TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dustin Anderson, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution Authorizing a Programmatic Agreement between City of Joliet, the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
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BACKGROUND:
As a direct recipient of funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) - the City of Joliet is subject to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and implementing federal regulations described within 36 CFR Part 800. These regulations refer to the terms that all funded activities effectively respond to undertakings, findings, and the resolution of adverse effects on historic and potentially historic properties when utilizing grant opportunities. The City is currently operating without an active State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) Programmatic Agreement, resulting in all Environmental Reviews being sent to the State level to review and approve. This Agreement would allow the City to utilize internal Qualified Personnel, with the required Section 106 Certification to act on behalf of the Illinois SHPO - to assist with Environment Reviews, determine Historic Properties, and Areas of Potential Effects for a variety of projects including: rehabilitation, new construction, demolition, infrastructure improvements, among other eligible activities. An active Agreement would allow the internal Qualified Personnel to make such determinations, eliminating the State’s 60-day review period and avoiding additional external delays.
The Agreement has been reviewed and approved by the City’s Legal Department and the State of Illinois Regulatory Review & Compliance Officers, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Agency.
The matter was reviewed by the Joliet Historic Preservation Commission on April 23, 2025.
CONCLUSION:
This Programmatic Agreement will effectively streamline the City’s funding opportunities - minimizing external review periods and utilizing the certified internal staff when completing Environment Reviews required for funded activities.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council approve the Programmatic Agreement.
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