Livonia, MI Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Chapter 2.56 of the Livonia Code of Ordinances, the Historic Preservation Commission Ordinance, defines an "object" as a structure of functional, esthetic, cultural, historical, architectural, archaeological or scientific value that is movable yet tied to a specific setting, expressly citing statues, monuments, fountains, lighting fixtures, signs and sundials as examples (§ 2.56.020(21)). Any object qualifies as a protected "historic resource" once it is significant to the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture of the city, state or nation and is at least 50 years old unless exceptionally significant (§ 2.56.020(14), (18)).

Once a resource or historic district is established by city council ordinance following a study committee's photographic inventory, research and public hearing process (§ 2.56.100), any building permit application to construct, add to, alter, repair, move, excavate or demolish that resource must go to the building inspection department, which immediately forwards it to the seven-member historic preservation commission (§ 2.56.090(A)-(B)). The commission must meet within 30 days of notification and either issue a certificate of appropriateness or notice to proceed, or deny the application with written reasons (§ 2.56.090(C)-(E)).

A denied applicant may appeal to the State Historic Preservation Review Board within 60 days, and from there to the Wayne County Circuit Court (§ 2.56.090(G), § 2.56.120). The city council can also declare an emergency moratorium of up to six months, extendable once, on work threatening irreparable harm to a resource (§ 2.56.110(D)). Ordinary maintenance, repair or sale of a resource, and work already permitted before the ordinance's passage, are exempt (§ 2.56.140).