65 ILCS 5/11-13-14.1
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 65 - MUNICIPALITIES|65 ILCS 5/ - Illinois Municipal Code.|Article 11 - Corporate Powers and Functions

 (from Ch. 24, par. 11-13-14.1)Sec. 11-13-14.1.   Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in  this Division 13:(A) The corporate authorities of any municipality may by ordinance establish  the position of hearing officer and delegate to a hearing officer the authority  to:  (i) conduct any public hearing -- other than a public hearing provided  for in Section 11-13-2 -- required to be held under this Division 13 in  connection with applications for any special use, variation, amendment or  other change or modification in any ordinance of the municipality adopted  pursuant to this Division 13; and (ii) hear and decide appeals from and  review any order, requirement, decision or determination made by an  administrative official charged with the enforcement of any ordinance  adopted pursuant to this Division 13.(B) When a hearing officer is designated to conduct a public hearing in  a matter otherwise required to be heard in accordance with this Division  13 by some commission or committee designated by the corporate authorities  of the municipality:  (i) notice of such hearing shall be given in the same  time and manner as is provided by this Division 13 for the giving of notice  of hearing when any such matter is to be heard by some commission or committee  designated by the corporate authorities; (ii) the hearing officer shall  exercise and perform the same powers and duties as such commission or committee  is required to exercise and perform when conducting a public hearing in  any such matter; and (iii) the hearing officer shall render a written  recommendation to the corporate authorities within such time and in such  manner and form as the corporate authorities shall require.(C) When a hearing officer is designated to conduct a public hearing in  a matter otherwise required to be heard in accordance with this Division  13 by the board of appeals, or when a hearing officer is designated to hear  and decide appeals from and review any order, requirement, decision or  determination made by an administrative official charged with the  enforcement of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this Division 13:  (i)  notice of hearing shall be given  in the same time and manner as is provided by this Division 13 for the giving  of notice of hearing when any such matter is to be heard by the board of  appeals; (ii) the hearing officer in passing upon and determining any matter  otherwise within the jurisdiction of the board of appeals shall be governed  by all of the standards, rules and conditions imposed by this Division 13  to govern the board of appeals when it passes upon and determines any such  matter; and (iii) the hearing officer shall exercise and perform all of  the powers and duties of the board of appeals in the same manner and to  the same effect as provided in this Division 13 with respect to the board  of appeals, provided that:1. When the hearing officer is passing upon an application for variation  or special use and the power to determine and approve such variation or  special use is reserved to the corporate authorities, then upon report of  the hearing officer the corporate authorities may by ordinance without further  public hearing adopt any proposed variation or special use or may refer  it back to the hearing officer for further consideration, and any proposed  variation or special use which fails to receive the approval of the hearing  officer shall not be passed except by the favorable vote of 2/3 of all alderperson   or trustees of the municipality;2. When the hearing officer is passing upon an application for variation  or special use and the power to determine and approve such variation or  special use is not reserved to the corporate authorities, or when the hearing  officer is hearing and deciding appeals from or reviewing any order,  requirement, decision or determination made by an administrative official  charged with the enforcement of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this  Division 13, the determination made by the hearing officer with respect to  any such matter shall constitute a final administrative decision which is  subject to judicial review pursuant to the provisions of the  "Administrative Review Law", as now or hereafter amended.(D) The corporate authorities of the municipality may provide general  or specific rules implementing but not inconsistent with the provisions  of this Section, including rules relative to the time and manner in which  hearing officers are designated to conduct public hearings and rules governing  the manner in which such hearings are conducted and matters heard therein  passed upon and determined.(E) Hearing officers shall be appointed on the basis of training and  experience which qualifies them to conduct hearings, make recommendations  or findings of fact and conclusions on the matters heard and otherwise  exercise and perform the powers, duties and functions delegated in  accordance with this Section.  Hearing officers shall receive such  compensation as the corporate authorities of the municipality shall  provide, and any municipality may establish a schedule of fees to defray  the costs of providing a hearing officer.(F) This Section is intended to furnish an alternative or supplemental  procedure which a municipality in its discretion may provide for hearing,  determining, reviewing and deciding matters which arise under any ordinance  adopted by the municipality pursuant to this Division 13, but nothing in  this Section shall be deemed to limit or prevent the use of any existing  procedure available to a municipality under this Division 13 for hearing,  approving or denying applications for a special use, variation, amendment  or other change or modification of any such ordinance, or for hearing and  deciding appeals from and reviewing any order, requirement, decision or  determination made by an administrative official charged with the enforcement  of any such ordinance.  (Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)