The City of Batavia is governed by the Illinois Liquor Control Act, which does allow for various city ordinances to meet the needs of the residents and businesses.
The Batavia Historic Preservation Commission helps protect the historic areas and structures in the City of Batavia. They are responsible for surveying and recording all of the historic properties in Batavia. They are also responsible for reviewing proposed landmarks or historic district inclusions. They review the applications and pass their recommendations on to the Batavia City Council.