A. Mandatory Preliminary Application Requirements: Any person proposing either of the following are required to submit a preliminary application for a certificate of appropriateness:
1. The demolition, removal or relocation of any designated landmark; or
2. The demolition, removal or relocation of an existing residence within the Robbins Park Historic District, or the construction of a new residence within the Robbins Park Historic District.
B. Discretionary Preliminary Review by Historic Preservation Commission: While only application types specified in subsection A. above are required to submit a preliminary application and are subject to the requirements of this Section, any other party seeking a certificate of appropriateness is free to, and is encouraged to, seek informal preliminary input from the Historic Preservation Commission prior to submission of a formal application.
C. Village Exemption: The Village is exempt from the preliminary application and Design Review Meeting requirements of this section and Chapter.
D. Preliminary Application Forms, Required Information and Filing Procedures: A preliminary application for a certificate of appropriateness shall be filed with the director of community development, on forms provided by the community development department. The application form shall be completed in its entirety and shall include such information as determined by the Village to be necessary to allow an initial design review by the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team. The information provided shall include concept plans and/or building elevations of any proposed new residence or replacement residence within the Robbins Park Historic District.
E. Purpose of Design Review Meeting: The purpose of a Design Review Meeting is to broadly acquaint the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team with the applicant's proposal, in order to help an applicant gain an understanding of the type of architectural design elements preferred by the Team, Commission and Board of Trustees. The Meeting serves the additional purpose of providing the applicant with any preliminary views or concerns that members of the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team may have at a time in the process when designs and plans are still flexible, where adjustment is still possible, and prior to the time when the applicant is required to expend the funds necessary to prepare the complete documentation required for a formal application. In addition, the Design Review Meeting also serves as an opportunity for the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team to determine whether, in cases involving the demolition, relocation or removal of any structure, building, site or area within a designated historic district, the building or property has sufficient architectural or historic merit to warrant conducting a full Historic and Architectural Impact Study prior to consideration of a formal application.
F. Receipt of Preliminary Application/Setting of Design Review Meeting: Following the proper filing of a complete preliminary application, and the formation of the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team assigned to the application, the director of community development shall forward the application to the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team members for their review.
G. Design Review Meeting: Upon receipt of an application, the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team members shall conduct a review of the proposed demolition and concept plans for any new or replacement structure. Team members shall provide their comments and feedback on the proposed demolition and concept plans to an applicant through a meeting within thirty (30) days of Team formation. The Team shall meet with an applicant as a group at a location of their choosing, or via a video conferencing application, or a combination of both. Such meetings are intended to be informal, in order to facilitate productive discussion between an applicant and the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team members. The applicant, property owner and design professional must be in attendance at the Design Review Meeting to ensure both receive and understand any comments provided by the Team. Any views expressed in the course of the Team's review of any preliminary application shall be deemed to be advisory and only the individual preliminary views of the Team member expressing them. Nothing said or done in the course of such review shall be deemed to create, or to prejudice, any rights of the applicant or to obligate the Historic Preservation Commission or Village Board, or any member of it, to approve or deny any formal application following full consideration thereof as required by this Title. If a Design Review Meeting does not take place within thirty (30) days of the formation of the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team for any reason other than the unavailability of the applicant, property owner and/or design professional, the applicant may proceed to file a formal application for a certificate of appropriateness prior to a Design Review Meeting occurring and without having received comments or a recommendation from the Design Review Team.
H. Recommendation and Comments: At the conclusion of the Design Review Meeting, the Ad Hoc Historic District Design Review Team shall summarize its recommendations and comments on the proposed design and any other matters before it. Such recommendations and comments shall be reduced to writing and may include any proposed changes it would like an applicant to make to the conceptual design prior to submission of a formal certificate of appropriateness application. The recommendations and comments shall be provided to the applicant, along with a copy to village staff and a copy to the Historic Preservation Commission, within fifteen (15) days following the conclusion of the Design Review Meeting.
I. Determination Regarding Historic and Architectural Impact Study: In cases involving the demolition, removal or relocation of any designated landmark demolition, relocation or removal of a residence within the Robbins Park Historic District, where a majority of the Team members determine that the affected residence has sufficient architectural or historic merit to warrant conducting a full Historic and Architectural Impact Study, such Study shall be prepared by the applicant, at the applicant's sole cost and expense, and be provided to the Village as part of a formal application. The Study shall include the information set forth in Section 14-5-4.B. Factors to be used in determining the necessity of a full Historic and Architectural Impact Study include any history provided by the Village, and any other information received by the Team at the Design Review Meeting. (Ord. O2024-07, 4-2-2024)