Oak Lawn, IL Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing body
- Architectural Review and Preservation Commission
- Final designation authority
- Village Board, by ordinance
- Protection effect
- no alteration or demolition without approval
- Sites currently designated
- none, per § 2-20-8
- Default penalty for violations
- $100 to $750 fine
Summary
Oak Lawn's Architectural Review and Preservation Commission designates buildings, districts and landmarks as official historic sites, and once designated, owners cannot alter or demolish them without prior Commission approval.
Once approved for official historic designation, no historic building, landmark or structure, or building, landmark or structure within a historic district, may be subjected to alteration or demolition without the prior approval of the commission.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The Village's Architectural Review and Preservation Commission can nominate buildings, districts, landmarks or structures for official historic designation, based on criteria such as historic events, architectural significance or association with important local development (§ 2-20-6). Any Village resident, property owner or Commission member can start a nomination; the Commission holds a public hearing before recommending designation, and the Village Board finalizes it by ordinance. Once designated, an owner cannot alter or demolish the historic building, landmark, structure, or a building within a historic district, without prior Commission approval (§ 2-20-7). No properties currently hold this designation.
Violations & Fines
Altering or demolishing a designated landmark without Commission approval is a code violation; since Chapter 20 sets no specific penalty, the Village's general penalty applies: a fine of $100 to $750 per offense (§ 1-4-1).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oak Lawn have any officially designated historic landmarks?
Can I alter a historic building in Oak Lawn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
Compare Oak Lawn to another location·View the Illinois historic preservation overview
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Historic-Cultural Monuments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle historic-cultural monuments.