Historic preservation proposal to be discussed in Libertyville

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Updated: January 30, 2012 1:58PM

Libertyville officials will meet in special session Jan. 31 to consider a draft proposal for implementing a historic preservation ordinance.

The Village Board will meet as a committee of the whole for discussion at 7 p.m., at Village Hall.

Many of Libertyville’s residents have had a penchant for voluntary historical preservation. Great pride exists for preserving and maintaining the historical downtown commercial buildings that line Milwaukee Avenue.

A voluntary campaign is now underway to save the vacant red brick Brainerd high school building along West Park Avenue that was built in 1917. The school and gymnasium buildings are now on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

The recently developed award-winning School Street single-family residential project, with its front porch throwbacks, has received accolades throughout the country through many architectural publications. These efforts were accomplished privately and voluntarily.

However, some believe more can, and should, be done to preserve the village’s heritage while there is still time.

A special six-person Historic Preservation Committee, chaired by local architect Mike Kollman, received a green light last year from the Village Board to reactivate a process that had languished for several years. That was to draft a proposed ordinance on the subject.

Kollman and his committee have worked hard in researching what other communities have done, and are now ready to offer four propositions for discussion Jan. 31. Some could be controversial:

• Begin historic designation with buildings and properties that already have national register status.

• Develop a parallel path approach for historic preservation review so that projects can either go through a standard appearance review process, or a historic review process.

• Focus on the establishment of a Downtown Historic Commercial District within the existing downtown area along Milwaukee Avenue.

• Conduct further study on the possibility of residential property designation, either through voluntary landmark designation, or through the use of historic or conservation districts for historic residential neighborhoods.

Kollman said he is confident that the draft ordinance to be presented will reflect the values of Libertyville’s residents.