Farmington Historic Commission offers insightJena Stacey 12:06 a.m. EDT October 19, 2014

House modifications are a part of the life of a house, especially those we think of as “old.” The standard ageto make a house historic is 50 years, based on National Register of Historic Places eligibility. Using thisstandard, a majority of Farmington residences are “historic.” Only those homes located in the FarmingtonHistoric District, however, are required to present exterior modification plans to the Farmington HistoricalCommission.

At first glance, submitting your renovation plans for review might seem like a daunting prospect. But theHistorical Commission is here to help, not to hinder you in the process of remodeling your historic home. Howdoes it work? We will discuss that in this article.

What’s subject to review

According to the city ordinance, section 17­30 (available on the city of Farmington website) describes that plans regarding structures in theFarmington Historic District “... to restore, alter, repair, remove or demolish any structure” are subject to review and comment from the historicalcommission.

Only exterior modifications are subject to this ordinance. Alterations, such as an addition to a home, reconstruction or construction of a porch, removalof a section of a house, replacement of windows and siding changes, are examples of what should be submitted to the building department.

Submitting plans

Your first step in the process is to submit your building plans to the Farmington Building Department. The building department automatically forwardsyour building permit application, as well as any supporting documents such as blueprints, to the Historical Commission. Home modification plans mustbe submitted to the commission at least 14 days prior to a Historical Commission meeting, which are held on the fourth Thursday of every month.

Plan evaluation

When your plans reach the Farmington Historical Commission, they are reviewed against the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.These national standards are used for federal projects, as well as by most historic district commissions around the country. (More details can be foundonline by a simple Google search.)

Here in Farmington, the standards have been used informally by the commission for years, and were formally adopted earlier this year, after severalmonths of discussion.

According to Farmington city ordinance, exterior residential modifications should be evaluated by the Historical Commission on basis of:

• The historical or architectural value and significance of the structure and its relationship to the historic value of the surrounding area;

• The relationship of the structure to the rest of the structures and to the surrounding area;

• The general compatibility of exterior design, arrangement, texture and materials proposed to be used; and s

• Any other factor, including aesthetic, which it deems pertinent.

These guidelines, as well as the Secretary of the Interior’s standards, are used by the commission members to carefully and thoughtfully review thebuilding permit application and supporting documents.

At the meeting

At the Historical Commission meeting, the commission will present recommendations to the homeowner, as well as any concerns regarding the homemodifications proposed. These discussions can be detailed, depending on the project and whether the homeowner consulted the commission prior todesigning the exterior alteration.

(Photo: Maria Taylor )

The Historical Commission’s recommendation is then sent to the Planning Commission, which considers the Historical Commission’s decision andrecommendations while making their own decision on the building permit application. The Farmington Planning Commission’s decision is binding; theFarmington Historical Commission’s is not.

Help available

Consulting the Historical Commission for recommendations prior to finalizing your design is the best way to make the process of remodeling yourhistoric home run smoothly. So often, we are not shown plans until the end of the process, after architectural drawings have already been made. Ourgoal, however, is to provide advice during the initial stages.

At the beginning of the design process, homeowners should consider attending a Historical Commission meeting to obtain recommendations andresources for making choices appropriate to their historic house style. Our members share a variety of experience and education related to historicallyappropriate building treatments — and we’re eager to help you benefit from our expertise.

Several members are Farmington Historic District homeowners themselves. One has relocated a historic home, many have restored them, andanother holds a Master’s of Science in historic preservation. We can offer practical insight as well as architectural element resources and traditionalbuilding trades contractor recommendations.

And if you’re looking for some visual inspiration, our Pinterest boards (http://www.pinterest.com/farmingtonhc/) have information on doors, porches,paint colors, and other specific information on historic house styles.

A resource

The Farmington Historical Commission is available as a resource to any homeowner, whether in the Historic District or not, who desires information oradvice about making home modifications. Scheduling time at a commission meeting, or setting up an informal meeting for advice on a project, is justan email away.

In addition to reviewing house plans, the Historical Commission also seeks to educate the public on historic house ownership, as well to engage inother projects to document Farmington’s historic resources.

Currently underway is a survey of Farmington historic houses built between 1824 and 1941, both inside and outside the historic district. The resultswill provide a snapshot of visual information, architectural descriptions, and historical data on these homes. This standardized process is called aHistoric Resource Survey and has been created by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office. Information on the Farmington houses will beavailable to the public and will eventually lead to a book on our town’s historic homes.

In the future, the commission also plans to offer classes and workshops on subjects such as architectural styles, window rehabilitation, researchingyour historic house, and making your historic house energy efficient.

We love feedback from the community, so please feel free to email us at fhcmifb@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page.

Jena Stacey is a member of the Farmington Historical Commission

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