Live from City Hall - Historic Commission

This meeting of the Historic Commission, held on May 20, 2026, primarily focused on reviewing a completed historic preservation project at 16618 East Milwaukee involving lead paint removal, vinyl siding installation, and window replacement. The project had used federal funds and was subject to state historic preservation office review, which conditionally found no adverse effect. However, the commission discussed that the proper local historic review process was not followed, and the project included elements (vinyl siding and windows) generally considered inappropriate for historic districts. The commission considered issuing a statement of waiver as prescribed by zoning ordinance due to the unique circumstances, emphasizing that this should remain a rare exception and that better coordination and communication between state agencies and the local historic commission is needed to prevent future occurrences. The meeting also included discussion of ongoing zoning code updates related to historic districts and outreach efforts to increase awareness among property owners and realtors. No formal motions were passed regarding the project, but the commission agreed to take no action and to attach meeting minutes to the waiver statement for future reference.