SR0700enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

09400SR0700 Enrolled LRB094 20144 HSS 57908 r

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 700

WHEREAS, Illinois barns are witnesses to the role of agriculture in our State's image and its economy and serve as scenic landmarks for residents and visitors alike; and

WHEREAS, Historic barns and agricultural structures across rural Illinois symbolize important Illinois values of heritage, hard work, productivity, and closeness to the land and community with the people who built them; and

WHEREAS, Historic barns uphold the historic rural qualities of the State's landscape, along with providing a picturesque atmosphere for the State's citizens and visitors to enjoy; and

WHEREAS, These structures provide insight into our distinctive agricultural history and heritage, as well as a visual description of rural life, both past and present, in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Local historic preservation and community organizations in at least ten counties across Illinois highlight their local barns with organized or self-guided barn tours, the first of which began in Greene County in 1984 and has continued every September since as part of Greene County Days; and

WHEREAS, One private Illinois barn preservation organization, the Illinois Barn Alliance, released a statewide survey in August, 2005, and found that residents in 46 Illinois counties have conducted barn surveys, organized barn tours, or engaged in other activities that directly promote historic barns; and

WHEREAS, While historic barns are cherished by so many Illinois residents and visitors, many barns can no longer produce the necessary income to prevent their loss by decay or demolition, or they become threatened when the surrounding land is removed from active agricultural use; and

WHEREAS, Many states, including Iowa, Wisconsin, New York, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire enacted legislation creating barn preservation and restoration programs to assist barn owners with their efforts to preserve these cultural and architectural treasures for the enjoyment and economic benefit of this and future generations; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, and any other public entities as the DCEO deems necessary, shall conduct a study of (i) current historic barn restoration/preservation efforts and needs in Illinois, (ii) the benefits that an historic barn restoration/preservation program could have in the context of the creation of a comprehensive plan for the development and promotion of tourism in rural areas, including the potential for expanded heritage tourism efforts to take advantage of the increased interest in Lincoln and the underground railroad sites, as well as the potential for expanded agricultural and natural resource tourism efforts, and (iii) programs and incentives in place in other states to promote historic barn restoration and preservation; the DCEO shall report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2006; and be it further

RESOLVED, That in conducting its study the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall also consult with the Illinois Barn Alliance and any other private local historical, preservation, and community organizations engaged in promoting and preserving historic barns in their communities or counties; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution shall be presented to the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to the Director of Agriculture, and to the Director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.