The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
New historic district established
Area encompasses 41 homes along South Ann Arbor Street
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: April 12, 2007
A third residential historic district has been established in the city of Saline, designating 41 homes along South Ann Arbor Street from Henry Street to just north of Willis Road.
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The South Ann Arbor Street Historic District joins the West Henry-South Lewis Historic District established five years ago and the North Ann Arbor Street Historic District, founded in 2004.
The Saline Railroad Depot also has been recognized for its historic value to the community since 1994.
The process to earn this latest designation has been rather arduous. In 2003, a study committee of volunteers was appointed by the City Council to research each of the properties in the proposed district, gather supporting petition signatures and prepare an extensive report with their application.
The 40-page draft report was then reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office, the Michigan Historical Commission, the State Historic Preservation Review Board and the Saline Planning Commission.
The history of each home including the chronology of ownership, renovation dates and details and notable architectural features were included.
Terri Sibo-Koenig was co-chairwoman of the study committee and authored much of the report. She credits the other committee members for their knowledgeable and generous contributions to the document.
"These people volunteered their time because of their passion for our historic neighborhood and, over five years, gave hours and hours of their time."
The study group included B.J. Bess, co-chairwoman; Bill Bess; Ron Koenig; Deborah and Steve Elmore; Chris and Kristine Frey, along with Laura and Michael Blackburn and Morey Church, who left the committee in 2005.
Koenig is also chairwoman of Saline's Historic District Commission and is a professional architectural conservator.
The city's thorough records were also tapped, said Sibo-Koenig, as was the work done by a group of graduate students from the Eastern Michigan University historic preservation program who provided research on five homes in the district as a part of their 40-home study funded by the HDC.
Processing History
Amy Arnold is a preservation planner with SHPO and is responsible for reading reports like the one submitted for Saline's new district.
She said there are 67 communities in Michigan with historic districts. Saline, with three, stands out among communities of its size in the state. To compare, neighboring Tecumseh also has three districts and Grosse Pointe Farms, with 1,000 more residents, has five.
To establish the first district, she said, seems to be the most difficult for communities. There is often opposition from residents who believe the designation will take away some property rights, make it difficult to sell their home or make remodeling a nightmare.
Wrong, said Arnold, who blames these attitudes on misinformation spread in the 1970s when historic home preservation was in its heyday.
Jeff Fordice, assistant city engineer for Saline and staff liaison for the HDC, said homeowners in one of the city's historic districts need not consult the HDC on repair, redecorating or renovation projects unless the job is big enough to require a building permit.
The HDC will then issue one of three levels of approval: a Certificate of Appropriateness (the green light); a Notice to Proceed (not historically appropriate, but necessary) or a denial.
"We've never issued a denial yet," Fordice said.
The benefits for homeowners include a state income tax credit for substantial renovations that meet requirements. Also, the designation adds another layer of armor to protect properties from inappropriate development in the neighborhood, Sibo-Koenig said.
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