Over the past three years, Lake Bluff’s Historic Preservation Commission (“HPC”) has engaged in a thorough review and strategic planning process to answer one question: “How can Lake Bluff better preserve and transmit its architectural history?” The HPC believes that updating Lake Bluff’s historic preservation regulations – which provide for the designation and protection of buildings and landscape features with special significance in the history and development of Lake Bluff – is an important step in answering this very question.
February 24 Discussion Session
On Wednesday, February 24 at 6 p.m. the Historic Preservation Commission will:
- Review community feedback received from over 50 participants during the listening sessions.
- Discuss changes to its recommendations to the Village Board based on feedback received.
- Review different lists of notable structures in Lake Bluff. Some listed structures are already designated as historic landmarks. Nothing under discussion by the HPC would cause these structures to be treated differently than structures not listed. Designating a property as a landmark (which makes it eligible for different reviews and incentives) requires a public hearing, public notice, and other steps specific to an individual property.
Focus Areas for January-February 2021 Listening Sessions
Throughout January and February, the Historic Preservation Commission hosted a series of listening sessions to hear community views about changes to Lake Bluff's preservation regulations.
| Date | Topic |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, January 27 @ 1:30 p.m. | Real Estate |
| Wednesday, February 3 @ 7 p.m. | Administration |
| Wednesday, February 10 @ 7 p.m. | Financial |
| Tuesday, February 16 @ 7 p.m. | Open / TBD |
Topics discussed included:
- Encourage, through education, the preservation and rehabilitation of historic structures in Lake Bluff. Discourage demolition of those structures.
- The Choose Lake Bluff online database will identify every structure in the Village and summarize its relevance to the history of Lake Bluff.
- Promote owner-nominated landmarking.
- Enable property owners to access state, local and national historic preservation incentives.
- Designate appropriate structures as Village landmarks. Promote certainty in historic landmark designations.
- Identify existing Village landmarks.
- Identify structures likely to be nominated as a landmark.
- Complete landmark process in three years.
- Allow meaningful time for community discussion and input on proposed significant modifications or demolition of historic community “anchors”: those structures that visually represent Lake Bluff and its history.
- Retain a 50 year threshold for HPC review of significant modifications or demolitions. (Matches National Register of Historic Places recommendations).
- Non-Landmarks: Delays may apply only if the proposed work involves over 50% of the existing exterior walls; maximum delay of 180 days; minimize delays.
- Landmarks: subject to enhanced scrutiny with more time provided for resident input and discussion of alternatives. Demolition requests may be delayed for up to 365 days; alterations may be delayed for up to 60 days.
- Minimize procedural delays in redevelopment activities.
- Develop a “fast track” historical preservation review procedure for approval of modification or demolition requests for structures not landmarked or pre-identified as a potential landmark.
- Simplify historic preservation review procedures.
- Facilitate neighborhood streetscape preservation by property owners through their nomination of historic districts.
- Only property owners may initiate historic district nominations.
Original (August-October 2020) Summary of Changes
You can view a copy of the full October 2020 draft regulations here, or an overview presentation here.
The HPC is not proposing to change Lake Bluff’s essential approach to historic preservation. While a property owner may be delayed in demolishing their structure, the Village will not follow other North Shore communities in having the ability to say “No” to a proposed demolition. Rather, the HPC has prepared revisions that will make Lake Bluff’s unique approach more effective at preserving notable structures and neighborhoods while respecting the rights of property owners. Specifically, the new regulations:
Allow for the creation of historic districts only with the consent of affected owners, as well as an honorary 'historic neighborhood' designation where property owners do not wish to establish a district.
- Historic districts (i) extend landmark protection to areas of the Village and (ii) ensure that the district is evaluated as a cohesive whole when changes are proposed.
- A district may be contiguous (a geographic area) or thematic (one or more sites that share commonalities).
- The process for designating a historic district is similar to designating a landmark.
- The last step in establishing a historic district - after the Village Board approves - is that property owners vote. If over 50% of owners vote against establishing a district, the area still gains an honorary designation.
- After a district is established, those buildings identified as "contributing" would be treated the same as landmarks. Buildings that are not "contributing" would be subject to shorter review periods for exterior changes visible from the street.
- Today and as proposed, buildings over 50 years old are subject to a delay and review before they may be demolished.
- Today, a demolition is defined by gross floor area. This means that interior rehabilitations and renovations may be considered "demolitions" even if much of the original structure changes. As proposed, a demolition is defined by how much exterior wall is altered. This will allow more projects to proceed without procedural delays while ensuring that the community still reviews actual demolitions.
- These changes do not affect other demolition protections, such as when the demolition tax must be paid or when a contractor has to check for the presence of hazardous materials.
- While the Village's regulations may ultimately allow an owner to proceed despite concerns, it is important that the process ensures that the property owner hears all of the evidence and can make an informed decision.
- The new regulations would allow the Historic Preservation Commission to extend the time for review where an owner fails to appear.
- The new regulations also add safeguards to ensure that applications do not benefit from being submitted for review on short notice.
- While an owner may ultimately choose to proceed with demolition, to be successful, the Village's regulations must create:
- Adequate consideration of the need to demolish, commensurate with the longevity and importance of a features.
- Adequate consideration of alternatives, such as:
- Alternative designs or construction methods that are more in keeping with historic preservation.
- Economically viable uses proposed by an alternative purchaser, investor, or user that preserve historic value.
- To this end, the proposal would extend the review periods applicable to different types of projects. Of course, the regulations allow for a review to end early for projects that promote preservation or that concern properties of little historic value.
(The "Extended" delay periods are all at the discretion of the Village Board.)Process Current Proposed Initial Delay Extended Delay Initial Delay Extended Delay Alterations to Protected Features 35 days 65 days total 35 days 95 days total Demolitions of Other Buildings 90 days 120 days total 120 days 180 days total Demolition of Protected Features 120 days 150 days total 120 days 365 days total - Finally, the revisions allow for an Owner and the Commission to agree on binding conditions of approval as part of ending a review early. Ideally, these creative solutions will support preservation in our community.
- If the Village's preservation regulations are working properly, historic features should be identified and supported before they are proposed for demolition.
- After a transition period (currently proposed at five years after enactment), the regulations would no longer allow a property to be designated during a pending demolition application.
