Welcome to Historic Ann Arbor!
On these pages you will find information on Ann Arbor's fifteen local historic districts, which range in size from a single property to 344 properties. Work in these districts is reviewed by the Historic District Commission (HDC) and by city staff on their behalf.
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A new feature on this site is the
Ask Ann button in the lower right hand corner. Ask Ann can search for any information on this website and often speeds up finding the information you need. Questions like "Are paint colors regulated in historic districts?" and "Can I replace my
wood windows?" will give you short answers and links to more information.
What rules do I need to follow in a Historic District?
The primary source of guidance for work that can be done in historic districts is the Ann Arbor Historic District Design Guidelines. The Design Guidelines inform the Commission and staff on whether work you are contemplating is appropriate. Click on "Design Guidelines & Codes" on the left sidebar for more information.
Is This Property in a Historic District?
Two ways to look up whether an address is in a historic district:
1) On the City Assessor's website (from a2gov.org click Departments then Assessor ), click Online Assessment and Property Tax Data, then Continue to online tax data. Search by address, then look under General Information for Historical District: Yes/No. Please note that listings for Personal Property by address in the Assessor's database do not contain accurate historic district information; this is only shown accurately under the parcel listed for each address.
2) See maps of each historic district.
Current Historic District Commission Packet
Historic District Commission agenda and packet information is now available at the City of Ann Arbor's Legislative Information Center.
- Access the
calendar page.
- Select "Historic District Commission" from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
- Click on the "Search Calendar" button.
- Staff reports can be found by clicking the "Meeting Details" link for each meeting date.
Staff Services
- Information on the City's historic districts
- Review of building permit applications for property within historic districts
- Assistance with applications for work in historic districts
- Assistance with historic district regulations
