A. Certificate Required: No repair, rehabilitation, reconstruction, restoration, demolition, improvement or signage, to or on the street facade of a local landmark, shall be done without the prior issuance of a certificate of appropriateness and compliance with subsections C and D of this section. No demolition of a significant property as designated on the significant properties survey shall be done without either: 1) the prior issuance of a certificate of appropriateness; 2) the expiration of a certificate of demolition delay issued by the commission pursuant to subsection 13-1-8B2 of this chapter; or 3) the village board's reversal, on appeal, of the commission's withholding of a certificate of appropriateness pursuant to section 13-1-10 of this chapter.
B. Exemption: Certificates of appropriateness shall not be required in connection with compliance with an order or permit issued by the director of public works, or his/her designee, to correct an immediate health or safety problem; provided that such order expressly exempts the project from certificate of appropriateness procedures and that such order or permit is made subject to appropriate conditions to advance the purposes and goals of this chapter.
C. Construction Standards:
1. The distinguishing original qualities or character of a structure or site and its environment shall not be destroyed.
2. All structures, sites, and areas should be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and that seek to create an earlier appearance than the true age of the property are not permitted.
3. Changes that may have taken place in the course of time and which have acquired significance in their own right shall be recognized and respected when dealing with a specific architectural period.
4. Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship that characterize a structure, site or area shall be maintained.
5. Deteriorated architectural features shall be preferably repaired rather than replaced. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities.
6. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features shall be based on accurate duplications of features substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence, or expert opinion.
7. Demolition of a local landmark shall not be permitted if a structure is economically viable in its present condition or could be economically viable after completion of commercially reasonable alterations, even if demolition would permit a more profitable use of such site.
D. Design Standards: The height, adjacent open space, directional expression, roof type, roof shape, architectural details, landscaping, accessory structures and paving shall be consistent with the original structure.
E. Procedures For Application For A Certificate: Any person or entity required to obtain a certificate of appropriateness shall submit a formal application as a precondition to commencing work and/or obtaining any required building permit. The application for a certificate of appropriateness shall include the following information and specifications:
1. Applicant's name;
2. Owner's name if different from applicant;
3. Street address and legal description of the site;
4. A site plan and front, side, and rear elevation drawings;
5. A brief description and photographs of the structures, buildings, and landscape features on the site;
6. A detailed description of the proposed alteration or demolition, together with pictorial renditions indicating how and to what extent such proposed changes will affect the subject property;
7. Identification of any architect or developer involved in the project; and
8. Such other relevant information as requested by the village administrator or as the commission may require.
F. Additional Provisions: Applicable standards and requirements set forth in the zoning and building codes are to be applied in addition to those set forth in this section.
G. Economic Hardship: Any of the requirements of subsection C or D of this section or subsection 13-1-8B2 of this chapter may be waived by the commission if the applicant shows by clear and convincing evidence, and if the commission finds that any of the following conditions exist:
1. The applicant's economic circumstances and the condition of the subject property present a substantial hardship; or
2. Compliance with the requirement(s) is commercially unreasonable and is not essential to achieve the purposes and goals set forth in section 13-1-1 of this chapter.
The normal escalation of construction or land acquisition costs within the village, per se, shall not be deemed a hardship or create commercially unreasonable circumstances.
Personal financial information submitted for consideration pursuant to this subsection shall be considered confidential and shall be disclosed at a public hearing only to the extent necessary for a complete discussion of the issues. Personal financial records, statements and tax returns shall be withheld from public disclosure pursuant to section 7(1)(b) of the Illinois freedom of information act, 5 Illinois Compiled Statutes 140/1 et seq., as amended. (Ord. 3589, 3-14-2016)
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