This chapter shall be known as the "Historic
District Ordinance of the Charter Township of Northville."
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Work that changes the detail of a resource but does not change
its basic size or shape.
The written approval of a permit application for work that
is appropriate and does not adversely affect a resource.
The Historic District Commission (HDC) for the Charter Township
of Northville, Michigan.
A Historic District Study Committee appointed by the Township
Board.
The razing or destruction, whether entirely or in part, of
a resource and includes, but is not limited to, demolition by neglect.
Neglect in maintaining, repairing, or securing a resource
that results in deterioration of an exterior feature of the resource
or the loss of structural integrity of the resource.
The written rejection of a permit application for work that
is inappropriate and that adversely affects a resource.
A system designed to detect and annunciate the presence of
fire or byproducts of fire. Fire alarm system includes smoke alarms.
An area, or group of areas, not necessarily having contiguous
boundaries, that contains one resource or a group of resources that
are related by history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or
culture.
The identification, evaluation, establishment, and protection
of resources significant in history, architecture, archaeology, engineering,
or culture.
A publicly or privately owned building, structure, site,
object, feature or open space that is significant in the history,
architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture of the Charter Township
of Northville, State of Michigan, or the United States.
The written permission to issue a permit for work that is
inappropriate and that adversely affects a resource pursuant to a
finding under § 399.205 (6) of PA 169 of 170, as amended.
Undeveloped land, a naturally landscaped area, or a formal
or man-made landscaped area that provides a connective link or buffer
between other resources.
Keeping a resource unimpaired and in good condition through
ongoing minor intervention, undertaken from time to time, in its exterior
condition. Ordinary maintenance does not change the external appearance
of the resource except through the elimination of the usual and expected
effects of weathering. Ordinary maintenance does not constitute work
for the purposes of this chapter.
An area, or group of areas not necessarily having boundaries,
that has delineated boundaries and that is under review by a committee
or a standing committee for the purpose of making a recommendation
as to whether it should be established as a Historic District or added
to an established Historic District.
To restore a decayed or damaged resource to good or sound
condition by any process. A repair that changes the external appearance
of a resource constitutes work for the purposes of this chapter.
One or more publicly or privately owned historic or nonhistoric
buildings, structures, sites, objects, features, or open spaces located
within a Historic District.
A single-station or multiple-station alarm responsive to
smoke and not connected to a system. As used in this subdivision,
a "single-station alarm" means an assembly incorporation a detector,
the control equipment, and the alarm sounding device into a single
unit, operated from a power supply either in the unit or obtained
at the point of installation. "Multiple-station alarm" means two or
more single-station alarms that are capable of interconnection such
that actuation of one alarm causes all integrated separate audible
alarms to operate.
Construction, addition, alteration, repair, moving, excavation,
or demolition.
Historic preservation is declared to be a public
purpose, and it is hereby determined to be in the best interest of
the Township to regulate the construction, addition, alteration, repair,
moving, excavation, and demolition of resources in existing or proposed
Historic Districts within Northville Township. The purpose of this
chapter shall be to do one or more of the following:
A.
Safeguard the heritage of the Township by preserving
one or more Historic Districts in the Township that reflect elements
of its history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture.
B.
Stabilize and improve property values in each district
and the surrounding areas.
C.
Foster civic beauty.
D.
Strengthen the local economy.
E.
Promote the use of Historic Districts for the education,
pleasure, and welfare of the citizens of the Township and state.
The Township Board may accept state or federal
grants for historic preservation purposes, may participate in state
and federal programs that benefit historic preservation, and may accept
public or private gifts for historic preservation purposes. The Township
Board may make the Historic District Commission, a standing committee,
or other agency its duly appointed agent to accept and administer
grants, gifts, and program responsibilities.
The Board of Trustees may, from time to time,
appropriate reasonable sums of money for the carrying out of the functions
of the Historic District Commission.
The Township Treasurer shall be custodian of
funds of the Historic District Commission and authorized expenditures
shall be certified to the director of finance by the secretary or
other officer designated by the Historic District Commission. The
Historic District Commission shall annually report to the Township
Board on any money it shall receive or expend.
If all efforts by the Historic District Commission
to preserve a resource fail, or if it is determined by the Township
Board that public ownership is most suitable, the Township Board,
if considered to be in the public interest, may acquire the resource
using public funds, public or private gifts, grants, or proceeds from
the issuance of revenue bonds. The acquisition shall be based upon
the recommendation of the Historic District Commission or standing
HDC committee. The Historic District Commission or standing HDC committee
is responsible for maintaining publicly owned resources using its
own funds, if not specifically designated for other purposes, or public
funds committed for that use by the Township Board. Upon recommendation
of the Historic District Commission or standing HDC committee, the
Township may sell resources acquired under this section with protective
easements in the property transfer documents, if appropriate.
A.
An applicant aggrieved by a decision of the Commission
concerning a permit application may file an appeal with the State
Historic Preservation Review Board. The appeal shall be filed within
60 calendar days after the decision is furnished to the applicant.
The appellant may submit all or part of the appellant's evidence and
arguments in written form. The State Historic Preservation Review
Board shall consider an appeal at its first regularly scheduled meeting
after receiving the appeal. A permit applicant aggrieved by the decision
of the State Historic Preservation Review Board may appeal the decision
to the circuit court having jurisdiction over the Historic District
Commission whose decision was appealed to the State Historic Preservation
Review Board.
B.
Any citizen or duly organized historic preservation
organization in Northville Township as well as resource property owners,
jointly or severally aggrieved by a decision of the Historic District
Commission may appeal the decision to the circuit court, except that
a permit applicant aggrieved by a decision rendered under this chapter
may not appeal to the court without first exhausting the right to
appeal to the State Historic Preservation Review Board.
A.
A person, individual, partnership, firm, corporation,
organization, institution, or agency of government that violates this
act is responsible for a civil violation and may be fined not more
than $5,000.
B.
A person, individual, partnership, firm, corporation,
organization, institution, or agency of government that violates this
act may be ordered by the court to pay the costs to restore or replicate
a resource unlawfully constructed, added to, altered, repaired, moved,
excavated or demolished.
