commission meetings, hearings, and other business;

   10.   To prepare and present nominations of landmarks and historic districts to any state or federal registers of historic places;

   11.   To assume whatever responsibility and duties may be assigned to it by the state under Certified Local Government provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended;

   12.   To cooperate with and enlist the aid of persons, organizations, corporations, foundations, and public agencies in matters involving historic preservation, renovation, rehabilitation and reuse;

   13.   To advise any city department or agency concerning the effect of its actions, programs, capital improvements or activities on designated or potential landmarks;

   14.   To consider whether denial of permits affecting landmarks and structures or unimproved sites in landmark district results in economic hardship to property owners;

   15.   To exercise any other power or authority necessary or appropriate to carry out the purpose of these provisions.

(Prior code § 21-65; Added Coun. J. 3-11-87, p. 40272; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32718, § 1)

2-120-620 Landmarks – Criteria for designation.

   The commission shall familiarize itself with areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, and other objects within the City of Chicago which may be considered for designation by ordinance as "Chicago Landmarks", and maintain a register thereof. In making its recommendation to the city council for designation, the commission shall limit its consideration solely to the following criteria concerning such area, district, place, building, structure, work of art, and other objects:

   1.   Its value as an example of the architectural, cultural, economic, historic, social, or other aspect of the heritage of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, or the United States;

   2.   Its location as a site of a significant historic event which may or may not have taken place within or involved the use of any existing improvements;

   3.   Its identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to architectural, cultural, economic, historic, social, or other aspect of the development of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, or the United States;

   4.   Its exemplification of an architectural type or style distinguished by innovation, rarity, uniqueness, or overall quality of design, detail, materials or craftsmanship;

   5.   Its identification as the work of an architect, designer, engineer, or builder whose individual work is significant in the history or development of the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, or the United States;

   6.   Its representation of an architectural, cultural, economic, historic, social, or other theme expressed through distinctive areas, districts, places, buildings, structures, works of art, or other objects that may or may not be contiguous;

   7.   Its unique location or distinctive physical appearance or presence representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City of Chicago.

(Prior code § 21-66; Added Coun. J. 3-11-87, p. 40272)

2-120-630 Landmarks – Preliminary recommendation.

   The commission may, by resolution, make a preliminary landmark recommendation if the commission determines that an area, district, place, building, structure, work of art, or other object: (i) meets two or more of the criteria required for landmark designation, and (ii) has a significant historic, community, architectural or aesthetic interest or value, the integrity of which is preserved in light of its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and ability to express such historic, community, architectural or aesthetic interest or value. The commission shall send, by certified mail, return receipt requested, written notice of such recommendation to the owner of the property. The commission shall also notify in writing the alderman of each ward in which the property is located and all relevant city departments.

(Prior code § 21-67; Added Coun. J. 3-11-87, p. 40272; Amend Coun. J. 2-26-97, p. 40085)