Title
Resolution to Establish the Inglis House Historic District Study Committee and to Require all Applications for Permits within the Proposed Inglis House Historic District to be Referred to the Historic District Commission for Review
Memorandum
Attached for your review and approval is a resolution to establish the Inglis House Historic District Study Committee (“Committee”) and require that applications for permits within the proposed historic district be reviewed by the Historic District Commission.
Background
The James Inglis House at 2301 Highland Road was built in 1927 and has been owned by the University of Michigan since 1951. The nine-acre property contains a four-story residence, caretaker’s cottage, three car garage, greenhouse, workshop and pumphouse. A previous historic district study committee (the Landmarks Historic District Study Committee) recommended inclusion and designation of this property in a historic district in 1988, which the City Council did as part of the Individual Historic Properties Historic District. That historic district was subsequently invalidated in 2001 as a result of a lawsuit (Draprop v. City of Ann Arbor). The Regents of the University of Michigan voted on March 16, 2017 to authorize the sale of the property, rather than undertake a $4.6 million renovation of the house.
Historic District Study Committee Process
The Committee is expected to meet up to three times before distributing a preliminary study committee report to the Historic District Commission, City Planning Commission, State Historic Preservation Office and others for review and comment. No less than 60 days later, the Committee will hold a public hearing. After the public hearing, the Committee will submit a final report and recommendations to City Council for consideration.
Recommendations
Staff recommends that City Council establish the Inglis House Historic District Study Committee, as development, modification, or demolition of this property has the potential to affect the area of the surrounding neighborhood. Additionally, because the proposed Inglis House Historic District is architecturally, historically, and culturally significant to the City, as evidenced by staff’s updated review of the 1988 Historic District Study Committee’s report on the Inglis House property (attached), staff recommends that City Council implement Section 8:410 of Chapter 103 by adopting a resolution requiring that all applications for building permits within the proposed Inglis House Historic District be referred to the Historic District Commission for review with the same powers that would apply if the proposed historic district was an established historic district. This review may last for a period of one year or until such time as City Council approves or rejects the establishment of the historic district by ordinance, whichever occurs first.
Staff
Prepared by: Jill Thacher, City Planner/Historic Preservation Coordinator
Reviewed by: Derek Delecourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City is interested in protecting and preserving historic properties in the City;
Whereas, The Inglis House study area is architecturally, historically, and culturally significant to the City;
Whereas, There is public interest in the future development of this study area and the potential effects on the surrounding area;
Whereas, In 1988, the Landmarks Historic District Study Committee recommended inclusion and designation of this property in a historic district and City Council included it in the Individual Historic Properties District that was subsequently invalidated in 2001; and
Whereas, According to Michigan law and the Ann Arbor Code, Chapter 103, Section 8:408, the City must receive a report from a historic district study committee before establishing a historic district;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council hereby establishes the Inglis House Historic District Study Committee;
RESOLVED, That the proposed Inglis House Historic District study area to be examined by this committee is the 9-acre parcel of land at 2301 Highland Road, City of Ann Arbor Tax Parcel I.D. number 09-09-27-301-008, commonly known as Inglis House;
RESOLVED, That the affected area of this study committee consists of the properties and subdivisions adjoining Inglis House, including Highland Terrace, The Highlands, Orchard Hills, and Orchard Hills No. 1 subdivisions;
RESOLVED, That the study committee consist of three members that are consistent with Section 8:408 of City Code, to be appointed by the City Council;
RESOLVED, That the charge of the study committee be those duties set forth in Sections 8:408 and 8:410 of Chapter 103 of the Ann Arbor City Code;
RESOLVED, That the term of the study committee shall be until it delivers its final report and recommendations to the City Council, which shall be done as expeditiously as possible, but no later than May, 2018;
RESOLVED, That City Council has received the report of staff, which City Council finds to be substantial evidence showing the presence of historic, architectural, and cultural significance of the proposed Inglis House Historic District;
RESOLVED, That City Council hereby requires that all applications for permits within the proposed Inglis House Historic District be referred to the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission, which shall review permit applications with the same powers that would apply if the proposed historic district was an established historic district; and
RESOLVED, That the review of permits within the proposed Inglis House Historic District by the Historic District Commission continue for one year from the date of this resolution, or until such time as City Council approves or rejects the establishment of the proposed historic district by ordinance, whichever occurs first.