Regulation of alteration, construction, demolition: Landmarks or historic district and proposed landmarks and historic districts.
Springfield, Ill., City Code § 101.16
in effect§ 101.16. - Regulation of alteration, construction, demolition: Landmarks or historic district and proposed landmarks and historic districts.
(a) After an application for designating a landmark or historic district has been filed in accordance with provisions of this chapter, it shall be unlawful to undertake construction, demolition, or to move or make any alteration requiring a building permit, fence permit, wrecking permit, sign permit or any other permit to the exterior of any proposed property without first having obtained specific interim approval from the historic sites commission for such action using the procedures set forth in this Code.
(b) It shall be unlawful to undertake construction, demolition, or to move or make any alteration requiring a building permit, fence permit, wrecking permit, sign permit or any other permit to the exterior of any landmark, or improvement or area within an historic district without first having obtained a certificate of approval from the historic sites commission for such action.
(c) Any application for a demolition/wrecking permit for a building or other structure that it listed by the historic sites commission as being potentially eligible for landmarking as described below shall be referred to the historic sites commission prior to issuance of such a permit by the department of building and zoning:
(1) In keeping with the criteria for landmark designation as described in section 101.10 of this chapter, the commission shall annually review and publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Springfield a list of properties that the commission deems potentially eligible for landmarking.
(2) In its preparation of the annual list of properties potentially eligible for landmarking, the commission shall limit itself to the following categories:
(i) Any building or structure on the National Register of Historic Places;
(ii) Any building or structure on the Illinois Historic Landmark Survey;
(iii) Any building or structure on the Springfield Historic Sites Register;
(iv) Any historically significant building or structure identified by other lists and inventories that are:
a. Conducted under the auspices of the federal government, State of Illinois, and/or the City of Springfield; and
b. Use a methodology approved and certified by the historic sites commission and/or the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency; and
c. Specifically identifies buildings or structures eligible for landmarking under local, state or federal law.
(d) Except in those instances where the city has determined that a building or other structure presents an imminent danger to the public health, safety or welfare, whenever an application is submitted to the department of building and zoning for a demolition/wrecking permit for any building or structure identified on the list of properties potentially eligible for landmarking, the department of building and zoning shall defer taking action on the application for an initial period of 60 days from the date the application was received and immediately refer the application to the historic site commission.
Should the historic sites commission find that a delay in demolition is inconsistent with the intent of this section, would cause a degradation of the surrounding area, or is otherwise detrimental to the public welfare, the commission may waive the initial 60-day delay upon (i) presenting written findings of fact supportive of such a waiver and indicate the reasons for issuance, and (ii) two-thirds of the full membership of the commission voting in the affirmative. When granting a waiver of demolition delay under this paragraph the commission may prescribe any conditions or limitations that are necessary to minimize the adverse impact of the requested demolition.
(e) During this initial 60-day delay, any interested person or entity may file a written petition with the secretary of the commission requesting that the commission extend the initial period of delay by an additional 60 days. The commission may grant such extension only if it finds that the request meets the following criteria:
(1) The petitioner possesses the ability to acquire, develop and maintain the property; and
(2) The owner of the property is willing to convey or negotiate an agreement to convey the property to the petitioner.
(f) If an extension is granted by the commission, the commission shall notify the department of building and zoning that an extension has been granted, in which case the department shall take no action on the application for an additional 60 days.
(g) If the application is not withdrawn during the initial 60-day delay, or within the period of extension if granted, the department of building and zoning shall proceed to take action on the application as requested.
(Ord. No. 112-02-03, § 1, 2-18-03; Ord. No. 365-10-11, § 1, 10-4-11)
Source: City of Springfield, Illinois, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/il/springfield/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIXGERE_CH101HISI_S101.16REALCODELAHIDIPRLAHIDIFetched: 11/8/2026