Peoples Connect

Peoples Connect eNewsletter Peoples Economic Development Corporation

Contact PEDC 618-237-3961info@peoplesedc.com Illinois Springfield 1812 S Lowell Avenue  Springfield, Illinois 62704 Mt. Vernon 520 S 42nd St Mt. Vernon, Illinois Missouri Clayton 7600 Forsyth Blvd Clayton, Missouri Fall is Near! The leaves are changing colors, the weather is cooler, and its time for outdoor events & festivals. Carving pumpkins, making scarecrows, and bobbing for apples are all part of many downtown Fall events. Find one today in your area! Near these areas? Fulton, IL Barry, IL St. Charles, IL Quick Links News Calendar Education  Legislative Find us on Facebook! Useful Resources National Trust for Historic Preservation USDA Rural Development Bureau of Tourism DCEO IHPA

Dear Craig, Thanks again for your continued interest in our eNewsletter.  Fall is here and communities across Illinois are gearing up for Fall festivals and kids are back in school.  In this issue, you will read about Preservation Ordinances, Local Historic Districts, and Certified Local Governments.  These are all important methods of protecting your community for rehabilitation and redevelopment opportunities as we bounce back from the economic downturn.   We hope you enjoy this edition and get out and celebrate the beautiful Fall colors! P.S.  We have recently moved our Springfield Office.  Check the column to the left for new address information.   Local Historic District Protecting the Quality of Life in Your Community To truly protect your historic places for future generations, you have to take responsibility as a community and act locally.  Adopting a local preservation ordinance, appointing a commission, and designating historic resources is one of the best ways for a community to protect the historic character of its buildings, neighborhoods, and landmarks from inappropriate alterations, inconsistent remodels, and demolition.  Citizens from your community are appointed by officials to serve as a preservation commission. Decisions on what to designate as part of the district are based on local criteria, and having this form of protection secures your valuable properties and stabilizes property values.   Certified Local Government Promoting Historic Preservation The Certified Local Government (CLG) program provides anopportunity to help local governments integrate historic preservation concerns with local planning decisions. Joining the CLG program is an important and effective way to preserve historic places.  Why become a CLG? Access to Federal funding set aside for CLGs Expert technical advice of the State Offices & National Park Service Shows commitment to protecting community assets Click here to learn more about CLGs. National Register Districts Commercial and Residential  Courtesy: Randy von Liski Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. (Source: http:www.nps.gov) During the past several months, Peoples EDC has been working to established recognized historic commercial business districts in Ottawa, Centralia and Dixon, IL. If you are interested in learning about districts in your area, contact us at info@peoplesedc.com. Want to find out if there are any historic commercial districts in your area? Visit the National Register website to see! Preservation Ordinance How to Protect What is Important Altering historic buildings can change the entire traditional downtown atmosphere.  One of the most common problems with updating downtown areas is signage. All it takes to ruin a historic building or block is a oversize neon sign blinking the name of a new retail location.  By creating a preservation ordinance, you can protect your community and your assets from changes like this and other modifications that disrupt the historic character of your downtown.  If your community is not a registered historic district, a preservation ordinance will help create the same type of protection to the buildings, structures and other important properties that being on the National Register would provide.  A set of guidelines will be created which will require property owners to follow them during renovations or alterations to their property.  Having a preservation ordinance will protect tourist attractions which will stimulate business and revitalize your downtown. Check out Monticello, Illinois' website to read about their preservation ordinance.  In The News Hotel Pere Marquette Check out the latest on the new pilot preservation tax credit program signed into law earlier this Summer for the City of Peoria, Illinois. Click here. Thank you for reading this edition of the PEDC eNewsletter.  Please call or email with any questions or comments.  We're here to help you make the most of your historic resources.   Sincerely, Peoples EDC Team