§ 25-2-2. Definitions.

The following words and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:

(a)

Act means the Michigan Local Historic Districts Act, Public Act 169 of 1970, as amended, being MCL 399.201 et seq.

(b)

Alteration means work that changes the detail of a resource but does not change its size or shape. Alteration includes but is not limited to change of surface treatment or change of color.

(c)

Bureau means the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, currently part of the Michigan Historical Center of the Michigan Department of History, Arts, and Libraries.

(d)

Certificate of appropriateness means the written approval of a permit application for work that is appropriate and does not adversely affect a resource.

(e)

Commission or historic district commission means the historic district commission created by section 25-2-50.

(f)

Demolition means the razing or destruction, whether entirely or in part, of a resource and shall include, but not be limited to, "demolition by neglect".

(g)

Demolition by neglect means neglect in the maintenance, repair or security of a resource resulting in deterioration of an exterior feature of the resource, the loss of structural integrity of the resource, or any of the following conditions:

(1)

The deterioration of exterior walls or other vertical supports;

(2)

The deterioration of roofs or other horizontal members;

(3)

The deterioration of exterior chimneys;

(4)

The deterioration of exterior plaster, or mortar or stucco.

(5)

The ineffective weatherproofing of exterior walls, roofs and foundations, including broken windows and doors; or

(6)

The serious deterioration of any documented exterior architectural feature or significant landscape feature which in the judgment of the commission produces a detrimental effect upon the character of the district.

(h)

Denial means the written rejection of a permit application for work that is inappropriate and that adversely affects a resource.

(i)

Design treatment levels formerly provided for in this chapter are no longer to be considered by the historic district commission, and assignments of design treatment levels in ordinances of historic designation previously adopted shall be null and of no effect.

(j)

Elements of design are the characteristic relationships of the various features within an historic district which are significant to the appearance of the district; elements of design to be defined for each historic district are:

(1)

Height;

(2)

Proportion of buildings' front facades;

(3)

Proportion of openings within the facades;

(4)

Rhythm of solids to voids in front facades;

(5)

Rhythm of spacing of buildings on streets;

(6)

Rhythm of entrance and/or porch projections;

(7)

Relationship of materials;

(8)

Relationship of textures;

(9)

Relationship of colors;

(10)

Relationship of architectural details;

(11)

Relationship of roof shapes;

(12)

Walls of continuity;

(13)

Relationship of significant landscape features and surface treatments;

(14)

Relationship of open space to structures;

(15)

Scale of facades and facade elements;

(16)

Directional expression of front elevations;

(17)

Rhythm of building setbacks;

(18)

Relationship of lot coverages;

(19)

Degree of complexity within the facades;

(20)

Orientation, vistas, overviews;

(21)

Symmetric or asymmetric appearance;

(22)

General environmental character.

(k)

Historic designation advisory board or advisory board means the standing committee established by section 25-2-34.

(l)

Historic district means a district designated by the city council for the purposes of this article. An historic district shall include 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, archeology, engineering, or culture of particular significance to the city, the state or the United States of America.

(m)

Historic preservation means the identification, evaluation, establishment, and protection, of resources significant in history architecture, archeology, engineering or culture.

(n)

Historic resource means 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 city, state or nation.

(o)

Notice to proceed means the written permission to issue a permit for work that is inappropriate and that adversely affects a resource, pursuant to a finding under section 25-2-22.

(p)

Open space means undeveloped land, a naturally landscaped area, or a formal or man-made landscaped area that provides a connective link or a buffer between other resources.

(q)

Ordinary maintenance means 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 purposes of this article. Ordinary maintenance does not include any activity that meets the definition of alteration.

(r)

Proposed historic district means an area, or a group of areas not necessarily having contiguous boundaries, that has defined boundaries and that is under study by the historic designation advisory board for the purpose of making a recommendation to the city council for designation under section 25-2-4(a).

(s)

Repair means to restore a decayed or damaged resource to a good or sound condition by any process. A repair that changes the external appearance of a resource constitutes work for purposes of this article.

(t)

Resource means one (1) or more publicly or privately owned historic or non-historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, features, or open spaces located within a historic district, including but not limited to fences, walls, significant landscape features, surface textures, and street furniture.

(u)

Work means construction, addition, alteration, repair, moving, excavation, or demolition.

(Code 1964, § 28A-1-2; Ord. No. 15-04, § 1, 4-21-04)

Cross reference

Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-1-2.