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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 18 <br />Residential Standards: Porches <br />Enclose an existing porch <br />• Porches on the front of the house should not be enclosed . <br />• Screening with narrow wood-framed screening or clear glass may be acceptable. <br />• Screens or glass should be set back from porch columns and balustrade, so the porch still appears as a porch, not as an enclosed room . <br />Install lighting or ceiling fans <br />• Decorative lights should be a design that suits the building, limited in number, and located near the front door . <br />• General lighting and security cameras should be sized and located to be as unnoticeable as possible . <br />• Ceiling fan style should complement the building and should not have lights attached . <br />The following is not recommended and generally not approved by the Commission: <br />• Replacing balusters with contemporary deck railing panels . <br />• Replacing original porch details with materials from an earlier or later period of construction . <br />• Installation of a modern, pressure-treated deck on the front of the house. <br />• Pergolas over the front entrance . <br />• Replacing steps with a different material, such as replacing wood steps with brick. <br />• Vinyl lattice used as porch apron to screen the area underneath the porch . <br /> Return to the Table of Contents <br />Administratively Approvable <br />Porch rebuilt using approved <br />materials to exactly match a <br />documented historic porch.