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or for such other reason acceptable to the Historic Preservation Commission. Storm damage or diseased trees should then be replaced with
<br />an approved species at the same or approximate location wherever possible.
<br />Fencing visible from the street in front of the structure shall be open (meaning spaces between the pickets) and consistent with the historic
<br />character of a structure enclosed.
<br />Recommended
<br />New site work should be based upon actual knowledge of the past appearance of the property found in photographs, drawings and
<br />newspapers. New site work should also be appropriate to existing surrounding site elements in scale, type and appearance. Front yard areas
<br />should remain open. (See above for information regarding fences.) Trees in close proximity to a building may cause structural damage.
<br />Owners are encouraged to remove these trees and replace (or replant) them at a more appropriate location as soon as planting season permits
<br />and upon approval of a C of A.
<br />Prohibited
<br />No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings or other elements bef ore
<br />evaluating their importance to the property’s history and development. Front yard areas shall not be transformed into parking lots nor paved
<br />nor blacktopped, nor enclosed by solid fences, chain link, nor industrial / commercial style fences.
<br />The installation of unsightly large devices, such as television satellite dishes, skylights or solar panels, shall not be permitted in areas where
<br />they detract from the architecture of a building, are intrusive to the public view of the building or are highly visible from a public street, or
<br />ruled inappropriate after Commission review.
<br />Utility poles with high-intensity overhead lights should be installed so that they cannot be seen from a street. The Commission will evaluate
<br />all installations as well as any potential exceptions resulting from special circumstances, before granting a C of A.
<br />II. EXISTING STRUCTURES
<br />A. BUILDING MATERIALS
<br />Original exterior building materials in the district include brick, stucco, clapboard, wood shingles, and brick or stone masonry. In some
<br />instances, vinyl, composite and aluminum siding have been applied over the original material.
<br />Required
<br />Original exterior building materials shall be retained when possible. Deterioration of wood materials shall be prevented through repair,
<br />cleaning and painting. The existing architectural detail around windows, porches, doors and eaves shall be retained or replaced by replicas of
<br />the same design when deteriorated beyond repair.
<br />Masonry, including brick and stucco structures, shall be maintained, and properly cleaned only when necessary to halt deterioration or to
<br />remove stains and shall be done in a method acceptable for the preservation of the surface: i.e. low-pressure water and soft natural bristle
<br />brushes. Brick or masonry mortar joints should be repointed only when there is evidence of moisture problems, or when sufficient mortar is
<br />missing to allow water to stand in the mortar joint. Existing mortar shall be duplicated in composition, color, texture, joint size, method of
<br />application and joint profile.
<br />When repairing stucco, stucco mixture shall be used. A professional shall make a study of the old stucco, to determine the exact mixture and
<br />underlayment used in the original work. Some repair methods are not compatible with the original techniques and may cause early
<br />disintegration of the repair work and the original work.
<br />Ample ventilation must be afforded the structure when siding is installed, in order to prevent increased deterioration of the structure from
<br />moisture and insects.
<br />Recommended
<br />Whenever possible, the original building materials should be restored. When maintaining or repairing original siding is not feasible,
<br />aluminum, vinyl or composite siding may be used. When used over wood surfaces, this siding should be the same size and style as the
<br />original wood. Every effort should be made to retain the original trim around windows, doors, cornices gables, eaves and other architectural
<br />features.
<br />Property owners should contact the Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County prior to initiating any restoration
<br />or rehabilitation effort. [ Address and contact information is listed in the front of the Guidebook.] The Commission is an invaluable source
<br />of information about all facets of rehabilitation and restoration – materials, methods, contractors and the like.
<br />Prohibited
<br />Wood siding shall not be resurfaced with new materials that is inappropriate or was unavailable when the building was constructed, such as
<br />artificial stone, brick veneer, asbestos or asphalt shingles.
<br />Sandblasting or the use of harsh detergents shall not be used on masonry includi ng brick, stucco, limestone, flagstone and sandstone. This
<br />method of cleaning erodes the surface material and accelerates deterioration.
<br />Repointing shall not be done with a mortar of high Portland cement content which can often create a bond that is stronger than the building
<br />material. Usage of Portland cement can cause deterioration as a result of the differing coefficient of expansion and porosity of the historic
<br />masonry unit and the mortar. This most often results in serious damage to adjacent brick.
<br />Unpainted masonry surfaces shall not be painted unless they had been painted originally. Paint shall not be removed from masonry surfaces
<br />by any means that damage the surface.
<br />Not Recommended
<br />Waterproof or water repellant coatings or surface consolidation treatments should not be used on masonry surfaces unless required to solve a
<br />specific problem that has been studied and identified. Coatings are frequently unnecessary and expensive, and can accelerate deterioration of
<br />the masonry. Mortar joints, which do not need repointing, should not be repointed. Wood siding should not be power-washed.
<br />B. ROOFS AND ROOFING
<br />Roof shapes in the district encompass all the various designs found in residential structures: hipped, gabled, gambrel, flat and combinations
<br />of these. Roofs are covered with a variety of materials such as asphalt, asbestos, wood and slate shingles as well as clay tiles. Residences in
<br />most cases have wood fascias with gutters and downspouts. The fascias of some vinyl- and aluminum-sided houses are covered with the
<br />same materials.
<br />Required
<br />The existing shape and type of materials of the roof shall be retained. All architectural features, which give the roof its essential character,
<br />shall be retained, including dormer windows, cupolas, cornices, brackets, chimneys, cresting and weather vanes.
<br />Recommended
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