Trustees held a first reading Monday on an ordinance to add 208 E. Sixth Street to Hinsdale’s historic overlay zoning district. The item would make the property the 100th entry on the village’s historically significant structures list.

Chair Stifler told trustees the proposed ordinance would add the property “as outlined in Title 14,” and reviewed incentives available in the overlay: flexibility on bulk zoning rules such as floor-area ratio and setbacks, permit and application fee waivers, expedited processing, a village property tax rebate for the village’s portion of property taxes (about 7.5%) for five years and matching grants of up to $10,000 per property. “There are currently 99 properties on the list. The ordinance before us this evening proposes one additional property at 208 E Sixth Street be added,” Stifler said.

The item was introduced after the Historic Preservation Commission held a public hearing on Oct. 1 and unanimously (6–0) recommended adding the property. Trustees praised staff and volunteers for the program’s uptake. Trustee Braden said the program has grown rapidly: “In 2 and a half years, a 100 people have willingly applied for the Historic Overlay District,” he said, applauding staff and community participation.

Why it matters: trustees said the program provides incentives intended to encourage property owners to rehabilitate and preserve historic homes while allowing some zoning flexibility. The board discussed the program’s neighborhood-scale effects and preservation trade-offs but did not take final action on the ordinance at the first read.

Procedure: the item was treated as a first reading and slated for placement on a future consent agenda for final action. No ordinance number or final vote was recorded during the meeting.

Taper: Staff and the Historic Preservation Commission will advance the ordinance through the next steps required for adoption and return it for a final vote.