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/g <br />LEHMAN & LEHMAN <br />Transforming Horizons <br />December 22, 2023 <br />Ms. Sarah Andrews, President <br />Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend & St. Joseph County <br />227 West Jefferson Blvd. <br />South Bend, IN 46601 <br />Reference: Certificate of Appropriateness for Harris Prairie Cemetery Improvements <br />Dear Ms. Andrews: <br />Harris Prairie Cemetery, located at 14500 Adams Road in Granger, IN, is currently owned and managed <br />by Harris Civil Township. Established in 1834, the cemetery is a local historic landmark in St. Joseph <br />County and is also a historic cemetery listed in the Indiana's Cemetery and Burial Grounds Registry of <br />the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The Township is in the early stages of planning <br />improvements to the cemetery to highlight the historical significance of the property, honor those <br />buried there, and to continue to improve the overall aesthetics of the site. Several monuments and <br />headstones were cleaned and repaired again this year and the momentum of this effort will continue <br />with the following proposed and potential improvements: <br />1. Replacement of the existing chain link fence with a new, black ornamental style fence <br />2. Paving and curbing of the existing driveway and creation of a three-car parking area on the <br />south side of the cemetery near the existing storage building <br />3. Creation of a formal entrance with brick columns and potential metal archway <br />4. Installation of up to two (2) granite columbarium on the south side of the cemetery <br />The proposed fencing and decorative columns would be located in the exact location of the current <br />fence and will not impact any known burial plots. Similarly, the new driveway will be paved in the exact <br />location of the existing stone drive and the current width maintained. The proposed columbarium will <br />be located south of all burial plots adjacent to the proposed parking area. A site plan and detailed <br />elevation of the proposed improvements has been included with the Certificate of Appropriateness. <br />On behalf of Ken Lindsay, Harris Township Trustee, and the residents of Harris Township, we are <br />requesting approval of the COA and an invitation to your next meeting for further discussion. If you have <br />any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me at 574-257-0255 or email at <br />mike@landlehman.com . <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />Michael J. Bultinck, PLA <br />Lehman & Lehman, Inc. <br />510 LINCOLNWAY EA ST, SUITE C. MISHAWAKA, IN 46544 TEL 574.257.0255 FAX 574.257.1966 <br />LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING WWW.LEHMANANDLEHMAN.COM