The Commission shall undertake an ongoing survey
and research effort in the City of Crystal Lake to identify neighborhoods,
areas, sites, structures and objects which have historic, community,
architectural, or aesthetic importance, interest and value. As part
of the survey, the Commission may review and evaluate any prior surveys
and studies by any unit of government or private organization and
compile appropriate descriptions, facts, and photographs.
The offices of the City of Crystal Lake shall
be the depository for all applications, maps, reports, records of
proceedings, decisions, and other materials created by and in conjunction
with the Commission. These historic preservation materials shall be
made available to the public subject to the requirements of the Freedom
of Information Act of the State of Illinois (5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.).
The Historic Preservation Commission shall not
recommend to the City Council a designation of a landmark or Historic
District unless it shall make findings based upon the evidence presented
to it in each specific case that the proposed structure, building,
object, site or area meets the following requirements:
A. It is located within the corporate boundaries of the
City of Crystal Lake; and
B. It is over 50 years old, in whole or in part; and
C. One or more of the following conditions exist:
(1) General consideration.
(a)
It has significant character, interest, or value
as part of the historic, cultural, aesthetic, or architectural characteristics
of the City, the State of Illinois, or the United States;
(b)
It is closely identified with a person or persons
who significantly contributed to the culture or development of the
City, the State of Illinois, or the United States;
(c)
It involves the notable efforts of or is the
only example of work by a master builder, designer, architect, architectural
firm, or artist whose individual accomplishment has influenced the
development of the City, the State of Illinois, or the United States;
(d)
It has a unique location or single physical
characteristic(s) that make it an established or familiar visual feature;
(e)
Activities associated with it make it a current
or former focal point of reference in the City;
(f)
It is of a type associated with a use once common
but now rare, or is a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian
structure and possesses a high level of integrity or architectural
significance;
(g)
It is an area that has yielded or is likely
to yield historically significant information or even prehistoric
data;
(2) Architectural significance.
(a)
It represents certain distinguishing characteristics
of architecture inherently valuable for the study of a time period,
type of property, method of construction, or use of indigenous materials;
(b)
It embodies elements of design, detail, material,
or craftsmanship of exceptional quality;
(c)
It exemplifies a particular architectural style
in terms of detail, material, and workmanship, and has undergone little
or no alteration since its original construction or has been properly
restored;
(d)
It is one of the few remaining examples of a
particular architectural style and has undergone little or no alterations
since its original construction or has been properly restored;
(e)
It is or is part of a contiguous grouping that
has a sense of cohesiveness expressed through a similarity of style,
characteristics, time period, type of property, method of construction
or use of indigenous materials and accents the architectural significance
of an area;
(f)
The detail, material and workmanship of the
structure, building, object, or site can be valued in and of themselves
as reflective of or similar to those of the majority of the visual
elements in the area;
(3) Historic significance.
(a)
It is an exceptional example of an historic
or vernacular style or is one of the few such remaining properties
of its kind in the City;
(b)
It is associated with an organization or group,
whether formal or informal, from which persons have significantly
contributed to or participated in the historic or cultural events
of the City of Crystal Lake, State of Illinois, or the United States;
(c)
It is associated with a notable historic event;
(d)
It is associated with an antiquated use due
to technological or social advances;
(e)
It is a monument to or a cemetery of an historic
person or persons.