What is historic designation?

What is "historic designation"?

Historic designation is an official status granted by a local or State government to a property, structure, or district that is recognized for its architectural, cultural, or historic significance. Historic designation can take the form of a landmark in the case of an individual property, and the form of an historic district for multiple properties.

Here in Park Ridge, Article 23 of our Municipal Code sets forth the rules and regulations governing historic designation. To date, 18 properties have been designated as landmarks in Park Ridge. Spanish Town would be Park Ridge's first historic district.

In order to apply for an historic district, a majority of the property owners within the propose district must consent to its formation. Art. 23-4-2(B). But just because a majority of property owners gives their consent doesn't mean that a collection of homes warrants historic designation; the subject properties still need to satisfy the standards for historic designation provided by Article 23. Art. 23-4-1.

If you would like more information regarding landmarking or historic districts in Park Ridge, please contact the Community Preservation and Development Department, or reach out via email at philip.payne@gmail.com and we'll try to steer you in the right direction.

What will it mean if the historic district is adopted?

If the City Council enacts an ordinance creating the Spanish Town Historic District, it will mean that the five homes in the proposed district will generally be protected from demolition.

It will also mean that if any homeowner within the district wishes to make an alteration to the street-viewable exterior of their home, that owner will have to go through an additional process to ensure that the alteration is consistent with those features that make the property historically significant in the first place. Note: Article 23 does not prohibit alterations to the exterior of a designated property, nor does it prevent a homeowner from making any desired alteration to the interior of the home. It also generally does not prevent exterior changes to portions of the property that cannot be seen from the street. (Alleys are not considered streets under Article 23.)

For everyone else outside of the proposed district, nothing at all will materially change. No one's taxes will increase. Properties outside of the district will see no impact whatsoever. Even those properties that are directly adjacent to the historic district will have no restrictions placed on their properties as a result of the historic designation.

What is the "additional process" for exterior alterations?

If the owner of a landmark or of a property within an historic district wants to make an exterior alteration to their home, that owner can apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness ("COA") to make sure the alteration is in keeping with the historically and/or architecturally significant features of the home. Art. 23-3-4; 23-4-4. The COA would be reviewed by Park Ridge's Historic Preservation Commission ("the HPC"), a volunteer body of the City Government. The HPC would work with the property owner to make sure that the proposed alteration is done in a manner that would not destroy or diminish the historic and/or architectural significance of the property, consistent with the standards set forth in Article 23. Art. 23-5-2.

Note: Normal repair and maintenance are explicitly excluded from Article 23's definition of alteration. Art. 23-1-3. So if a property owner wants to replace a window or fix a broken door or repair the siding of her designated home, she does not need a COA.

Example of a Certificate of Appropriateness

Recent history has provided us with an illuminating example of how Park Ridge's Article 23 can allow the owner of a designated property to pursue a dramatic exterior alteration, so long as it is done with care and sensitivity.

In 2023, the owners of 424 Talcott Place (landmarked in 2011) wanted to make the home larger to accommodate their growing family. They enlisted an architect to design a second-story addition over the flat roof portion of the home. This project would undeniably constitute an alteration to the exterior of the home, and thus would require a COA.

Knowing that, the owners and the architect worked to come up with a design for the second-story addition that would meet the owners needs while also honoring the historic and architectural virtues of the original home.

As you can see, the proposed alterations were quite dramatic:

Original elevations of 424 Talcott Place

Proposed elevations post-remodel

But the proposal was designed with sufficient care and respect for the original home's historic and architectural features that the HPC approved the COA.

In the end, the owners of 424 Talcott Place did not add the second floor. But their successful COA application demonstrates that the HPC applies Article 23 in a manner that protects the integrity of the designated property while also respecting the aspirations of the property owner.