As used in this chapter:
(a) "Addition" means any construction which increases the height or floor area of an existing building or adds to it (e.g. a porch or attached garage).
(b) "Alteration" means any construction, replacement or remodeling within or to a building which may change the structural parts of, the location of openings in, or the appearance of, the building, but does not increase its overall size.
(c) "Certificate of approval" means the Historic District Commission's written approval of plans for preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, alterations, additions, moving or demolition of structures, objects or open space in designated historic districts.
(d) "City" means the City of Hart, a Michigan municipal corporation, acting by and through its officers and agents.
(e) "Commission", unless indicated to the contrary, means the City of Hart Historic District Commission created by this chapter.
(f) "Demolition" means the destruction of all or part of a structure, object, open space or feature within a designated historic district.
(g) "Elevation" means a scale drawing of the side, front or rear facades of a given structure.
(h) "Feature" means any prominent or distinctive aspect, quality or characteristic of a designated historic district.
(i) "Historic" means the age of districts, sites, buildings, structures, objects, open spaces or features. There is no age limit implied by the use of "historic." The term shall apply to any district, site, building, structure, object, open space or feature that is significant to the historic district and that plays a role in the evolutionary growth of a district's streetscape.
(j) "Historic buildings and structures" means and includes structures, objects, open spaces and features in a historic district which are related in historical or architectural significance, as determined by the Historic District Commission and approved by the City Council.
(k) "Historic district" means an area or group of areas, not necessarily having contiguous boundaries, created by the City of Hart for the purposes of this chapter. For purposes of clarification, a district may consist of a single structure or object, although unrelated to its surroundings in historic or architectural significance and so designated by this chapter.
(l) "Historic District Commission" means the member body created by the City of Hart pursuant to Act 1969 of the Public Acts of 1970, as amended (M.C.L.A. Secs. 399.201 et seq.).
(m) "Historical preservation" means the protection, rehabilitation, restoration or reconstruction of districts, sites, buildings, structures, objects, open spaces or features of historic, architectural or archaeological significance, natural or manmade.
(n) "Object" means any physical element which cannot be defined as a building or structure, having historical or architectural significance and being part of a designated historic district.
(o) "Open space" means developed park areas, undeveloped land or natural areas within designated historic districts.
(p) "Person" means a natural person, firm, partnership, association or corporation.
(q) "Preservation standards" means the guidelines and principles which shall be considered by the Historic District Commission in assessing the appropriateness of activities which will affect properties included in designated historic districts.
(r) "Reconstruction" means the process of reproducing by new construction the exact form and detail of a vanished structure, or part thereof, as it appeared at a specific time.
(s) "Rehabilitation" means the revitalization of a property through the introduction of modern mechanical systems, structural elements and decoration features. Such modern improvements should be sympathetic to the property's original style, size, color and texture and should be reversible.
(t) "Repair" means the maintenance of or return to a state of utility of structures or objects.
(u) "Restoration" means the process of accurately recovering the form and details of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by removing later work, replacing missing work and enhancing original work.
(v) "Significant historical or architectural value" means a site that is associate with:
(1) A pivotal event or person in the State of Michigan's or the City of Hart's past;
(2) A contribution to science, technology, politics, arts and humanitarian causes;
(3) An important phase of the growth or decline of a locale or community; or
(4) A site that has maintained the integrity of the site structure and if it is:
A. Representative of a recognized major style or architect;
B. Unusual in materials, workmanship or function; or
C. An outstanding example of vernacular architecture.
A site may qualify as both historically and architecturally significant, but it must be especially strong in one category.
(w) "Structure" means anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires a permanent location on the ground or which is attached to something having a permanent location on the ground, including, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, advertising signs, billboards, backstops for tennis courts and pergolas.
(Ord. 154. Passed 8-14-84.)