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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Application Number: Property Location: 2000-0523 1712 East Wayne Street Property Owner: Anne Riordan/Don Wisniewski Landmark or District Designation: LHD-EW Rating: S/11 Key Number: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT This Tudor Revival style residence was built in 1928 for Phero Fergus, a lawyer, and his wife, Stell. They resided at this address until 1934 when the house was sold to Howard and Lucille Brotherson. Howard was the secretary -treasurer for F & S Transit Company. He and his wife lived in this house for twenty-one years, selling it in 1955 to the First Christian Church of South Bend as a rectory. The church retained ownership of the property until 1961 when it was sold to Max R. and Shirley Siekman. Max was the resident manager and vice president of Newhar, Cook Company Inc., Stockbrokers. He lived in this house with his wife until his death in 1977. Mrs. Siekman continued to reside here until 1981 when she sold the property to James Cook, a salesman and his wife, Sheila. Mr. Cook only owned the house for two years, selling it in 1983 to Jeffery Kantor, a professor at Notre Dame, and his wife, Diane. The Kantor's owned the house until 1996 when they sold it to the current owners, Anne Riordan and Don Wisniewski. RECOMMENDATION The East Wayne Street Local Historic District guidelines follow the rehabilitation model. The applicant is proposing to install 38 feet of cedar fencing, bordering the west property line, from the neighbors (1708 E. Wayne) garage to their house. The fence will begin at the garage as a six-foot tall board on board privacy fence and will gradually decrease in height to a four -foot tall homestead style gate. The proposed fence will continue an existing rear yard fence, allowing more privacy between the neighbors garage and driveway and the property owners backyard. The proposed location is barely visible from the street and the decreasing of the height of the fence toward the house will limit any visual impact the fence may have. The staff finds the proposed fence and gate to be with in the guidelines and thus recommends approval with the recommendation that shrubbery be planted between the fence and driveway to further soften the visual impact when looking down the driveway from the street.