(A) Establishment.
(1) The City Council may establish, by ordinance, a commission to be called a Historic District Commission. The Commission may be established at any time, but not later than the time the first historic district is established. Each member of the Commission shall reside within the city limits. The Commission shall consist of seven members. Members shall be appointed by the City Council. A majority of the members shall have a clearly demonstrated interest in or knowledge of historic preservation. Members shall be appointed for a term of three years, except the initial appointments of three members for a term of two years and two members for a term of one year. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year terms. Members shall be eligible for reappointment. In the event of a vacancy on the Commission, interim appointments shall be made by the City Council within 60 calendar days to complete the unexpired term of such position. Two members shall be appointed from a list submitted by duly organized local historic preservation organizations. If such a person is available for appointment, one member shall be an architect who has two years of architectural experience or who is duly registered in the state.
(2) The City Council may prescribe powers and duties of the Commission in addition to those prescribed in this chapter, that foster historic preservation activities, projects and programs in the local unit.
(Prior Code, § 1.506)
(B) Meetings, recordkeeping and rules of procedure.
(1) The Historic District Commission shall meet at least quarterly or more frequently at the call of the Commission.
(2) The business that the Commission may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Public Act 267 of 1976, being M.C.L.A. §§ 15.261 through 15.275, as amended. Public notice of the date, time and place of the meeting shall be given in the manner required by Public Act 267 of 1976, being M.C.L.A. §§ 15.261 through 15.275. A meeting agenda shall be part of the notice and shall include a listing of each permit application to be reviewed or considered by the Commission.
(3) The Commission shall keep a record of its resolutions, proceedings and actions. A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of or retained by the Commission in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 442 of 1976, being M.C.L.A. §§ 15.231 to 15.246 as amended.
(4) The Commission shall adopt its own rules of procedure and shall adopt design review standards and guidelines to carry out its duties under this act.
(Prior Code, § 1.507)
(C) Creation of Historic District Commission. The City Council hereby creates a Historic District Commission.
(Prior Code, § 1.523)
(D) Appointments and membership. Each member of the Commission shall reside within the city limits. The Commission shall consist of seven members. The Mayor may recommend members, but members shall be appointed by motion of the City Council. A majority of the members shall have a clearly demonstrated interest in or knowledge of historic preservation. Members shall be appointed for a term of three years, except the initial appointments of three members for a term of two years and two members for a term of one year. Subsequent appointments shall be for three-year terms. Members shall be eligible for reappointment. In the event of a vacancy on the Commission, interim appointments shall be made by the City Council within 60 calendar days to complete the unexpired term of such position. Two members shall be appointed from a list submitted by duly organized local historic preservation organizations. If such a person is available for appointment, one member shall be an architect who has two years of architectural experience or who is duly registered in the state.
(Prior Code, § 1.524)
(E) Powers and duties. The Commission shall have those powers and duties prescribed in this chapter. The Commission may have such additional powers and duties as the City Council may prescribe by ordinance.
(Prior Code, § 1.525)
(Ord. 711, passed 5-15-2006)