Will the Historic Preservation Commission be able to tell me what to do with my property?

Zoning laws set limits on how a property can be used, and this ordinance is part of the St. Charles Zoning Ordinance.  The goal of the Historic Preservation Commission is to protect property values by encouraging contemporary uses of property while protecting exterior architectural and historic resources.     
The Commission is responsible for determining whether alterations or demolition proposed by the property owner will comply with the standards and guidelines of the ordinance.  If they do, the Commission issues a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA).  If the alterations or demolition do not meet the guidelines, the Commission will first work with the property owner to see if the project can be modified to comply with the guidelines.  If not, the Commission will recommend to the City Council that the COA be denied.  The City Council makes the final decision.