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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: March 6, 2008 Application Number: 2008-0306 Property Location: Leeper Park West Property Owner: City of South Bend Landmark or District Designation: Landscape Landmark and on National Register Rating: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT: Leeper Park is a designed landscape located north of the downtown commercial district of the city. The park was designed by renowned landscape designer George Kessler in 1912. According to the text of National Register nomination the Kessler era ranged from 1912-1923; 1924-1940: implementation of the Kessler plan including additions through WPA era improvements. The Kessler Plan also guided the development of active recreation facilities for Leeper Park. In 1915 tennis courts, baseball and football fields and a playground were developed in the western section of the Park. A 1500 foot toboggan run was also a feature of this portion of the park. Leeper Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 APPLICATION ITEMS: Install blower piping (Figure 2 and 3 ) and underground odor control bed to treat sewer gas. Blower to be placed on headworks at river bank, reducing visual impact of existing equipment. (See Diagram) Plant surface odor control bed as flower garden (Figure 1 ). Parks Department will maintain beds. Area will be restored to grass if and When the system is taken out of service. See also accompanying memorandum from SYMBIONT. LEEPER PARK STANDARDS AND CRITERIA: 9.2 Spatial Organization 2.... All views, vistas, landscape spaces located north and east and west of a line designated as the northern fence of the tennis courts located in the western section of Leeper Park shall also be preserved. 9.4 Vegetation (includes Trees, Shrubs, Ground Covers, Hedges, Allees, Fields, Forests, Planting Beds, etc.) 3. Alteration of existing or addition of new vegetation materials and features will be considered if they do not alter the basic concept of the historic landscape design. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of this project. The proposed location of the flower bed is in the same general area as the shrubs and flower bed in the 1938 documentation of Leeper Park West. (Exhibit A). None of the odor abatement system will be above ground in the Park and will be underneath the flower bed planted with shallow rooted annuals. The more noticeable change will be on the River Crossing Headworks for the sewer which will have a 4'x5'x5' blower installation on top of it, but some of the current piping will be eliminated from the headworks.