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:
ALTERATION
Work that changes the detail of a resource but does not change
its basic size or shape.
COMMISSION
The Historic District Commission (HDC) for the Charter Township
of Northville, Michigan.
COMMITTEE
A Historic District Study Committee appointed by the Township
Board.
DEMOLITION
The razing or destruction, whether entirely or in part, of
a resource and includes, but is not limited to, demolition by neglect.
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.
DENIAL
The written rejection of a permit application for work that
is inappropriate and that adversely affects a resource.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
A system designed to detect and annunciate the presence of
fire or byproducts of fire. Fire alarm system includes smoke alarms.
HISTORIC DISTRICT
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.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
The identification, evaluation, establishment, and protection
of resources significant in history, architecture, archaeology, engineering,
or culture.
HISTORIC RESOURCE
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.
NOTICE TO PROCEED
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.
OPEN SPACE
Undeveloped land, a naturally landscaped area, or a formal
or man-made landscaped area that provides a connective link or buffer
between other resources.
ORDINARY MAINTENANCE
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.
PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT
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.
REPAIR
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.
RESOURCE
One or more publicly or privately owned historic or nonhistoric
buildings, structures, sites, objects, features, or open spaces located
within a Historic District.
SMOKE ALARM
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.
WORK
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.
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.