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of the roof. I will point out that the brick porch may be an addition as it is the only brick part of the house and it does not tie into
<br />the house proper. The porch sits higher than others in the neighborhood. The owner plans to make necessary missing mortar
<br />repairs. •
<br />Steve Szaday, Preservation Inspector
<br />STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES. RIVER BEND:
<br />I. THE ENVIRONMENT
<br />A. IN THE DISTRICT ENVIRONMENT
<br />The district is characterized by its proximity to downtown South Bend and its location adjacent to Leeper Park and along the St.
<br />Joseph River. The district encompasses: two blocks of Riverside Drive beginning at Marion Street (from 503 Riverside Drive
<br />north) and ending at Bartlett Street; two lots on the north side of Navarre street just west of the alley behind Riverside Drive; the
<br />north side of Hammond Place; the east side of St. Joseph Street between Hammond Place and Bartlett Street; and the south side
<br />of Bartlett Street between St. Joseph and Riverside Drive. The District contains 45 residences and their adjacent outbuildings.
<br />Required
<br />Distinctive existing features such as parks, gardens, streetlights, fences, signs, walkways, streets, alleys and building setbacks
<br />shall be retained. New plant materials, fencing, walkways, streetlights, signs and benches shall be compatible with the
<br />character of the neighborhood in size, scale, material and color. Street lighting should be maintained at levels recommended by
<br />the Illumination Engineering Society. Sources and light posts should be uniform throughout the District. Lamp fixtures and
<br />supporting posts must be similar in proportion, scale and detail to existing historic lamps (see appendix). Streetlights should be
<br />placed so that adequate illumination is afforded all sections of the public sidewalks. Removal of shade trees over twelve inches
<br />(12") diameter, conifer trees over six inches (6") in diameter or other major plant elements shall be subject to approval by the
<br />Historic Preservation Commission. Any subsequent replacement trees of any size required by the Historic Preservation
<br />Commission shall be retained. The Riverfront character of the district shall be retained.
<br />Recommended
<br />Whenever possible, the original features should be restored. Plant materials and trees in close proximity to buildings or streets
<br />that are causing deterioration to those elements should be removed. Do not dump leaves and grass clippings on planted slopes as
<br />this practice will kill much of the low ground cover and leave soil susceptible to erosion. When replacement of utility poles or
<br />power lines is necessary, consideration should be given to underground conduits or utility poles erected along property lines.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Existing relationships of buildings and their environments shall not be destroyed through widening or closing of existing streets
<br />and alleys or by introducing new streets, alleys or parking lots. Signs, streetlights, benches, new plant materials, fencing,
<br />walkways and paving materials which are out of scale or inappropriate to the neighborhood may not be used The erection of
<br />high walls or barriers which would alter the relationship of the houses and the river is prohibited The introduction of heavy
<br />trucks or similar vehicles in the District shall be prohibited. Utility poles with high intensity overhead lights shall not be used on
<br />main thoroughfares.
<br />B. BUILDING SITE, LANDSCAPING, & ACCESSORIES
<br />Individual properties in the district are characterized by a house located near the front of each lot, with a small lawn in front and a
<br />larger lawn to the rear of the property. Those properties facing the river on Riverside Drive generally have sloping front lawns
<br />and flat back yards. The majority of structures have been erected on a single lot. Many of the properties include a garage located
<br />at the rear of the property accessed from unpaved alleys running behind the property. Most properties have trees, shrubbery
<br />and/or hedges. All houses conform to the uniform set -back within each block. The district has a compact layout. Large homes are
<br />constructed on small lots while smaller homes, such as those on Hammond Place, are constructed on narrow, deep lots. Little of
<br />the backyard areas or rear first stories of these homes is visible from the thoroughfare. In recognition of this, greater latitude will
<br />be allowed in the application of the adopted standards in the rear of the properties, in order to accommodate the individual
<br />preferences of the property owners in the treatment of these backyard areas. No approval will be necessary for changes in lawn,
<br />shrubs, walkways or semi-permanent surface changes in the rear of houses. Staff approval would be required for semi-permanent
<br />structures such as gazebos, but not for play equipment such as swing sets, sand -boxes, etc.
<br />Required
<br />Plants, trees, fencing, walkways, private yard lights, signs (house numbers) and benches which reflect the properties' history and
<br />development shall be retained.
<br />Recommended
<br />New site work should be based upon actual knowledge of the past appearance of the property found in photographs, drawings
<br />and newspapers. New site work should be appropriate to existing surrounding site elements in scale, type and appearance.
<br />Accessory structures such as decks, gazebos, fountains, or small outbuildings should be appropriate to surrounding site elements
<br />in scale, type and appearance. Plant materials in close proximity to the buildings and which are causing deterioration to the
<br />building's historic fabric should be removed and replaced by more suitable flora as approved by the Historic Preservation
<br />Commission.
<br />Prohibited
<br />No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings or other site elements
<br />before evaluating their importance to the property's history and development. Front yard areas shall not be transformed into
<br />parking lots nor paved nor blacktopped. Front yard areas shall not be fenced, or fences shall not extend forward beyond the
<br />setback line of the property. Telephone or utility poles with high intensity overhead lights should be installed so that they cannot •
<br />be seen from the thoroughfare. The installation of unsightly, large devices such as television satellite dishes shall not be permitted
<br />in areas where they can be viewed from the public thoroughfare.
<br />II. EXISTING STRUCTURES
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