Kane County Reporter

City of Batavia Historic Preservation Commission met March 24

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER

Chair Bus called the Historic Preservation Commission meeting to order at 5:01 pm.

2. ROLL CALL

Members Present: Chair Bus, Commissioners Mahler, Saam and Connelly

Members Absent: Commissioners Koc and Allen

Also Present: Jeff Albertson, Building Commissioner; Drew Rackow, Planning & Zoning Officer; Zach Ewoldt, Planner; Peter Gerardi, Recording Secretary

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 10, 2025

MOTION: To recommend approval of the minutes

MAKER: Mahler

SECOND: Saam

VOICE VOTE: Motion carried.

4. ITEMS REMOVED/ADDED/CHANGED

None.

5. MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC (NOT ON THE AGENDA)

Bill McGrath, 407 Elm Street, spoke about an upcoming stucco mural proposed to be placed on the Comedy Vault building.

6. COA REVIEW (Continued): 28 South Water Street - Exterior Façade & Site Improvements (BEI Commercial Real Estate, applicant)

Wendy Franco, 140 First Street, and Emanual Diaz of Guaranteed Exteriors, 1380 Woodland Drive in Aurora, gave an updated presentation on a proposed window and sill replacements on the west elevation at the Tower Business Center. Franco passed around samples of a composite Historic Preservation Commission sill material they are proposing to use instead of stone. There was a discussion about the revised window measurements and the proposed framing.

MOTION: To approve the COA as amended to include window changes and the color sandstone for the sill

MAKER: Connelly

SECOND: Saam

VOICE VOTE: AYE: Connelly, Saam, Mahler and Bus

NAY: None

ABSENT: Koc and Allen

4-0 Vote; motion carried.

7. COA REVIEW: 31 North River Street - Roof Replacement (One Source Roofing, applicant)

Ron Jorgensen, 601 Sidwell Court in St. Charles, made a Powerpoint presentation noting this is a roof replacement and discussed the materials to be involved. He indicated that no materials would be viewable from the street and nothing on the exterior would change. It was noted the subject building is significant.

MOTION: To approve the COA as submitted

MAKER: Saam

SECOND: Connelly

VOICE VOTE: AYE: Connelly, Mahler, Saam and Bus

NAY: None

ABSENT: Allen and Koc

4-0 Vote; motion carried.

8. DISCUSSION (Continued): Downtown Zoning Code Update (City of Batavia, applicant)

Commissioner Bus noted that it was requested that the district boundaries be superimposed on the downtown plan areas and was shown as such on the screen. Zach Ewoldt gave a presentation on materials to be proposed to allow and materials to prohibit for non residential, commercial and multi-family buildings in the downtown area which includes the district.

Commissioner Saam asked about the possibility of other new or updated materials being able to be approved in the future. Commissioner Connelly asked about a process for seeking an exception for prohibited materials. Ewoldt noted that there is a variance process in the Zoning Code to seek approval for existing buildings. There was a discussion on proposed transparency requirements and the level of consistency with the Zoning Code. There was also a discussion about various types of temporary window coverings for vacant storefronts. A straw poll was taken and there was a consensus of general support for what was presented.

9. UPDATES:

Jeff Albertson noted there will be some additional inspections from a maintenance perspective happening downtown during the summer and that open projects would be revisited noting that all are mostly completed. Chair Bus encouraged members of the Commission to go out and look at the district buildings to work towards a reasonable level of ongoing maintenance for important historic structures.

10. OTHER BUSINESS:

Chair Bus spoke about the Batavia Historian magazine. Al Watts from Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley noted that they have a speaker coming on May 13th at the Baker Center to discuss the value of sense of place.

11. ADJOURNMENT:

There being no other business to discuss, Chair Bus asked for a motion to adjourn. There was a motion and a second. By a voice vote, all were in favor and the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 5:55 p.m.

https://www.bataviail.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/21656?fileID=16640