[Amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-31; 5-22-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-12; 11-13-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-33]
A. Creation; membership. The Architectural Review Commission shall consist
of five members, who shall be appointed by the Village President and
approved by the Board of Trustees. In appointing members to the Commission,
the Village President and Board shall consider their education, training,
and/or experience in matters relating to design and aesthetic judgment.
Members of the Commission shall serve for a term of two years and
until their respective successors have been appointed and qualified
for office. The Board of Trustees shall have the power to remove any
members of the Commission with or without cause, upon the affirmative
vote of 3/4 of the members of the Board of Trustees then holding office.
Any vacancy that may occur shall be filled for the balance of the
unexpired term of the member whose place has become vacant in the
manner hereinabove provided for the appointment of such member. A
member shall be eligible for reappointment. All members of the Commission
shall serve without compensation.
[Amended 6-25-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-17]
B. Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. The Village President shall designate
one appointee as Chairperson of the Commission to preside at all meetings
and hearings of the Commission and a second appointee as Vice Chairperson.
The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson may administer oaths. In the
absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson or, in the absence
of the Vice Chairperson, a Temporary Chairperson elected by the Commission,
shall act as Chairperson and shall have all the powers of the Chairperson.
The Vice Chairperson shall have such other powers and duties as may
from time to time be provided by the rules of the Commission.
C. Staff Secretary; minutes; public records. The Building Commissioner
shall designate a Staff Secretary of the Architectural Review Commission,
who shall attend all its proceedings. The Staff Secretary shall provide
for the keeping of minutes of the proceedings of the Commission, showing
the vote of each member upon every question or, if absent or failing
to vote, indicating such fact, and shall maintain permanent records
of all Commission meetings, hearings and proceedings and all correspondence
of the Commission. The Staff Secretary shall provide for keeping a
file of all records of the Commission, and such records shall, except
to the extent exempt under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act,
be public records open to inspection.
D. Quorum and necessary vote. No business shall be transacted by the
Architectural Review Commission without a quorum, consisting of three
members, being present. The concurring vote of at least three members
of the Commission shall be necessary on any motion to disapprove an
application. Any lesser vote on any such motion, even of a majority
of those voting, shall be considered a final decision approving the
application. Any other action can be taken by a majority of Commission
members present.
[Amended 6-25-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-17]
E. Absent members. No member absent from any portion of a proceeding
shall be qualified to vote upon the matter heard unless that member
shall first certify on the record that he or she has reviewed the
entire record of any such portion of the proceeding during which he
or she was absent and has fully informed himself or herself of the
essential facts and issues of the matter being heard so as to be able
to cast an informed and independent vote.
F. Meetings; hearings; procedures. Regular meetings of the Commission
shall be held at the call of the Chairperson and at such other times
as the Commission shall determine. Special meetings shall be called
at the request of the Chairperson or any two members of the Commission
or the Board of Trustees.
(1)
All meetings, hearings, and deliberations of the Architectural
Review Commission shall be open to the public except when closed pursuant
to the provisions of the Illinois Open Meeting Act.
(2)
All testimony at any hearing of the Commission shall be given
under oath.
(3)
The Commission may adopt its own rules of procedure for the
conduct of its business not inconsistent with this code or with the
statutes of the State of Illinois. Such rules shall be filed with
the Staff Secretary of the Commission and with the Village Clerk.
Any rule so adopted that relates solely to the conduct of the Commission's
hearing and that is not mandated by this code or the statutes of the
State of Illinois may be waived by the Chairperson upon good cause
being shown. In the absence of any adopted rules, the Commission shall
conduct its business, as nearly as practicable, in accordance with
Robert's Rules of Order.
G. Record. The transcript of testimony, if any; the minutes of the Staff
Secretary; all applications, requests, exhibits, and papers filed
in any proceeding before the Commission; and the decision of the Commission
shall constitute the record.
H. Decisions.
(1)
Every decision of the Architectural Review Commission shall
be by motion that shall include findings of fact, shall refer to the
evidence in the record upon which such decision is based, shall specify
the reason or reasons for such decision, and shall expressly set forth
any limitations or conditions imposed upon any approval granted. Such
motions shall be memorialized in the minutes of the Architectural
Review Commission.
(2)
In any case where this code provides that failure of the Architectural
Review Commission to act within a fixed period shall be deemed approval
of an application, such failure to act shall be considered to be a
decision of the Architectural Review Commission rendered on the day
following the expiration of such fixed period.
I. Conflicts. No member of the Commission shall participate in any hearing
on an application in which that member has an interest as that term
is defined in the Illinois Municipal Code. Any conflict of interest
prohibited by the Illinois Municipal Code shall disqualify a member.
J. Jurisdiction and authority. Subject to the provisions of §
260-1166 of this code, the Architectural Review Commission shall have the jurisdiction and authority to hear, review, and decide applications for architectural review approval that require Level II review and such other matters as directed by the Board of Trustees.