There is more than meets the eye to a proposal for an opinion vote on the Clarkston Historic District Commission.

The language on the ballot reads: “Should the city charter be amended by adding a new Chapter XVI to apply requirements to the Historic District Commission (HDC), more clearly specify the commission’s powers and procedures, and provide controls for commission expenditures and enforcement actions?”

The proposal, written by Clarkston residents Richard and Susan Bisio, is actually a four-page, 5,300-word, 13-section “chapter” that would become a permanent addition to the city charter if approved.

“We think there should be clearer specifications and limits on what the Clarkston Historic District Commission can regulate and how it can spend citizens’ tax dollars,” Bisio wrote of the proposal on his personal blog. “Citizens for a Sensible Historic District Commission are requesting a charter amendment that would do that.”

City council member Peg Roth gave a simpler explanation behind the proposal.

“Basically it says that HDC needs to curb the way they deal with people and they need to be more considerate,” she said.

Commissioner Lisa Patercsak sees it differently.

“It would hand over control of the … commission to the city council,” Patercsak said. “They want the city council to have control over the historic district and all agencies over all actions in the district instead of the commission that has been in place for over 50 years.”

The commission consists of five Clarkston volunteers who review applications and approve or deny exterior alterations to structures to protect local heritage. The district includes over 100 structures in the half-square-mile city of Clarkston.

The commission is currently governed by the state Local Historic Districts Act (LHDA) which also applies to 82 other historic districts.

According to George Elworth, assistant attorney general for the state’s Division of Operations, the proposed amendment violates the LHDA and violates state law.