COA APPLICATION #2020-0302: NORTHERN INDIANA HISTORIC SOCIETY INC. V. SOUTH BEND HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

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1. Views and vistas are among the most important aspects of a landscape, therefore, they should be maintained and preserved. 2. All views, vistas, landscape spaces located in the eastern section and central section of Leeper Park shall be preserved. 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. This shall include the island(s) located in the St. Joseph River and the slough which lies between the island(s) and the mainland. All views, vistas, and landscape spaces shall also include the entirety of the riverbank as well as the area lying between the roadway of Riverside Drive up to and including the riverbank and cut stone wall along the riverbank. 3. Original or later contributing special organizational features shall be retained in their existing configuration and shall be maintained through proper drainage, access and erosion control, pruning and removal of invasive vegetation or otherwise using recognized horticultural and soil management practices. 4. Alteration of existing or addition of new spatial organizational features will be considered if they d not alter the basic concept of the historic landscape design. 5. Deteriorated or missing spatial organizational features shall be replaced with features that match the original in form, shape, color and texture. 6. When replacement of features is necessary, it should be based on physical or documentary evidence. 7. If using the same material is not technically or economically feasible, then compatible substitute materials may be considered. 8. Important visual connections between spaces within the landscape shall be retained by maintaining vegetation, circulation and topography features which contribute to those visual relationships. 9. The historic spatial and functional relationship of circulation systems, water features and structures shall be preserved by maintaining the massing of adjacent vegetation, vistas, or other associated features. 10. Maintenance of removal or, and additions of vegetation materials and elements should consider maintaining existing or intended vistas and spaces, screening intrusions, creating new spaces where appropriate and maintaining defined areas of shade and sun. 11. The form and shape of individual spaces and their associated vertical element shall be retained in order to preserve the historic relationships of the landscape. Examples include the relationship between open fields and hedgerows or the width and length of an allee. 12. Moving or demolishing historic structures that would alter spatial and visual relationships in the landscape shall not be allowed. 13. Construction of new structures that would alter historic spatial and visual relationships in the landscape shall not be allowed. 14. Intrusive views or new construction may be screened with compatible fencing or plant material so long as the screening would not detract from the historic character of the landscape. 9.3 Topography (includes the Shape, Slope, Elevation, Contour of landforms and Ground Plane, etc.) Refer to Sections 9.2, 9.4, 9.5, 9.8, 9.9 and 9.10 for additional Standard and Criteria that may apply.