§ 6-254. Duties.

(a)

The Historic District Study Committee shall do all of the following:

(1)

Conduct a photographic inventory of resources within each proposed historic district following procedures established or approved by the state department of history, arts and libraries.

(2)

Conduct basic research of each proposed historic district and the historic resources located within that district.

(3)

Determine the total number and relative percentages of historic and nonhistoric resources within a proposed historic district. In evaluating the significance of historic resources, the committee shall be guided by the selection criteria for evaluation issued by the United States Secretary of the Interior for inclusion of resources in the National Register of Historic Places, as set forth in 36 CFR 60, and criteria established or approved by the bureau, if any.

(4)

Prepare a preliminary historic district study committee report that addresses, at a minimum, all of the following:

a.

The charge of the committee.

b.

The composition of the committee membership.

c.

The historic district or districts studied.

d.

The boundaries for each proposed historic district in writing and on maps.

e.

The history of each proposed historic district.

f.

The significance of each district as a whole, as well as a sufficient number of its individual resources to fully represent the variety of resources found within the district, relative to the evaluation criteria.

(5)

Transmit copies of the preliminary report for review and recommendation to the planning commission, the bureau, the state historical commission, and the state Historic Preservation Review Board.

(6)

Make copies of the preliminary report available to the public pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

(b)

Not less than 60 calendar days after the transmittal of the preliminary report, the committee shall hold a public hearing in compliance with Public Act No. 267 of 1976 (MCL 15.261 et seq.). Public notice of the time, date, and place of the hearing shall be given in the manner required by such Act. Written notice shall be mailed by first class mail not less than 14 calendar days before the hearing to the owners of properties within the proposed historic district, as listed on the tax rolls of the city.

(c)

After the date of the public hearing, the committee and the city commission shall have not more than one year, unless otherwise authorized by the city commission, to take the following actions:

(1)

The committee shall prepare and submit a final report with its recommendations and the recommendations, if any, of the planning commission of the city commission. If the recommendation of the city commission is to establish historic districts, the final report shall include a draft of proposed ordinances.

(2)

After receiving a final report that recommends the establishment of historic districts, the city commission may, at its discretion, introduce and pass or reject ordinances. If the city commission passes an ordinance or ordinances establishing one or more historic districts, the city commission shall file a copy of those ordinances, including a legal description of the properties located within the historic districts, with the register of deeds.

(d)

A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by a committee in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with Public Act No. 442 of 1976 (MCL 15.231 et seq.).

(Code 1988, § 8.306; Ord. No. 476, § 1, 5-6-2003)