[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6211075,"mediaKeyId","3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9","parentId",3699849,"title","Owners seeking to re-side Galena homes with vinyl advised to appeal to City Council on hardship grounds","audioSeconds",566,"startMs",568000,"endMs",1264,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9&start=568&end=1","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9/thumbnail_568000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6211075/Galena/Jo-Daviess-County/Illinois/Owners-seeking-to-re-side-Galena-homes-with-vinyl-advised-to-appeal-to-City-Council-on-hardship-grounds","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211075-e6b3eb63daf4573b8c564056ee86503d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197415&Signature=VE7rBTRr86L9T-Y58uIwd9wP-O9PsHG9vy0y7RCu9TDaYvSKJOAWKjVET1Sq~tjvEuP2dmpSUG1iGvVq2qEfLCd0cIo8ov51A87M2gQVLQRbneLtEkRdKZqw9E9lGt0Rd3v87uoBJPK4GUs-~kfFbdT4x50xr2G5aszy6g4lTrTxYuQM~4L7-s~izF~tCl~hc-Rgv9GVhcm4oBxZ0bYJGLSaGEzloW1cBUJw0kYqLhlT6KM6sD20PS70E5DrmJLEYLwGGLqXaDwT~wQVofqV3XWGc5wCuoHfWyW8w5nYULSkmtm6kC-zvJwTlWf57Eq0ddYUzXv6K8awu3-Bcpw80A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Galena, IL","date","2025-06-07T12:31:09.99Z","article","Two homeowners seeking permission to re-side historic properties with vinyl were told by the Galena Historic Preservation Commission that the commission rarely approves vinyl in the city’s historic district and that applicants should appeal to the City Council on hardship grounds.

Don Hocker, owner of 213 Adam Street, told the commission he wants to re-side a single-family home with vinyl and that LP siding would cost roughly three times as much for materials alone. Hocker said he purchased the house recently and that new windows and a roof were already in place. Hocker said his goal was to “beautify” the property and asked for the commission’s permission to keep or replace vinyl.

Commissioners responded that the commission generally does not approve vinyl and that, in the last 17 years, the City Council has granted exemptions only twice. Commissioners said their responsibility is to protect the town’s historic character and that the appropriate next step for Hocker is to appeal to the City Council and to frame the appeal around financial hardship if he wishes to seek an exception.

A second case, for 421 Buzz Street (owner: Roger Bartel; applicant: Riley Chapman), was presented as an insurance claim. Chapman said the existing vinyl is more than 30 years old and that an insurance settlement would likely pay “like for like,” which is their reason for requesting permission for vinyl. Commissioners again advised appeal to the City Council, noting insurance payouts frequently limit replacement to the same material and do not fully cover the cost of historically appropriate siding such as LP.

No motion to approve vinyl was made in either case; neither applicant received a commission approval. Commissioners discussed the costs and maintenance trade-offs of different siding materials and noted the town has many fixed-income residents whose resources can constrain compliance with preservation standards.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 5, 2025 Galena, Illinois Historic Preservation Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Two homeowners seeking to install vinyl siding in Galena’s historic district were told to appeal to the City Council on hardship grounds after commissioners said the HPC rarely approves vinyl.","taxTitle","Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois","taxId",74450,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6211080,"Commission names 101 Southwest Street historic preservation award winner, gives Bench Street steps honorable mention",471,277000,748000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9&start=277&end=748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9/thumbnail_277000.jpg","/articles/6211080/Galena/Jo-Daviess-County/Illinois/Commission-names-101-Southwest-Street-historic-preservation-award-winner-gives-Bench-Street-steps-honorable-mention","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211080-b70425d689227d001c077eebd455004e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197415&Signature=k5c7bPhDDbRI0Cs7BEOC9WFQAtflh7NWUutYmTFtKQEjRN70TcsinmpWCs9vFXHXkDEKchgrZgl4pWd9isly3og9Pr2096VWMDJn9zgjRX~Dq~WQ8egeVHahlHrmqVMyCe5X-biqvZUGGhIhcz5dX8uYVyzdnumVe2BV~VyelC3KRRgq6wkiOc6haN9jTkSufIDY4OxXA2ptDlYr9fZbXsVnImr4mYuTU~JaRiOHqfgcdigwE7fHogOX-QkN88Klz2w19azXwoWH2cjZYhnRLX~Gz5fmY-PwOk7IDeXEE1x1RbW4jSyS9WFGwqSPR5bBxcyxNh1yAjkRINqnuc1edw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Galena Historic Preservation Commission voted to give this year’s historic-preservation award to the owners of 101 Southwest Street and to issue an honorable mention for the steps on Bench Street.

Commissioners discussed several candidates after staff said city archives yielded few useful historic photographs of a Park Avenue property that had been under consideration. Members praised the work at 101 Southwest Street as “about as clean a restoration as we’ve seen,” noting the owner has contracted work and was installing shutters and posts to restore the porch and balcony. The commission approved the award and separately recorded an honorable mention for the Bench Street steps.

Commissioners debated whether to split the award or to delay giving an award to the Park Avenue property while archives research continued; ultimately the commission decided to honor 101 Southwest Street and defer Park Avenue for future consideration.

The motion to give the award to 101 Southwest Street and an honorable mention to the Bench Street steps was made by Larry and seconded by Emily; the motion passed on roll call.

On the record, commissioners repeatedly emphasized that the commission’s awards aim to encourage work that restores historic character rather than projects that are primarily safety or maintenance upgrades.","The Galena Historic Preservation Commission awarded this year’s preservation award to 101 Southwest Street and gave an honorable mention to rehabilitation work on the steps on Bench Street; commissioners declined to give an award to a Park Avenue property because archival photos were insufficient to confirm restoration.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6211085,"Historic commission approves garage at 109 North Bend Street with materials review by staff",402,56000,458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9&start=56&end=458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3699849-f45c388d2af20bd78b44d9030c1456c9/thumbnail_56000.jpg","/articles/6211085/Galena/Jo-Daviess-County/Illinois/Historic-commission-approves-garage-at-109-North-Bend-Street-with-materials-review-by-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211085-360bb5e50611caac148f231df9dc61a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771197415&Signature=BULLQkl1oKeaqaBhsllJTYgqTeTaBV8o6J~eAgyDdpvC6Im02Wvp3KEpo83ok20V1s3go8e34tVROySf-xFtScOkD--5dAjrgiZ5ZaQ4ly6ajM3koyzwVUhjXX7zvg4uGSUOWtHKmZgQ2n8cqZ~8g1pMZpxbzN-hPjMm0hSOUHamDY4txSGczSwMb4jrIxLfYB-5hGtkQ77sWnJ9ZAD9cUkfI-B0i0AMZ-X1EQa~npQjzeDe1AmlnNz4nUuDsfW69tZEuPBI0nNrusAtdnXZ9GXYJTEGVX5~bO8G5DTkHdXp1n3rYAj-nEUAlEnYZ5z-JaBHcm9pq7C3enw~ZembcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Galena Historic Preservation Commission voted to approve a new garage in the alley behind 109 North Bend Street, with the condition that final siding and door materials be approved by city staff.

Commissioners discussed the proposal during unfinished business after confirming that at least one existing garage already sits in the alley between Bench and Main streets. Commissioners said the proposed garage would be set into the alley, similar to adjacent parking walls and garages, and noted the project would require excavation and retaining work to match neighboring lots.

Because the property owner and a project representative were not present to answer detail questions, the commission approved the project with the caveat that the final exterior materials be reviewed and approved by Jonathan, the staff contact present for historic applications. The motion passed on roll call and the chair declared that the motion carries.

Commissioners emphasized that the approved siting is consistent with other nearby garage and parking improvements but that specific material choices — siding and garage-door style — must meet the commission’s standards once submitted to staff. No specific building permit conditions or timelines were set on the record.","The Galena Historic Preservation Commission approved a proposal to build a garage in the alley behind 109 North Bend Street, approving siting but requiring final materials to be cleared with staff because the property owner and project representative were not present.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Owners seeking to re-side Galena homes with vinyl advised to appeal to City Council on hardship grounds

Commission names 101 Southwest Street historic preservation award winner, gives Bench Street steps honorable mention

Historic commission approves garage at 109 North Bend Street with materials review by staff