Naperville has six landmarked buildings. Residents who want that number to grow can make their case Thursday, Oct. 22, when the Historic Preservation Commission holds a special public meeting.

The commission will meet at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room C at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St., according to the city's meeting calendar. Public comment sign-up opens at the meeting location 30 minutes before the session begins. Those who don't sign up in advance can still be called on by the chair during the meeting.

Residents who can't attend in person can submit written comments by email to [email protected]. Written comments are accepted from the time the agenda is published until 24 hours before the meeting, the DuPage Policy Journal reported. Comments received outside that window will not be shared with commissioners or posted on the city website, and written comments will not be read aloud.

The meeting comes four months after a study by Naperville Preservation Inc. found the city trails its neighbors in protecting historic structures. The report, titled "Progress Through Preservation," compared Naperville to 29 peer communities and found it had one of the lowest numbers of landmarked buildings, the Chicago Tribune reported in June.

Aurora has 58 landmarked buildings, Downers Grove has 33 and Elgin has 22. Evanston tops the list with more than 850 registered individual local landmarks.

The study identified staffing as a major barrier. Naperville has one assistant planner who spends about 15% of their time on preservation, the Tribune reported. Elgin, Geneva and St. Charles each have full-time preservation staff. The study recommended that at least one full-time city employee dedicate half their time to building a preservation program.

"We wanted to prove the point that other communities have done more on historic preservation, and to help people understand that it is possible to have viable economic development while also doing historic preservation," Joe McElroy, a Preservation Inc. board member and the study's lead author, told the Tribune in June. McElroy pointed to the Old Nichols Library building in downtown Naperville, which once faced demolition and now houses Italian restaurant Gia Mia, as proof that preservation pays off.

Naperville Transportation, Engineering and Development Deputy Director Allison Laff told the Tribune the city does not plan to adopt the organization's suggestions because of insufficient staff. City efforts are focused on an Interstate 88 corridor study, she said.

Residents who need accommodations to participate in Thursday's meeting should contact the Naperville Community Services Department at least 48 hours in advance at (630) 305-5300 or [email protected]. More information on public comment deadlines and case files is available at naperville.il.us/hpc.

City Hall week ahead

  • Tuesday, Oct. 20: City Council, 7 p.m., Council Chambers.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21: Planning and Zoning Commission, 6 p.m., Council Chambers. SECA Commission, 6 p.m., Meeting Room C. Police Pension Board, 3 p.m., Naperville Police Department Community Room. Building Review Board, 2 p.m., Council Chambers (canceled).
  • Thursday, Oct. 22: Historic Preservation Commission special meeting, 7 p.m., Meeting Room C, 400 S. Eagle St. Public Utilities Advisory Board, 5 p.m., Meeting Room C.
  • Monday, Oct. 26: Financial Advisory Board, 6 p.m., Meeting Room C.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 27: City Council, 6 p.m., Council Chambers (Budget Workshop II). Board of Fire and Police, 4:30 p.m., Meeting Room C.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28: Fire Pension Board, 9:30 a.m., Meeting Room C.