315 ILCS 30/21
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 315 - URBAN PROBLEMS|315 ILCS 30/ - Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961.|Part II - Conservation Areas

 (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.121)Sec. 21.         Whenever the Department determines that an area within the  municipality may be eligible for designation as a conservation area within  the meaning of this Act, it shall make such investigation and hold such  hearings as may be required, including at least one public hearing held  within the area. Any hearing may be conducted by the Department or by a  committee appointed by it, consisting of one or more members of the  Department. The Department and any member, employee or agent thereof so  designated shall have power to administer oaths, take affidavits, subpoena  and require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of  books and papers pertaining to such investigation. The Department may after  such hearing designate such areas as conservation areas for the purposes of  this Act. Such designation together with an accurate description of the  area included in such designation shall be made by resolution of the  majority of the Department and be part of the records of the Department.Following such designation the Department shall draw up or have  submitted for its approval a conservation plan for the area, which plan may  include but is not limited to (1) land uses, residential and  non-residential; (2) improvement, alteration, or vacation of major and  minor streets and alleys, provision for restricted service access, and  off-street parking; (3) locations and easements for public utilities; (4)  community facilities; (5) landscaping and site engineering; (6) building  restrictions; (7) recommended construction including new buildings,  rehabilitation and conversions, demolition of designated structures, and  elimination of non-conforming uses; (8) population density, ground  coverage, and number of dwelling units recommended; (9) recommended  standards of maintenance, and requirements of applicable health and safety  ordinances; (10) zoning and/or rezoning required; (11) costs and financing  arrangements of public portions of the plan; (12) recommended time table of  various stages of the program; (13) any and all other steps needed to carry  out the plan. Such plan shall conform to the comprehensive plan, if any, of  the municipality. In any municipality which has provided for the creation  of a Department, to operate within the boundaries of such municipality,  pursuant to the provisions of this Act, the Department shall nominate and  the presiding officer shall appoint no less than nine nor more than fifteen  residents of each conservation area designated by the Department to serve  as a "Conservation Community Council" for their respective areas. One  member of each such council shall be designated as Chairman by the  presiding officer. Members of such councils shall be appointed to serve  three year terms except that one-third of the initial membership of each  council shall serve terms of one year and one-third of the initial  membership of each council shall serve terms of two years. Members shall  serve without pay and shall be eligible to succeed themselves. A member  shall hold office until his successor shall have been appointed and  qualified. No member of a council may hold public or political party office  during his period of membership. A majority of the members of each council  shall constitute a quorum to transact business and no vacancy shall impair  the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of each  council, and every action of a conservation community council approved by a  majority of the members present shall be deemed to be the action of the  conservation community council; provided that not less than five members  shall constitute a quorum.The councils shall:(a) Consult with, assist and advise the Department in the preparation of  the conservation plan for their respective areas;(b) Assist the Department in the administration of the conservation plan  within their respective areas;(c) Approve by majority vote as hereinbefore provided the conservation  plan for their respective areas before it is submitted to the governing  body, as hereinafter provided;(d) Take vigorous appropriate steps to reconstitute community pride and  encourage self-help through planned individual and block rehabilitation  efforts within their respective areas.Any Conservation Community Council heretofore created pursuant to the  "Urban Community Conservation Act," approved July 13, 1953, as amended,  shall be deemed lawfully and validly created under the terms of this Act,  and shall have all the authority and exercise the same powers, and be  subject to the same duties as herein prescribed for Conservation Community  Councils; and nothing herein contained shall affect or impair the validity  of any act or proceeding done or performed by such Conservation Community  Councils under the aforesaid Urban Community Conservation Act.The Department shall cooperate and consult with public and private  agencies and individuals interested in the area, in preparing the plan.  Upon its completion the plan shall be submitted to the governing body,  together with a request for such implementing legislation as may be  required and within the authority of the governing body and the opinion of  the plan commission of the municipality, if any, on the merits of the plan.The governing body of the municipality shall by resolution adopt or  reject such plan. Following favorable action by the governing body, the  Department shall certify such plan as adopted and may thereafter exercise  in such areas the powers granted under this Act; provided that nothing in  this Section shall restrict the Department from the exercise within the  municipality of any other powers which have been delegated to it by the  governing body, notwithstanding the failure to certify any conservation  plan as adopted.    (Source: P.A. 77-124.)