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Recommended
<br />Whenever possible, the original features should be restored. Plant materials and trees in close proximity to buildings, sidewalks
<br />or streets that are causing deterioration to those elements should be removed. If erosion control efforts become necessary to
<br />preserve the riverbank, they should involve processes and materials consistent with the natural beauty of the riverbanks. The
<br />development of boatlandings, access points, scenic overlooks or terraces should be done in such a way so as to avoid obstructing
<br />the view of the river and its banks (refer to Appendix A). When new streetlights are installed, an effort should be made to use
<br />reproduction, turn -of -the -century lights.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Existing relationships of buildings and their environments shall not be destroyed through widening existing streets, changing
<br />paving material or by introducing inappropriately located new streets or parking lots incompatible with the character of the
<br />neighborhood. Signs, streetlighting, benches, new plant materials, fencing, walkways and paving materials which are out of
<br />scale or would alter the relationship of the houses and the river shall be prohibited In erosion control efforts to preserve the
<br />riverbank, poured concrete, concrete slabs, concrete buildings or blocks or unsightly materials shall not be used.
<br />B. BUILDING SITE, LANDSCAPING AND ACCESSORIES
<br />Individual properties in the district are characterized by a house located in the center of a long, narrow lot which extends from
<br />Lincolnway to the alley just north of the railroad tracks. The front yards, most of which have sloping embankments to the
<br />sidewalk along Lincolnway, are divided by concrete sidewalks to the front porches. A few of the properties have gravel
<br />driveways, while most are concrete and some are shared driveways between two lots. All of the properties have trees, many have
<br />trimmed shrubbery and hedges. All of the houses conform to a uniform setback line; the buildings in the 1300 block angle to
<br />conform to the curve in the street.
<br />Required
<br />Existing plants, trees, fencing, walkways, streetlights, signs and benches which reflect the properties' history and development
<br />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 />Plant materials in close proximity to the building that are causing deterioration to the building's historic fabric should be
<br />removed.
<br />Prohibited
<br />No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing old plants, trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings and other
<br />elements before evaluating their importance to the property's history and development. Front yard areas shall not be •
<br />transformed into parking lots, paved, blacktopped or fenced
<br />VI. ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
<br />Enforcement of the preservation guidelines for the historic district is made possible in the Zoning Ordinance of South Bend,
<br />ordinance No. 5565-73. The Historic Preservation Commission shall issue a Certificate of Appropriateness before
<br />commencement of any construction, reconstruction, alteration, demolition or moving of any house or structure within the historic
<br />district boundaries (see Appendix A). This ordinance, however, does not prevent the ordinary maintenance and repair of any
<br />building or structure which does not involve a change in any exterior feature, nor does it prevent the reconstruction, alteration,
<br />demolition or moving of any building or structure which the Building Commissioner or other official has determined to be a
<br />hazard to public safety.
<br />The Historic Preservation Commission will accept applications for Certificates of Appropriateness only from the property owner.
<br />Property owners wishing to do, or have done, any work affecting the exterior of their building or land must apply directly to the
<br />Historic Preservation Commission on the form prescribed by the Commission (see Appendix A). The Commission will review
<br />the application and either issue a Certificate of Appropriateness or else deny the application, stating in writing the reasons for
<br />such denial. Upon such denial, the applicant may appeal to the Common Council.
<br />In making its determination, the Historic Preservation Commission shall consider three factors: first, appropriateness of the
<br />proposed work to the preservation of the building and district; second, the detriment to the public welfare if the proposed work is
<br />permitted even though it is not deemed appropriate; third, the potential hardship that the denial of the Certificate of
<br />Appropriateness would cause the applicant.
<br />Where the Historic Preservation Commission deems it necessary, the commission may petition the Common Council for a
<br />temporary delay in the issuance of the required permit(s) for proposed construction, reconstruction, alteration, demolition or
<br />moving for the purpose of preparing an historic preservation plan for a building or district. Such a request shall be for a specified
<br />period of time. In no case may the delay granted by the Common Council exceed one (1) year, but the commission may petition
<br />the Common Council for a continuance of any such delay in accordance with the same procedure as for the initial petition. The
<br />Historic Preservation Commission may petition the Building Commissioner to use the legal means available to him / her to force
<br />the maintenance and / or repair of any building or structure within the historic district in accordance with the intent of this •
<br />ordinance.
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