2. Riverside Drive Embankment_COA 2022-0225A

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February 25, 2022 South Bend Historic Preservation Commission 1400S County City Building 227 W. Jefferson Blvd. South Bend Indiana 46601 Subject: Certificate of Appropriateness Applications Dear Historic Preservation Commission, The City of South Bend is submitting two Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) forms for the Riverside Drive Bank Stabilization Project. The first COA is for initial tree removal of 8 trees from the bank before the Indiana Bat Roost Season begins. These initial trees have been identified as having bat habitat potential and will be removed before April 1, 2022 as required by the State of Indiana. The second COA is for the remainder of the bank stabilization work, which includes: additional tree clearing for access, Rock Toe construction up to the ordinary high-water mark of the river, erosion control blanket installation, seeding, and shrubbery planting. The work will occur in late summer 2022. History The 45-foot-tall sandy riverbank between Vassar Avenue and Angela Boulevard along Riverside Drive has eroded more and more over the years. Since my first week on the job in April 2017 with the Engineering Department, I have worked to find funding to address the failing riverbank. The erosion occurs in public right-of-way and across portions of private properties that extend across the street east of Riverside Drive. Each year, the erosion worsens with more trees, roots intact, sliding down the bank into the river. This eroding bank not only damages water quality by introducing significant sediment and nutrient loads into the river but also has the potential for impacting public infrastructure and the adjacent public road, Riverside Drive. I, on behalf of the Engineering Department, have applied for Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Great Lakes Commission Grants to help offset the cost of the bank stabilization. Through 2018 to 2021, the City was awarded funding from these agencies to perform a feasibility analysis, geotechnical investigations, survey, design, construction plans and specifications, and construction for bank stabilization.(1) In coordination with these agencies, the City has hosted several public meetings at the Near Northwest Neighborhood center to engage the public and gain input and interest in the project.(2) Several residents and the District Council Member (at the time), Mr. Tim Scott, attended the meetings, were supportive of the project, and seemed excited for assistance in getting the bank stabilized. With assistance from the City’s legal team, we successfully acquired Right-of-Entry agreements from all landowners impacted by the work, see attached Exhibit A.