Royal Oak, MI Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

The Historic District Commission Ordinance, City Code §§ 82-14 to 82-28, exists to safeguard the heritage of the City of Royal Oak by preserving districts and resources tied to the City's history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture (§ 82-15). The Commission has seven unpaid members appointed by the City Commission for staggered three-year terms (§ 82-18) and reviews every plan to construct, add to, alter, repair, move, excavate or demolish a resource in a historic district before a permit issues (§ 82-19A). Applications go to the Chief Building Inspector, who refers them to the Commission, which must meet within 15 days of a complete application and decide within 60 days or the application is deemed approved (§ 82-21).

A denial can be appealed to the State Historic Preservation Office within 60 days, and from there to the Oakland County Circuit Court (§ 82-22). If a resource is threatened by demolition by neglect, the Commission can order repairs and, if the owner does not comply, obtain a Circuit Court order to enter and repair the property, billing the cost as a special assessment (§ 82-23). The City Commission can also declare an emergency moratorium on work threatening irreparable harm, for up to six months, extendable another six (§ 82-26).

One specific example carrying its own local designation is the Royal Oak Savings Bank Block Historic District, covering the former bank building and the Miller Building at Fourth and Main Streets (§§ 82-35 to 82-36).