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Commission members. <br />Mrs. DeRose said the minutes did reflect the <br />HPC's attempts to dissuade the owners. <br />Mr. Oxian said, in the past 19 years, no <br />controversy over color had ever arisen. The <br />State Enabling Legislation had granted HPC's the <br />right to control color. However, the South <br />Bend/St. Joseph County HPC had omitted color <br />controls from their ordinance because they were <br />considered too subjective. <br />Mr. Eide thanked Mr. Leyes and Ms. Shaw for <br />their presentation, and expressed sympathy for <br />their concerns. <br />Mrs. Choitz said it was wrong to assume that <br />the HPC had approved the awnings through <br />indifference or ignorance. They had simply been <br />following the standards, as written. The <br />standards should be amended to keep this <br />situation from recurring. She added that, in her <br />experience, only narrow, specific standards were <br />workable. Broad standards caused too much <br />controversy. <br />Mr. Eide agreed that this case seemed to point <br />up a weakness in the standards. While the <br />standards did allow the HPC to legislate the <br />appropriateness of certain minor details, such as <br />the style of a fence, they said nothing about so <br />major a change as front awnings. <br />Mr. Oxian advised Ms. Shaw that district <br />standards could be reviewed every five years. <br />Mr. Leyes asked if anything could be done to <br />get rid of the awnings. Mr. Eide suggested <br />waiting until the house was sold, then asking the <br />new owners to remove them. <br />Mrs. DeRose said it would be unwise for the HPC <br />to reverse a properly -made decision by pressuring <br />the owners to remove the awnings. Any such <br />pressure would have to come from the <br />neighborhood. <br />Mr. Holycross said Mr. Weldy genuinely <br />considered the awnings an improvement to the <br />house. He had rejected alternative proposals <br />when he first applied for the COA. <br />Mr. Eide said the homeowners deserved to be <br />politely informed of their neighbors' grievances. <br />First, a friendly meeting should be <br />arranged --before any petitions were circulated, <br />or the press contacted, etc. <br />VIII. Announcements and Miscellaneous Matters <br />No Report <br />IX. Adjournment <br />The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. <br />11 <br />