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REGIONAL VIEW Michigan Historic District Enabling Legislation to be Amended With the help of State Senator Richard Fessler, the Michigan Historic DistrictNetwork has proposed amend- ments to Act No. 169, Section 2 and 5 of the Public Act of 1970, the state enabling legislation for historic districts in Michigan. The Senate has passed the amendment by a 33-1 vote. The amendments will allow review of all structures or sites (both historic and non -historic) within an historic district. In the past, an opinion by the state attorney general had disallowed review of non -historic properties within a Michigan Historic District by the local historic district commission. This limitation had the potential to damage the integrity of many of Michigan's historic dis- tricts. This amendment will also insure that local historic districts and legislation can be certified for use with the Economic Recovery Tax Act — the tax incentives for rehabilitation of historic properties and the right to utilize the Certified Local Government program in communities with historic districts. Additional amendments include a requirement for all Commissions to establish rules of procedure and treat- ment standards to avoid the charge that rulings are made on an arbitrary or capricious basis. This will protect both the Commission and the local municipality in the event of an individual court action. The amendments also in- clude a provision which allows the local legislative body to prescribe additional "activities, projects and programs ... that foster historic preservation activities ... in addition to those prescribed in this act." The amendments will be considered by the State House of Representatives beginning September 9. The Michigan Historic District Network will be hold- ing a training session on November 8, 1986 in Muskegon, Michigan. For more information contact Michigan Historic District Network Treasurer and NAPC Michigan State Rep, Louisa Pieper at Ann Arbor HDC, 312 South Division, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, (313) 996-3008. The Alliance Review is published six times a year by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, Suite 332, Hall of States, 444 North Capitol Street, Washington, D.C. 20001, (301) 663-6820. Editor, Cherilyn Widell. Connecticut Historic District Study Nears Completion A major study of Connecticut's Historic Districts and Commissions is nearing completion by historian and NAPC State Rep Bill Devlin. A handbook for historic district commissioners will be published in the Fall of 1986. After 30 months of work which included attending commission meetings, reviewing minutes and working closely with commissioners, Devlin has made some inter- esting findings according to a report in the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. Devlin observed, "The idea that all commissioners are reactionary is false. They are people who enjoy and value history and architecture and the aesthetic qualities of their particular environment and they don't want to see them lost." According to Devlin, Commissions have not built on the public interest of historic preservation. "Most com- missions neglect education and interpretation and tend merely to be regulators. I can understand that since they 1 are volunteers with full-time jobs. But I would argue that • to be effective, historic district commissions should con- tinually reinforce their value to the community and to district residents through cooperation with other local groups — and particularly with schools." Devlin found that, "The commissions I studied that were most effective had someone with design experience on board who could visualize a resident's proposal. Com- missions are effecting change. They are the catalysts, and people need help." For more information or a copy of the handbook which will be available later this year, contact the Connecticut Historical Commission, 59 South Prospect Street, Hart- ford, CT 06106. NAPC Board Members in the News After a lengthy recovery from a serious automobile acci- dent, we are happy to report that Dan Kidd, formerly with the Lincoln, Nebraska Historic Preservation Commission • is now Preservation Planner with the Wichita, Kansas Historic Landmark Preservation Committee. Con- gratulations Dan!