On Sun, 8 Dec 2002, Met History wrote:

> The house, an Arts and Crafts bungalow built in 1916, sits in the Ditmas Park
> Historic District, which requires that new colors be approved by the
> Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The Ann Arbor Historic District Commission does not have the authority to
regulate paint colors.  It says so right in the city's Historic District
Code.

I recall a friendly hearing where the homeowner applied to make various
changes to her house, and the Commission granted unanimous approval.

But then the woman naively asked for suggestions as to paint colors for
her renovated manse, and the Commissioners practically gasped or maybe
shrieked in unison, and leaped into a defensive crouch.  "We do NOT get
into paint colors!" they declared, implying that the police would be
called if the homeowner persisted in trying to extract an opinion from
them.  Okay, a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.

Of course, painting houses purple and other wild colors is practically an
Ann Arbor tradition.  There's a housing co-op in an Ann Arbor historic
district which specifies the purple (?) paint color in its charter.

Meanwhile, next door in less-affluent, down-on-its-luck Ypsilanti, the
Historic District Commission does regulate paint colors pretty strictly.

                                  Larry

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