Elgin, IL Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

06, Landmark and Historic District Nomination and Designation, lets the heritage commission, a property owner, or the city council submit a nomination on the commission's official form. 030 sets the threshold: the property, structure, or area must be fifty years old on the date of designation unless it is part of an already-designated historic district or has achieved exceptional significance. The commission must find that a nomination meets at least six of eleven listed criteria, though it may proceed on as few as four if the property is tied to a person who significantly contributed to the community, or is part of a thematic historic district.

Criterion A specifically covers character, interest, or value tied to the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the community, county, state, or country, the standard that applies to a proposed cultural monument. 020 requires a nomination fee set by the city's general fee schedule and, for individual landmark or district nominations, a $200 deposit to cover the court reporter's transcript of the public hearing; nominations filed by the commission or council itself are fee-exempt. 040 requires the commission to hold a public hearing within ninety days of receiving a nomination, with mailed notice to the owner at least thirty days ahead and newspaper publication at least fifteen days ahead.

050, if a majority of affected owners file a written objection before the hearing closes, the city council can only designate the property with a two-thirds vote, and a rejected nomination cannot be refiled for two years. 110 freezes exterior permitting on a nominated property: the community development department may not issue a building permit without a certificate of appropriateness while the nomination is pending, though interior work stays permittable.