A local historic district is a historically significant area that is protected by a historic district ordinance. The local unit of government appoints a historic district commission to review proposed work to the exterior of resources in the district to determine if the work meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation. Designating an area as a local historic district is one of the few ways a community can provide legal protection for its historic resources.

Michigan's Local Historic Districts Act, Act 169 of 1970 provides the legal foundation for the creation of local historic districts. It is a public act that was created to

"provide for the establishment of historic districts; to provide for the acquisition of certain resources for historic preservation purposes; to provide for preservation of historic and nonhistoric resources within historic districts; to provide for the establishment of historic district commissions; to provide for the maintenance of publicly owned resources by local units; to provide for certain assessments under certain circumstances; to provide for procedures; and to provide for remedies and penalties."

The full text of this act is available for download here [PDF], and can also be found at the website of the Michigan Legislature.

Michigan's Local Districts

As of October, 2009, the following Michigan communities have historic district ordinances that give the historic district commission design review authority to protect designated resources. There are other Michigan communities, not listed here, that have advisory commissions, historical commissions, or historic overlay zones to promote historic preservation at the local level. Communities in bold and with asterisks are also Certified Local Governments.

Adrian
Allegan*
Ann Arbor*
Battle Creek*
Bay City*
Benton Harbor     
Birmingham
Boyne City
Cadillac
Calumet
Calumet Township
Canton Township*
Charlevoix
Chelsea
Chippewa County
Clarkston
Detroit*
East Lansing*
Escanaba
Farmington Hills*
Flint
Frankenmuth
Franklin
Grand Rapids*
Green Oak Township
Grosse Pointe Farms
Hart
Holland*
Holly
Huntington Woods
Jackson*
Kalamazoo*
Kentwood
Lansing*
Lathrup Village
Lexington
Linden
Livonia
Lowell
Manistee
Mason*
Menominee*
Midland
Monroe*
Mount Clemens*
Mount Pleasant
Muskegon
New Baltimore
Niles
Northville
Oakland Township
Plymouth
Pontiac
Port Huron
Portage
Rochester Hills*
Royal Oak
Saginaw
Saline*
Saugatuck
Southfield
Traverse City
Troy
Utica
Vergennes Township
Warren
Washtenaw Co.*
Waterford Township
Ypsilanti*

*Certified Local Governments

For information about any of the programs described on this site, write the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Historical Center, P.O. Box 30740, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48909-8240, or call us at (517) 373-1630.

Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
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