Conservation districts out of Geneva historic-preservation proposal
Geneva aldermen decided Tuesday they are not interested in establishing historic conservation districts in the city.
And the council is leaning toward requiring property owners' consent for establishing historic preservation districts, and for two-thirds of aldermen to agree to make a property a landmark if an owner objects.
A conservation district is an area that may not qualify, under federal standards, to be designated a historic district. But it is a way that an area with distinctive property styles or other features could have those features restored, discouraged from decline or saved from demolition, perhaps on a way to becoming a historic district.
"You can scratch that off the paperwork from the get-go. I don't see any validity in pursuing that at this time," Alderman Tom Simonian said.
Mayor Kevin Burns said the council could always establish a conservation district even if the idea isn't included in the revised historic preservation ordinance it is discussing.
"To me the conservation district isn't the most important issue in front of you tonight," said Liz Safanda, executive director of Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley. But, she said, conservation districts could provide an opportunity to educate people about options for fixing or modifying their properties with an eye to preserving character.
The council was discussing, as a committee, revisions to the city's historic preservation ordinance.
The current law does not require owner consent for landmarking or establishing a historic district.
The city has had a historic preservation law since 1982. It was rewritten in 1995. The city has one historic district that consists of two previous historic districts. Much of the downtown is in the district.
The changes proposed include a provision where, if 51 percent of the owners of properties in a neighborhood oppose it, the neighborhood will not be designated as a historic or conservation district.
Several aldermen, including Simonian, said they want that to instead require 51 percent or more of owners to agree to the designation.
The council will continue discussing the changes at a June 25 meeting.