SB 2651

Abstract

Amends the Illinois County Historic Preservation Law of the Counties Code. Provides that a county board may maintain, restore, rehabilitate, beautify, or adaptively reuse places of architectural significance, historic significance, or scenic significance and may lease or license county-held property to public or private entities for not longer than 99 years for such purposes. Declares that these activities are a public use. Defines "adaptive reuse". Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 55 ILCS 5/5-1049.2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that a county board may also maintain, restore, rehabilitate, beautify, or adaptively reuse land along scenic byways (in addition to places of architectural significance, historic significance, or scenic significance). Further amends the Counties Code. Provides that the lease of real estate is also permitted when a property, structure, or facility owned by the county can be used for athletic purposes or museum purposes in the interest of the public or for the benefit and enjoyment of residents of the county. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that, the lease of real estate is also permitted by a county when a property, structure, or facility owned by the county can be used for athletic purposes or museum purposes in the interest of the public or for the benefit and enjoyment of residents of the county in the following circumstances: (1) if the property, structure, or facility is vacant; or (2) if the property, structure, or facility acquired by the county is being used prior to the county acquiring the property, structure, or facility, then, for leases entered into after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the lease of the property, structure, or facility must require (i) the lessee to allow any organization that used the land at the time the lease is executed to continue to use the land for the leased purposes during the term of the lease and (ii) the lessor to continue, during the term of the lease, to employ, in the same capacity, any persons who provided services on the land at the time the lease is executed. In provisions allowing a county to maintain, restore, rehabilitate, beautify, or adaptively reuse places of architectural significance, historic significance, scenic significance, or land along scenic byways and to lease or license county-held property to public or private entities for not longer than 99 years for such purposes, provides that nothing in the provisions may be construed to permit eminent domain.