HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.15.25 PC Agenda Packet (revised)
Tim Corcoran
Planning Director
City Hall
215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Suite 500
South Bend, IN 46601
(574) 235-7627
www.southbendin.gov/zoning
City of South Bend
PLAN COMMISSION
Brian Killen
Zoning Administrator
Francisco Fotia
Commission President
AGENDA
Monday, December 15, 2025 - 4:00 P.M. City Hall Third-Floor Council Chambers https://www.southbendin.gov/sbpc
Meeting Recordings- https://tinyurl.com/Plan-Commission2025
PUBLIC HEARING:
A.REZONING - None for consideration
B.MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS - None for consideration
C.DEVELOPMENT PLANS
1. PC#0289-25 - A RESOLUTION OF THE PLAN COMMISSION OF THE CITYOF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE LASALLEPARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
D.TEXT AMENDMENTS
1. PC#0273-25 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITYOF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE SOUTHBEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO MAKE MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES FORCLARIFICATION AND CONSISTENCY TO SIMPLIFY DEVELOPMENTPROCESS AND TO ACHIEVE HIGHER QUALITY DEVELOPMENT
ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A PUBLIC HEARING:
A.MINOR SUBDIVISIONS - None for consideration
B.FINDINGS OF FACT – November 17, 2025
C. MINUTES – November 17, 2025
D.UPDATES FROM STAFF – 2026 Calendar
E.ADJOURNMENT
City Hall
215 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
Suite 500
South Bend, IN 46601
(574)235-7627
www.southbendin.gov/zoning
City of South Bend
PLAN COMMISSION
Tim Corcoran
Planning Director
Brian Killen
Zoning Administrator
Frank Fotia
Commission President
NOTICE FOR HEARING AND SIGN IMPAIRED PERSONS Auxiliary Aid or other services may be available upon request at no charge. Please give reasonable advance request when possible.
Appointing Agency Term Start Term End
Council Appointee Until reappointed
Venues, Parks and Arts Appointee Until reappointed
City Engineer Appointee Until reappointed
Bureau of Public Works Appointee Until reappointed
Mayoral Appointee 9/23/2022 12/31/2025
Mayoral Appointee 1/1/2024 12/31/2027
Mayoral Appointee 5/14/2024 12/31/2027
Mayoral Appointee 8/28/2025 12/31/2028
Commissioner
Dr. Oliver Davis
John Martinez
Rebecca Plantz
Scott Ford
Francisco Fotia
Caitlin Stevens
Tyler Gillean
Maureen Miller
Taylor Lewis Mayoral Appointee 9/15/2025 12/31/2028
SOUTH BEND PLAN COMMISSION Page 1 of 1
Staff Report – PC#0289-25 December 15, 2025
Requested Action
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLAN COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA,
APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE LASALLE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
Project Summary
The planning area for the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan is generally bounded by the Railroad
Tracks to the north, Meade Street to the east, Sheridan Street to the west, and Western Street to
the south.
The City of South Bend developed this plan through a process that engaged residents, businesses,
institutions, government agencies, and other neighborhood stakeholders. The planning process
included online surveys, key stakeholder interviews, and in-person workshops that gathered critical
information about the LaSalle Park Neighborhood’s existing conditions, needs, and opportunities.
This engagement provided the basis for this plan.
The Neighborhood Plan contains a list of LaSalle Park Neighborhood project ideas which may be
pursued by the City, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector over the next 20 years. The timing
and scale of each project will be subject to funding and additional community engagement. Projects
may change as the neighborhood and city evolves. The plan includes proposed streetscape
improvements, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, redevelopment of vacant lots for housing, added
amenities to the neighborhood's park, and updates to the zoning map and an implementation matrix for
proposed action items and projects.
Recommendation
Staff Recommendation: Based on the information available prior to the public hearing, the staff recommends the Commission adopt the Resolution.
RESOLUTION NO. _______
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLAN COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE LA SALLE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WHEREAS, the City of South Bend, Indiana, recognizes the need to improve and revitalize the LaSalle Park neighborhood through strategic planning; and WHEREAS, the South Bend Plan Commission is empowered to prepare, approve, and certify a Comprehensive Plan for its area of jurisdiction by the provisions of Indiana Code, Section 36-7-4-500 et.
seq. entitled “500 Series – Comprehensive Plan”; and WHEREAS, in 2006, City Plan, the Comprehensive Plan for South Bend, was adopted by the
Area Plan Commission of South Bend-St. Joseph County and the Common Council of the City of South Bend pursuant to the provisions of Indiana Code 36-7-4-500 et. seq. as a statement of policy for the land use development of the jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, Policy LU 1.1 of City Plan is to pursue the development of area-specific plans; and WHEREAS, the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan is a strategic revitalization plan that was created with input from a variety of stakeholders, including residents and property owners, and area businesses and other organizations; and WHEREAS, the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan contains revitalization strategies, detailed land use and zoning plans for the development of the area, and a strategic implementation matrix, all with public and private sector investment opportunities; and
WHEREAS, the South Bend Plan Commission and the legislative body in preparing and considering land use proposals are tasked under Indiana Code 36-7-4-603 to pay reasonable regard to: (1) the comprehensive plan; (2) current conditions and the character of current structures and uses in each district; (3) the most desirable use for which the land in each district is adapted; (4) the conservation of property values throughout the jurisdiction; and (5) responsible development and growth; and
WHEREAS, the South Bend Plan Commission has reviewed the land use development and potential future development of the LaSalle Park Neighborhood as defined by the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan.
- 2 -
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the South Bend Plan Commission as follows: 1. That the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan, which is attached to and made a part of this
Resolution, is approved as the land use policy for the future land use development of the area considered and is submitted to the South Bend Common Council for their consideration and action.
2. That the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan conforms to the plan of development for the City. 3. That the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan is in all respects approved, certified, ratified and confirmed. 4. That the Secretary of the Plan Commission is hereby directed to file a copy of the Plan with the minutes of this public meeting. 5. That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the South Bend Plan Commission.
Passed by the South Bend Plan Commission this ________ day of___________, 2025.
__________________________________ Francisco Fotia, President
South Bend Plan Commission ATTEST: __________________________________ Brian Killen Secretary South Bend Plan Commission
LASALLE PARKNeighborhood Plan
Draft Version: December 2025
Acknowledgments
James Mueller, Mayor of the City of South Bend
Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers, City Council Member, 2nd District
A special thanks to all the residents and area organizations that shared their
thoughts and vision for the future of the LaSalle Park Neighborhood.
Department of Community Investment
Caleb Bauer, Executive Director of Community Investment
Tim Corcoran, Director of Planning & Community Resources
Michael Divita, Principal Planner
Chris Dressel, Senior Planner
Hannah Sherinian, Planner
Angela Rose, Senior Planner
Chaise Cope, Senior Planner
Planning Consultant
Torti Gallas + Partners
Fabrick Design
Table ofContents
08 Planning Area
09 Existing Conditions
12 Neighborhood Character
14 Neighborhood Data
16 Land Use Timeline
Neighborhood Background
Streets & Transportation
46 Streetscape Improvements & Traffic Calming
48 Bicycle Improvements
Built Form & Zoning
52 Built Form & Zoning
55 Proposed Zoning Map
56 Building Types
Implementation Matrix
What is a Plan?
03 What is a Plan?
04 Neighborhood Planning Principles
20 Planning Process & Engagement
22 What We Heard
Plan Process & Engagement
26 Neighborhood Plan Graphic & Focus Areas
28 Planning Project Areas
38 Housing Strategies & Housing Study
40 Parks & Trails
41 Sustainability
42 Tree Canopy
Neighborhood Plan
60 Implementation Strategies
Public Sector
The city is responsible for all things in the
public domain. This includes building and
maintaining streets, parks, public utilities,
and public safety.
Private Sector
The private sector is reponsible
for building housing, opening and
operating businesses, and making the
investments shown on private property.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: What is a Plan?4
A neighborhood plan is a shared statement about the
desired long-term future for an area and a strategy
to reach those goals. Developed through a public
engagement process, a plan is a guide for:
• Making decisions about what kind of development
and services are appropriate,
• How resources should be allocated, and
• How issues residents, business and property owners,
and others in the neighborhood are concerned about
could be addressed.
Created in the context of the needs and priorities of the
larger region, a neighborhood plan focuses on assets and
challenges unique to that specific area. Neighborhood
plans seek to create a more livable place that is attractive,
healthy, equitable, and sustainable for current and future
generations.
Once adopted, a neighborhood plan becomes official city
policy as an amendment to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
Neighborhood plans typically identify strategies to be
implemented over the next 20+ years for the following
topics:
• Public facilities and infrastructure (including parks,
streets, sidewalks, bicycle facilities, lighting, and
utilities),
• Housing (types, condition, and affordability),
• Zoning (building types and design, density, and
locations for residential, commercial, industrial, and
mixed-use development), and
• Other matters important to the neighborhood.
What does a plan include?
Who is a plan for?
Neighborhood Residents
can use the plan to understand proposed initiatives in the short,
medium, and long terms.
Developers, Builders, and Other Individuals
will use the plan to help determine the type, scale, intensity,
and location of projects.
Public Officials and Community Leaders
can use the plan to direct funding and to make decisions on
zoning and development issues.
City Staff
will use the plan to understand key neighborhood issues and as
a guide to implementing priority projects and initiatives.
How is a plan used?
A neighborhood plan provides a broad framework for future
initiatives, and it serves as a starting point for more detailed
planning and public engagement as individual projects are
pursued. A plan will continually evolve to meet the changing
needs of the community.
The maps, diagrams, photographs, and other graphics
presented within a neighborhood plan are for illustrative
purples only. The images are not intended to represent the
exact results expected from the implementation of the plan,
but they provide a general representation of development
principles, desired building types, land use, infrastructure, and
other elements that the plan establishes.
The specific scope, final form, and timing of neighborhood plan
initiatives will depend on market demand, the interest of private
organizations and individuals, available resources, and direction
from further public engagement.
What is a Plan?
PARTNERSHIP
Working together, we can make a great neighborhood
5 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: What is a Plan?
The characteristics described below serve as the guiding principles for the development of the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan.
Urban Attractive Healthy Equitable Sustainable12345
Neighborhood Planning Principles
Western Avenue.Sheridan Street.
The neighborhood’s physical
environment is thoughtfully
managed to make it desirable,
competitive, and vibrant. The
neighborhood features well
maintained buildings and properties,
safe streets for all users, quality
public spaces, and a memorable,
unique identity.
The neighborhood encourages an
active lifestyle for residents and
visitors, regardless of age or ability,
through engaging open spaces and
comfortable transportation options.
Nutritious, fresh, and affordable food
is accessible. The neighborhood is
free of pollution that would notably
impact its residents.
The neighborhood’s housing
accommodates the unique needs,
desires, and income levels of all
households. Historic disinvestment
is addressed through zoning reform
and increased private and public
investment promoting recovery.
The neighborhood fully uses its
existing infrastructure, preserves
and reuses structures of historical
and/or architectural significance,
implements sensible environmental
policies, and is committed to
reducing its carbon footprint. The
neighborhood is resilient, including
by being prepared for the effects of
climate change.
The neighborhood is walkable,
has a network of well-connected
streets and blocks, and a variety of
public spaces. It contains a range
of housing types that draws people
from all economic levels. Amenities
such as stores, schools, healthcare,
entertainment, parks, cultural
institutions, and places of worship are
within a convenient distance.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background6
7 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background
NEIGHBORHOOD BACKGROUND
Neighborhood Land Use Timeline • Planning Area • Existing Conditions • Neighborhood Data • Neighborhood Character
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection 8
Grand Kankakee Marsh
The Great North-South Continental Divide (aka
the “Midwest continental divide”) that separates
the Great Lakes watershed from the south Atlantic
Ocean watershed also runs through South Bend and
LaSalle Park. To the north of the divide, the St. Joseph
River empties into Lake Michigan, and to the south,
the Kankakee River flows towards the Mississippi River.
The Kankakee had a meandering course, nearly 240
miles long, through surrounding wetlands known as
the Grand Kankakee Marsh. With headwaters at South
Bend, the “Everglades of the North” covered over 5,300
square miles from current day South Bend westward
into Illinois; perhaps the largest inland marsh wetland in
the US.
Neighborhood Landuse Timeline
16791600
Fur Trade & French Settlement
The Kankakee River served as major route for Native
Americans and early settlers, notably French fur
trappers. South Bend and Lasalle Park were once part
of a major route used by Native Americans and French
explorers to connect the Great Lakes and the Gulf of
Mexico via an overland canoe portage between the
Kankakee and St. Joseph rivers. On December 3, 1679,
with a group of 40, French explorer LaSalle headed
south from Fort Miami (St. Joseph, Michigan), canoeing
up the St. Joseph River to a portage at present-day
South Bend.
They crossed through the LaSalle Park area to the
Kankakee River and followed it to the Illinois River
eventually reaching Peoria, Illinois. Broader European
settlement followed, led by the English and French.
Lasalle’s Landing is commemorated on the west bank
of the St. Joseph River, just east of where Pinhook Park
is today.
1000 BC
Native Tribes
By the 1600’s. Native American groups, primarily the
Miami and later the Potawatomi, had been living in the
St. Joseph River Valley for centuries before European
settlement began. The Miami tribe was an indigenous
group near southern Lake Michigan, settling in a
village along the St. Joseph River. Later, the St. Joseph
Potawatomi became the primary inhabitants, occupying
the region along the St. Joseph River for a significant
period, drawn to its rich resources.
The following timeline highlights the multi-century
evolution of the LaSalle Park Neighborhood. Focusing
on the geological, cultural, and land use history allows
for a deeper understanding of the current conditions of
the neighborhood.
Overview
9 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection
Kankakee Marsh Drained
Soon after the Civil War ended, a 50-plus year ditching
effort cut 250 meandering river miles, waterways,
and small tributaries down to 90 straightened miles
destroying 95% of the habitat. In 1884, meetings were
held by landowners in South Bend to discuss the
drainage of the marsh. The upper river was also highly
channelized with levees to allow easier transport of
cut timber from the wetlands to sawmills downstream.
Following increased settlement and agricultural
development, the Marsh was eventually reduced to
roughly 10% of its original size.
Neighborhood Landuse Timeline
18381628-1830s 1860-1900
Indian Removal Act
A series of land cession treaties made between 1795
and 1846 led to the removal of most of the native tribes
from Indiana. The Potawatomi and Miami removals
in the 1830s and 1840s were more gradual and
incomplete, and not all of Indiana’s Native Americans
voluntarily left the state. In 1838 nearly a thousand
Potawatomi people were forcibly removed from
South Bend, pushed to reservations in Kansas on the
Potawatomi Trail of Death. The Pokagon band was not
forcibly removed because of affiliation with the Catholic
Church. The Miami were the last to be removed from
Indiana in 1846, but many were permitted to remain
under land treaties.
Colonial & Intertribal Wars
Fueled by the fur trade competition and occupation by
the Iroquois, the Miami tribe fled to northern Indiana.
The Miami asked for aid from others and a large force
gathered to track down and ambush the Iroquois
near South Bend, leaving a large part of the region
depopulated.
After the retreat of the Iroquois, the Potawatomi
became the largest tribal population in the area. In
1681 La Salle negotiated a treaty with the Miami and
Illinois tribes. The French and 39 Indian chiefs signed
the Great Peace of Montreal in 1701. The Miami tribe
returned to take control of Indiana and northwest Ohio.
The Potawatomi went to Michigan. Peace lasted into
the 1720s.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection 10
Housing Development
As South Bend’s industries converted their production
during wartime era, much of the labor inside these
factories came from Eastern Europeans and US
southerners fleeing violence and poverty.
Driven in part by protests in other parts of the city and
despite petitions against additional segregated housing
in the area, LaSalle Park was designated as the site for
temporary federal housing for African Americans to
house the increased workforce. In 1944, construction
began on 3100 and 3200 blocks of West Washington
Street (present day LaSalle Park) resulting in twenty
white cinder block duplexes that came to be known
as “the barracks”. The neighborhood strengthened as
a major settlement area for African Americans over the
next decade.
1943-1952
By 1900, South Bend, Indiana, was a thriving industrial
hub thanks to its strategic location, waterpower from
the St. Joseph River, and the presence of prominent
manufacturers like Studebaker and the Oliver Chilled
Plow Works. Many key industries that started or
relocated to the broader LaSalle Park area included
Bendix Corporation, Singer Company, and the
Malleable Steel Range Manufacturing Company. To
accommodate the surrounding industrial growth with a
new sewer installation in 1927, Beck’s Lake was drained
to a depth of 18 inches.
As the former marsh waterways dried, some small
lakes appeared in the late 19th century amidst the
former marsh bottom. Formerly known as LaSalle
Lake, Kankakee Lake then Stanfield Lake, Beck’s
Lake first appeared on a 1863 land survey. It was soon
identified as one of the clearest ice sources in the
region and became a key source for ice harvesting
into the early 20th century. This led to it being named
after George Beck of the George Beck and Sons Ice
Harvesting Company.
1900-19301880
Industrialization & GrowthBeck’s Lake Emerged
Neighborhood Landuse Timeline
11 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection
Blighted Conditions Exposed
1967
Unregulated Trash Dumping
From the 1930s until the 1950s, part of LaSalle Park
was occupied by Beck’s Lake Dump. The dump
was suspected to contain industrial waste including
asbestos, plating and paint waste, solvents and oils,
and arsenic-contaminated foundry sand from Bendix
Corporation and others. The city acquired the site
in 1947 and it closed in 1953 but Illegal dumping
continued for many years following. The area would
be transitioned into a city park property over the
next decade, but any environmental site assessment
was probably nonexistent given the regulations and
requirements of the era.
1947-1953
In 1961 the South Bend Urban Redevelopment
Commission initially unveils a 200-acre urban renewal
plan impacting 800 homes, with 150 to be demolished.
Community opposition leads to a revised plan in 1964
with fewer demolitions and a new community center
facility (the future Charles Black Center). The 1.1 million
budget includes relocation of 133 families that would
still temporarily lose their homes.
1961-1966
Urban Renewal Plan Debated
Residents first organized their response to worsening
conditions in 1959 by delivering a petition to the
City’s Board of Public Works asking for paved streets,
sidewalks, and sewer improvements. By 1963,
dilapidated housing conditions were gaining wider
community awareness. Prompted by an invitation from
local neighborhood leaders, the South Bend Tribune’s
publishes a front-page story exposing the squalid
living conditions noting, “World War II worker housing
carved up into duplexes and overrun with families, filth
and vermin long overdue for any type of clearance”.
The “barracks” housing that were constructed 20 years
prior had fallen into disrepair and the City of South
Bend was the landlord.
Neighborhood Landuse Timeline
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection 12
LaSalle Park Homes
The Greater South Bend Housing Corp began
construction of LaSalle Park Homes in 1968 by Corp
added 150 units of housing by 1974. Originally a
non-profit organization providing affordable rental
housing to low-income families and the elderly, the
development provided new housing for some of those
displaced by the ongoing renewal program.
1968 - 1974
Civil Unrest & Street Alteration Urban Renewal Disconnection & Demolition
Fueled by years of tension from a lack of investment
and unfulfilled promises by city leaders in an
atmosphere reflecting the national civil unrest, violence
arose on July 25 and 26 1967. Roving gangs taunting
residents were met by rock throwing. Altercations
between police and African American youths at a
neighborhood center in the 2900 Block of Western
Avenue, led to police firing into the building striking
one youth. A second youth struck by police gunfire later
suffered an amputated leg. The violence also resulted
in property damage and numerous arrests.
1967 1968-1977
The Urban Renewal Plan for the neighborhood
included an alteration of the neighborhood street grid
and reduce vehicle access. The addition of cul-de-
sacs would permanently disconnect four north south
streets (Bendix, Kentucky, Lake and Chicago) from
Western Avenue. The logic of the plan was to increase
public safety by preventing access at non signalized
intersections within the neighborhood but was also
viewed as a way to improve police surveillance of the
area. These changes reportedly weren’t supported by
all as the cul-de-sac proposed for Wellington Street
was cancelled following opposition.
Neighborhood Landuse Timeline
13 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection
Beginning of LaSalle Park and
Restoration of Beck’s Lake
Transformed from a one-time dump site with addition
of 10,000 cubic yards of fill and soil the 32-acre LaSalle
Park is established in 1961. The park included athletic
fields, a playground area, shelter house, and a wooded
picnic area to the east.
The LaSalle Recreation Center opened in 1967
providing spaces for a variety of recreation plus locker
rooms, lounges, storage, activity and other meeting
spaces. The center was re-named in honor of former
center director Charles Black in 1999.
At the urging of residents, Beck’s Lake is restored
in 1969. The 8-acre excavated site would serve as
storm/surface water retention pond. A sledding hill is
also constructed on the western edge of Beck’s Lake
constructed either of fill dirt, demolition debris, or both.
EPA Clean-up
In 1984 the Bendix Corporation informed the EPA
of past dumping activities, and it begins testing
activities making periodic assessments initially
concluding that no further action is warranted. In 2009,
the EPA conducted an expanded site inspection,
finding elevated levels of arsenic and other known
contaminants which results in the EPA adding Beck’s
Lake to its national list of “Superfund” sites in 2013
leading to a remediation strategy. The City and
Honeywell (the corporate descendant of Bendix)
entered into an agreement to study and determine
the extent of contamination and identify plans for
remediation. The EPA announced an agreement with
Honeywell and the City for short-term clean-up. In
2022, the top two feet of soil was removed and refilled
with new soil within designated areas.
In 2002, the Weed and Seed plan articulated a vision
for the future, goals to make the vision a reality, and
addressed key restoration needs of the neighborhood
over the next ten years. Recommendations included
supporting new owner-occupied housing and
improving the park. Additionally, the 2014 West Side
Main Streets plan, which was focused on mainly
corridors and public spaces, outlined a vision for
an expanded LaSalle Park. The plan also looked
for opportunities to stabilize the neighborhood
with additional new residential and/or rehabilitated
residential. A series of streetscape improvements
along the Western Avenue commercial corridor were
completed in 2015, 2017, and in 2019.
Charles Black Center improvements were completed
in 2018 to accommodate a wide range of programing
activities followed by a 2-million-dollar renovation
to LaSalle Park adding several new outdoor features
including new paths, a roller-skating loop, new shaded
seating areas, a second pavilion and picnic area.
1961- 1969 1980-2000 2000-Current
Investing into the Future
Neighborhood Landuse Timeline
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background14
The planning area for the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan is generally
bounded by railroad tracks to the north, Meade Street to the east, Sheridan
Street to the west, and Western Avenue to the south.
Planning Area
Neighborhood Boundary Map.Neighborhood Context Map.
Planning Area Boundary
Sheridan StreetSheridan StreetMeade StreetMeade StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetJefferson BoulevardJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetKaley StreetIllinois StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetLiberty StreetColfax AvenueColfax Avenue
15 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background
Existing Conditions
Charles Black Community Center:
Neighborhood hub offering daily
programs, gymnasium, community
rooms, computer lab, music room,
weight room, and game room
Cul-de-sac Streets: Chicago, Lake,
Kentucky, and Bendix have no vehicle
access to Western Avenue
Washington Street: Primary east-
west street in neighborhood. Subject
to flooding near Beck’s Lake. Key bike
route through the neighborhood
Minor StreetMajor Street Disconnected Streets Landmark
Wooded Area: Industrial buildings and
undeveloped land
LaSalle Park Homes: 150-unit multi
family affordable housing development
Confusing Intersection: Unclear traffic
control at Colfax, Meade, and Kaley
Disconnected Street: Jefferson
Boulevard is split into four sections
Western Avenue: Major east-west
street. Mixed-use neighborhood center
with recent streetscape improvements
Railroad Tracks: Busy rail line with
limited crossings
LaSalle Park: Large city park with
recent improvements: paths, roller
skating loop, pavilions, soccer fields,
basketball courts, and Beck’s Lake
Linden Avenue: High-speed street with
missing sidewalks
Below 710’ Elevation: Higher
frequency of vacant lots in this area
Meade StreetMeade StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetJefferson BoulevardJefferson Boulevard
Charles Black Charles Black
Community CenterCommunity Center
LaSalle ParkLaSalle Park
Harrison Harrison Elementary SchoolElementary School
LaSalle Park LaSalle Park HomesHomes
William C. Ellison Apartments William C. Ellison Apartments
William C. Ellison Apartments: 42-unit
senior apartment building
Amtrak Station: The train station
for South Bend, offering four daily
departures
Olive Street: Major north-south street
with no direct connection to LaSalle
Park NeighborhoodKaley StreetKaley StreetSheridan StreetSheridan StreetColfax AvenueColfax Avenue
Low Lying Vacant LotsOlive StreetOlive Street
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background16
Neighborhood Topography
The historic headwaters of the Grand Kankakee Marsh was located in
LaSalle Park. The ricer flowed southwest in a natural, meandering course
until approximately 1860. Although the Kankakee Marsh was drained to
better accommodate development, much of the soil composition, water
table depth, and low elevation of land is still seen and presents challenges
for housing development.
Possible solutions to the challenges in LaSalle Park’s geological
composition include developing in defined areas with a lower water table,
higher elevation, and better draining soil. Modern technologies in building
construction can help provide better stability for mucky soil including water
mitigation systems for basements and crawl spaces.
The following is a map showing elevations and soil composition areas
based on the most recent USDA soil survey.
HplrA
UeqA
UdkA
HplrA
UkaA
MgdAN
UgaA
UgaA
UdkA
UfhB
UeqA
UdkA
UkaA
UkaA
PaaAN
UgvA
UeqA
UfhB
HplrA
UdkA
UfhA
UeqA
CnbC
UgaA
PxlA
UeqA
UeqA
UeqA
UkaA
UeqASheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
HplrA—Houghton muck, very poorly drained, frequent ponding, water
table depth of about 0 inches
MgdAN—Martisco muck, very poorly drained, frequent ponding, water
table depth of about 0 to 6 inches
PaaAN—Palms muck, very poorly drained, frequent ponding, water
table depth of about 0 inches
PxlA—Psammaquents, somewhat poorly drained, water table depth of
about 6 to 18 inches
UdkA—Urban land-Brady complex, somewhat poorly drained, water
table depth of about 6 to 18 inches
UeqA—Urban land-Gilford complex, poorly drained, frequent ponding,
water table depth of about 0 to 12 inches
UkaA—Urban land-Maumee complex, poorly drained, frequent
ponding, water table depth of about 6 to 12 inches
Soil Classifications
712-714’
710-712’
Below 710’ Elevation
Body of Water
Planning Area Boundary
Building Footprint
Soil Classification
17 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background
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Jefferson Boulevard - Western Avenue Area
The lower lying area just north of Western Avenue
between Lake and Dundee Streets, are shown in
the graphic as mostly undeveloped. This land being
less than 710 feet above sea level and the soil being
characterized as being poorly drained, mucky, and
having frequent ponding of water. With the water depth
ranging between 0 to 12 inches and the poor quality
soil, development of housing on these lots would be
more difficult than other areas within the neighborhood
with better draining soil and a lower water table.
Kaley Street - Washington Street Area
The lower lying area along Washington Street moving
southeast, are shown in the graphic as mostly
undeveloped. This land being less than 710 feet above
sea level and the soil being characterized as being
poorly drained, mucky, and having frequent ponding
of water. With the water depth ranging between 0 to
12 inches and the poor quality soil, development of
housing on these lots would be more difficult than other
areas within the neighborhood with better draining soil
and a lower water table.
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Sheridan Avenue - Falcon Street Area
The lower lying area along Sheridan Avenue and Falcon
Street, are shown in the graphic as partly developed.
This land being less than 710 feet above sea level and
the soil being characterized as being poorly drained,
mucky, and having frequent ponding of water. With the
water depth ranging between 0 to 18 inches and the
poor quality soil, development could be more difficult
than other areas within the neighborhood with better
draining soil and a lower water table. The lower lying
land in this focus are drains slightly better than other
areas in the neighborhood which may be why homes
still exist in this area. Housing development should
focus further south and west of this area which is a
higher elevation to allow for better drainage and less
flooding risk.
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UeqA
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South East corner of Liberty and Washington
View looking East on Linden Street
Washington Street
Jefferson Boulevard
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Kaley StreetFalcon StreetView looking East on Iowa Street above Western Avenue
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background18
Lot Vacancy
A history of LaSalle Park Neighborhood lot vacancy shows how underlying
geological and physical conditions and housing restrictions placed on
African Americans have had a significant influence on development
patterns.
Less than 200 years ago, the area was located within the historic
headwaters of the Grand Kankakee Marsh. Once drained, the poor soil
conditions and high-water table left behind have continued to impact
portions of the neighborhood, particularly those south and east of Becks
Lake where some properties have never been developed. The map to the
right depicts current occupancy of LaSalle Park neighborhood parcels.
Lighter green colors represent those parcels once developed but now
vacant, while dark green parcels represent parcels never developed. The
blue contour line represents the 710’ elevation. When aligned with property
lines, this elevation appears to represent a dividing line: properties at or
above 710 feet have been developed, and properties below have not.
The other major development pattern are restrictions that impacted
historical settlement by African American population within South Bend.
First drawn by economic opportunities brought by rapid industrialization,
families were often confined to specific neighborhoods due to racial
segregation and restrictive housing practices. Given the lack of other
options throughout the city, areas like LaSalle Park became a primary
residential area for the African American community.
Early residential development included the first attempts at dedicated
public housing. Later, poor infrastructure and other challenged conditions,
including a public dump, led to a period of urban renewal where
substandard housing was removed accompanied by relocation of families
– some finding new homes in the resulting development of modern public
housing.
Occupied Lots
Vacant Lots
Never Developed Lots
Contour Line 712
Planning Area Boundary
Contour Line 710
Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
19 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background
Development Pattern
In the early part of the 20th century at a time when
the Grand Kankakee Marsh was still being drained, the
area was mainly unsettled. In the few homes nearby,
there were mostly Polish American or other eastern
Europeans working in one of the many area factories.
The emergence of Beck’s Lake had generated the first
industry of the neighborhood - ice harvesting.
The coming decades saw significant changes to the
area. As more factories opened nearby, migration to the
neighborhood by African Americans from the US South
increased and in 1911, South Bend annexed LaSalle
Park Neighborhood area into the city. In 1927, the city
planned a sewer to accommodate industrial growth and
Beck’s Lake was drained. Work was complete despite
poor conditions in the former lakebed.
In 1943, 150 units of “war housing” were approved for
construction in the neighborhood. These public housing
units were constructed for African American families
in an area bounded by Kenmore Street, Washington
Street, Chicago Street, and Jefferson Blvd. Additional
units were built in 1944 as a series of 20 two family
cinder block dwellings north of W. Washington St.
located in an area now occupied by LaSalle Park
property. The quickly built structures came to be known
as “the barracks”.
The LaSalle Park Neighborhood remained a
major settlement area for African Americans, but
neighborhood infrastructure lagged behind with narrow,
unpaved streets without curbs and sidewalks, and
some areas were lacking a proper sewer system.
Starting in the 1930’s, the former Beck’s Lake Area
became a dumping ground for industrial waste and
household refuse further filling in the marshy muddy
area surrounding Beck’s Lake. Eventually, the city
acquired the property and closed the dump site though
informal dumping continued in the 1950’s.
In 1959, residents delivered a petition to the City asking
for street, sidewalk, and sewer improvements. The initial
response was the first urban renewal housing plan
impacting 240 acres and hundreds of homes. In 1964
a plan was finalized to deliver infrastructure, a 40 acre
park and new community center. One hundred and
thirty homes would be demolished including the cinder
block “barracks”, a symbol of substandard housing
conditions.
By the mid 1960’s, LaSalle Park was opened within the
former dump/Beck’s Lake Area with new athletic fields
and a wooded picnic area. The LaSalle Park Recreation
Center was opened in 1967. By the end of the decade,
LaSalle Park was complete with two new features: a
sledding hill and Beck’s Lake – now restored to 8 acres.
By 1969, LaSalle Park Homes were under construction
on the southwest corner of Washington and Falcon
Streets. When completed 5 years later it would include
150 rental units.
1938 1951 1966 1972
Public Housing Construction BeginsIndustrialization Growth Urban Growth Urban Renewal Demolition
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
2000 2010 20201970198019901960
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background20
All figures are based on Census Tract 23, which approximates the LaSalle Park Neighborhood plan area.
Neighborhood Data
Race and Hispanic OriginPopulationAge
Black59%
Other Race18%
Two or More
Races
11%
White12%
29%Hispanic or Latino
Median Age: 37.1 Years Old
Source: 2022 ACS 5-year Estimates
YearPopulation3,524
1,927
1,811
1,612 1,486 1,566 1,406
1,406People
14%
25%
18%
24%
18%
Under 5
5 - 19
20 - 39
40 - 64
Over 65
Population: The neighborhood’s population
declined from 3,524 people in 1960 to 1,927 in
1970, before continuing to fall to 1,406 people in
2020.
LaSalle
South Bend Population: South Bend’s
population declined from 132.4k people in 1960 to
109.7k in 1980s, before continuing to fall to 103.1k
in 2020.
Age: Nearly forty percent of the population
is children under 19 years old, while almost
twenty percent of the population is comprised
of individuals aged 65+.
South Bend Age: Nearly thirty percent of
the population is under 19 years old, while
nearly fourteen percent of the population is
comprised of individuals aged 65+.
Racial Composition: The majority of the
neighborhood is Black, while nearly 30% of the
population identify themselves as Hispanic or
Latino.
South Bend Racial Composition: The majority
of the city is White, while nearly 17% of the
population identify themselves as Hispanic or
Latino.
Household Size
58%
Number of Households: 592
Average Household Size: 1.99 people
19%7%16%
Source: 2022 ACS 5-year Estimates
Household Size: Nearly sixty percent of
households consist of a single person.
South Bend Household Size: Nearly fourty
percent of households consist of a single person.
Source: 202o CensusSource: Decennial Census
Urban Renewal
21 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background
Housing
Total Housing Units: 714
Source: 2022 ACS 5-year Estimates
Vacant (82 Units)11%
Owner Occupied (270 units)38%
Renter Occupied
(362 units)51%
Housing Ownership: A little more than half of
the housing units in the neighborhood are renter
occupied.
South Bend Housing Ownership: A little more
than half of the housing units in the city are
owner-occupied
Units in Structure
Number of Residential Structures: 714
Single Unit
68%
Duplex
5%
3-4 Units
13%
5-9 Units
9%
10+ Units
5%
Type of Housing: The majority of the
neighborhood’s housing units are single unit
structures (72%). Twenty-seven percent of homes
are found in missing middle buildings of 2 to 10
units.
Type of Housing: The majority of the city’s housing
units are single unit structures (74%). Twenty-five
percent of homes are found in missing middle
buildings of 2 to 10 units.
Household Income
Less Than $10,000
Percentage of households within each household income range
Median Household Income: $22,125
Source: 2022 ACS 5-year Estimates
$10,000 - $24,999
$100,000 +
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $99,999
Household Income: Most households have a
total income of less than $35,000.
South Bend Household Income: The median
household income is $49,056.
Year Housing Built
Source: 2022 ACS 5-year Estimates
Built 1939 or earlier
Built 1940 - 1959
Built 1960 - 1979
Built 1980 - 1999
127 Units
334 Units
34 Units
219 Units
Housing Age: Almost 95% of the housing stock
is over 45 years old. About 1 in 6 homes in the
neighborhood were built prior to 1940.
Housing Age: Almost 87% of the housing stock is
over 45 years old. About 1 in 4 homes in the city
were built prior to 1940.
Median Year Structure Built: 1955
13%
39%
34%
11%
3%
Source: 202o Census
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background22
Neighborhood Character
Commercial Buildings
Western Avenue is a major east-west street that
features the neighborhood’s primary commercial
district. Mixed-use buildings can be found along its
length.
Residential Buildings
The planning area has a mixture of homes, including detached dwellings, duplexes, townhouses, and small- to
medium-scale apartment buildings. Styles of architecture include ranch, bungalow, and American foursquare.
Located on the west side of South Bend, the LaSalle
Park Neighborhood features a range of housing
choices, important community institutions, unique
small businesses, and industrial uses. The following is
a sampling of the neighborhood’s character.
Overview
23 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Background
Industrial
Light industrial buildings comprise the area north of
Linden Avenue and along Olive Street, east of the
neighborhood.
Vacant Lots
The neighborhood has several vacant lots where
buildings once stood, some lots have never been
developed.
Parks and Open Spaces
LaSalle Park is home to a signature park of the same
name. It features prominent public spaces including
the Charles Black Community Center, Beck’s Lake,
recreational trails, and other athletic amenities.
Faith-based Institutions
LaSalle Park hosts many faith-based institutions.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Planning Process & Engagement24
25 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Planning Process & Engagement
PLANNING PROCESS & ENGAGEMENT
Timeline • What We Heard
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Planning Process & Engagement26
Overview October 2023September 2023
Stakeholder Meetings
The City’s planning staff conducted 14 virtual and
in-person meetings with neighborhood stakeholders.
Stakeholders included the neighborhood association,
community and nonprofit organizations, faith-based
institutions, businesses, developers, City departments,
and City Council representatives. These conversations
began to outline general themes and potential focus
areas for the neighborhood plan.
The City of South Bend developed this plan through a
process that engaged residents, businesses, institutions,
government agencies, and other neighborhood
stakeholders. The planning process included online
surveys, key stakeholder interviews, and workshops
that gathered critical information about the LaSalle
Park Planning Area’s existing conditions, needs, and
opportunities. This engagement provided the basis for
this plan. During the planning process, the City provided
updates to the neighborhood organization and Common
Council.
Housing Panel
The City held a panel discussion on housing
development by local community developers.
Marques King, an expert on incremental housing
development, served as the keynote speaker.
Planning Process & Engagement
Outreach Methods
The City used a series of outreach methods
throughout the planning process to encourage
participation. These methods included mailings to
over 980 resident and property owner addresses,
e-mail lists, and presentations to the neighborhood
association.
27 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Planning Process & Engagement
November 2023 November 2025 January 2026
Visioning Workshop AdoptionPriorities Workshop Open House
An all-day visioning workshop focused on
understanding the neighborhood and its vision
for the future. Participants were asked big-picture
questions and completed exercises on topics such as
housing, infrastructure, land use and building form,
neighborhood amenities, and neighborhood-specific
issues.
At the neighborhood priorities workshop, participants
confirmed that the data gathered online and from the
visioning workshops were complete and represented
their ideas. The community was then asked to
prioritize potential neighborhood initiatives. This
helped prepare the framework and priorities outlined
in this plan.
After a draft neighborhood plan document was
created, the City held an open house to present it to
neighborhood stakeholders and ask for feedback.
Following public hearings, the South Bend Plan
Commission and Common Council adopted the
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan as an amendment to
the Comprehensive Plan. This Plan now serves as the
City’s official policy for the area.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Planning Process & Engagement 28
What We Heard
Following are the main ideas expressed during the public engagement process for the LaSalle Park planning area. The items in bold were identified as priority projects at the public workshops.
Streets & Transportation Housing Built Form & Zoning Other Amenities
Improve streetscape along the following streets:
• Washington Street
• Linden Avenue
Calm traffic along the following streets:
• Sheridan Street
• Falcon Street
Improve lighting:
• Along walking path in LaSalle Park
• Washington Street
Incorporate street trees in the tree lawn where
possible.
Improve condition of sidewalks.
Add more protected bike lanes and shared use
trails.
Support development of additional affordable
housing units.
Repair existing housing stock and provide home
repair workshops and training.
Maintain affordability of neighborhood housing.
Increase homeownership in the neighborhood.
Strengthen urban mixed-use character along
Western Avenue.
Reintroduce neighborhood-scale retail.
Promote construction of missing middle homes.
Facilitate Development of a neighborhood-scale
grocery store.
Expand youth and senior programs at the Charles
Black Center.
Continue to make improvements to LaSalle Park.
Facilitate development of a Neighborhood
pharmacy.
29 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Planning Process & Engagement
Individuals complete planning exercises at the Neighborhood Plan Priorities Workshop.
Discussions after the Open House at Charles Black Center.
Some of the input provided at the workshops.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan30
31 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan • Parks & Trails • Housing Strategies • Sustainability Principles • Greening the Neighborhood
1 Priority Housing Area
Focus new infill housing development in the western third of the
neighborhood in order to provide a larger positive impact on the
neighborhoods housing stock.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan32
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan
The following is a list of LaSalle Park Neighborhood project ideas which may be pursued by the City, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector over the next 20 years. More information on the concepts listed below can be
found on the following pages.
Intersection Improvements
Streetscape Improvements & Traffic Calming
Linden Avenue
Washington Street
Sheridan Street
Falcon Street
Street Connections
Chicago Street
Kentucky Street
Bendix Drive
Jefferson Boulevard
Washington Street - Falcon Street
Washington Street - Kaley Street
Washington Street - Sheridan Street
Iowa Street - Western Avenue
Linden Avenue - Colfax Street - Kaley Street
Proposed Bike Trails
LaSalle Park Perimeter Path
Washington Street
Falcon Street
Infrastructure Improvements
Medium-Density Residential Infill
Explore denser housing options on the vacant lots along Washington
and Kenmore to provide for a variety of housing types. This could
include cottage courts, duplexes, townhouses, or small-scale
apartment buildings of 4-8 units.
2
LaSalle Park Homes Renovation
Create new connections to define public and private spaces to make
the development more walkable as well as renovate existing housing
units
3
Natural Habitat Preservation
Work with property owners to conserve remnent woodend area.5
4 Washington Street Pavilion
Create a focal point at the corner of falcon and Washington that
utilizes the space between the Charles black center and the street.
7 LaSalle Park Walking Trail
Complete multi-use path that surrounds the park and allow for
better connections into the park.
Linden Avenue
Provide sidewalks and curbs, utilizing decorative fencing to protect
the wooded areas and to discourage access and dumping.
6
Beck’s Lake Improvements
Consider ways to improve access to the lake and provide
additional water-related amenities and beautification.
8
The Grove
Utilize vacant and hard to build on lots with tree nursery. 9
Iowa Street Park
Utilize hard to build vacant lots for a new open space with the
potential for new development.
10
Street connections
Explore options to reconnect neighborhood streets that were
disconnected during urban renewal in the 1960s.
11
Western Avenue Mixed-use
Continue to build upon the West Side Main Street plan
to promote new commercial and residential infill and the
renovation of existing buildings.
12
Legend
Elevation Below 710’Proposed Multi-FamilySingle Famly Western Ave Infill
33 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood PlanSheridan StreetSheridan StreetMeade StreetMeade StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Jefferson BoulevardJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetKaley StreetColfax AvenueColfax Avenue
Olive StreetOlive Street5
1
2
3
7
4 8
6
9
10
12
3
11 11
1
Falcon StreetFalcon Street
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan34
Priority Housing Area | Site 1
While new housing can be constructed throughout the neighborhood,
focusing on a targeted geography can maximize the impact of new
construction.
Prioritizing infill housing development within the western third of the
plan area (west of Falcon Street) presents a greater positive impact on
the neighborhood’s housing stock on streets that contain the fewest
vacant lots.
This area is also least impacted by physical conditions, including
unsuitable soils that make homebuilding more challenging and
expensive, a particular issue in a South Bend housing market already
strangled by elevated home building costs.
Medium Density Infill | Sites 2
Explore denser housing options on the vacant lots along
Washington and Kenmore to provide a variety of housing types. This
could include cottage courts, duplexes, townhouses, or small-scale
apartment buildings of 4-8 units.
Adding medium density housing along Washington presents a
compliment to other existing long standing multifamily properties
and adds value to the street as a priority corridor within the
neighborhood. The vacant lots on the northwest corner of
Washington and Falcon present an immediate opportunity
for a sizable development in a highly visible location in the
neighborhood.
Washington Street
Views Shown in RenderingPriority Infill Housing PlanVacant lots on Kenmore and Washington
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Kenmore StreetKenmore StreetWellington StreetWellington StreetIllinois StreetIllinois StreetChicago StreetChicago StreetSheridan StreetSheridan StreetSingle Family Homes
Townhomes
Washington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
35 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Washington Street Medium Density Infill Housing Rendering
A
A
B
C
C
C
D
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan36
LaSalle Park Renovations | Site 3
Future renovation of the LaSalle Park Homes should better engage the properties with the surrounding space
through enhanced site design, improved walkability, and better connections to nearby spaces by:
LaSalle Park Homes Rennovations
Washington StreetWashington Street
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetB
C
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetLinden AvenueLinden Avenue
Considering renovation of exteriors to provide separate patio and private open space for each
unit with a low fence or wall to differentiate between public and private space.
Making better connections with improved walkable areas and street access
New internal street
connections
Formalize open space
Activiate space with
play equipment
Activate frontages
37 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Washington Street Pavilion | Site 4
Charles Black Center Paviion
The Southwest corner of LaSalle Park offers a valuable vantage
point of the Washington/Falcon Intersection in its position next to
Charles Black Center as it is a prominent neighborhood intersection.
The park space is underdeveloped with no particuplar purpose and
serves to disconnect residents from the center, and especially from
its main and only entrance on the east side of the building.
Transforming the space with a multiuse pavilion space can offer
flexibility for a variety of events that could be in coordination with
or independent of Charles Black Center or other neighborhood
events. These events should be readily accessible to neighborhood
residents and visitors and could promote more walking and biking
by providing safe connection to the entrance without traveling
through a parking lot.
The pavilion related improvements may include the addition of
benches, trees, pathways, and the beautification of the blank west
walls of the Charles Black Center for a murals.Washington StreetWashington StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Fal
c
o
n
S
t
r
e
e
t
Fal
c
o
n
S
t
r
e
e
tFalcon StreetFalcon Street
Linden Avenue Trail Falcon StreetFalcon StreetLinden AvenueLinden Avenue
A
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan38
Natural Preservation | Site 5
Linden Avenue | Site 6
Privately held undeveloped property north of LaSalle Park,
between the Norfolk Southern Railroad Tracks and Linden
Avenue, passively exists as a natural habitat today.
The plan recommends improvements that bring better definition
to the public/private edge of Linden Avenue including a tree
lined walking trail complete with pedestrian oriented lights and
benches. This offers a new park vantage point and makes better
use of the natural area. The boundary should be enhanced
by a new curbed street that should deter vehicle access and
trespassing
Shared use pathA Fence to deter trespassingC
Street lampsB
D
C
Example: Boland trail
B
39 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Linden Avenue Trail Rendering
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan40
LaSalle Park | Sites 7, 8
The Grove | Site 9
Build a path that surrounds the park to build connections and
improve recreation. Adding a 10–12-foot shared perimeter
path with trees and lighting better connects recreational
opportunities within the park and to other destinations outside
the park all while being a unified amenity of its own to walkers,
cyclists, and other users.
Seek improved access to the water’s edge and beautify the
lake. Projects within the plan are meant to improve access and
enhance beautification including addition of a fountain/bubbler
as a focal point and means to increase oxygen/aeration plus
adding a viewing dock to the west side of the lake.
LaSalle Park was once at the headwaters of the Grand
Kankakee Marsh. In LaSalle Park, some parcels have gone
undeveloped due to underlying soil conditions making
construction difficult and/or costs prohibitive.
Most of these voids have survived to this day as unintentional
green spaces like the area south of Washington St and across
Beck’s Lake. As a tree grove/nursery, the space could present
as an extension of the park location to grow and nurture trees
for a variety of city uses and serve as a community educational
experience to embrace these forever green spaces.
A New walking trail along perimeter C Beck’s Lake fountainBExtra parking along Linden
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
8
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
LaSalle Park Map
Views shown in rendering Proposed Trail Exisiting Trail
A
B
D
C
D Tree nursery
41 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Beck’s Lake Rendering
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan 42
Iowa Street Park Concept
Iowa Street Park | Site 10
This area just to the North of Western Avenue between Iowa and Kentucky
Streets is mainly owned by the City of South Bend and an additional private
property owner. It’s a mostly wooded lot that also contains parcels that have
never seen development in the past. The park is another opportunity to occupy
underutilized property and deliver additional community-oriented space to
the neighborhood that could serve as gathering space and/or other passive
recreation.
The space could also be a location for new residential development on a park
setting offering a unique amenity.
Western Avenue Green Map
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
10
Sheridan StreetSheridan StreetKaley StreetKaley StreetKaley StreetKaley StreetFalcon StreetFalcon StreetWestern AvenueIowa StreetA
Infill HousingAB
Iowa Street ParkB
Views shown in rendering
43 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Iowa Street Park Rendering
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan 44
Street Reconnections | Site 11
4 Ways to Improve Connections on
Cul-de-sacs
1. leave it andd add neighborhood gateway
2. micro roundabout
3. bike and ped connection
4. woonerf-flush bollards for cars and peds and bikes
1. Neighborhood Gateway 2. Micro Roundabout 4. Woonerf Street3. Chicane Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue Falcon StreetFalcon StreetAs part of Urban Renewal activities within the neighborhood
starting in the late 1960’s following a period of civil unrest, 4 north-
south streets (Bendix, Lake, Chicago, and Kentucky) were altered
with cul-de-sacs to the north of Western Avenue serving to cut
off vehicular traffic. This was reportedly for public safety reasons
preventing vehicle traffic from entering/exiting the neighborhood
at non-signalized intersections.
The plan does not suggest direct changes but instead explores
options that might replace one or more of these cul-de-sacs
improving connectivity to Western Avenue for all users. Potential
changes don’t need to open for vehicle traffic but rather
concentrate on making access safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Existing Cul-de-sac
Western AvenueWestern Avenue Bendix DriveBendix DriveKentucky StreetKentucky StreetLake Street Lake Street Chicago StreetChicago Street
45 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Western Avenue Infill | Site 12
Continued development through building upgrades can be further
complimented by new building construction. This infill should also
contribute to the neighborhood-wide and city-wide need for affordable
housing through the introduction of both multifamily residential
and mixed-use buildings. Renovation of existing buildings should
complement new development.
2025 should see opening of South Bend’s largest independent
grocery on the northwest corner of Western and Olive, the largest new
construction in the neighborhood in several decades.
Western Avenue Infill Concept
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
12
Sheridan StreetSheridan StreetKaley StreetKaley StreetKaley StreetKaley StreetFalcon StreetFalcon StreetWestern Avenue Infill Map Views shown in rendering
Western Avenue Liberty StreetProposed Retail
Mixed Use
Existing Retail
Western Avenue Infill Rendering
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan46
Housing Strategies
Market Challenges
For the LaSalle Park neighborhood, the cost of
constructing new housing is greater than the appraised
value of the property once it is completed. This financial
gap is a barrier to the financing and construction of
new housing, especially market-rate units, in the area.
Additionally the high water table and soil conditions
also impose higher construction costs.
A Residential Market Potential study completed for the
LaSalle Park area concludes that it has the potential to
add about 30 new for-lease units and 10 new for-sale
units, in any mix of detached houses, duplex houses,
and/or townhouses annually.
Assuming that local developers are successful in
building for-sale units that appeal to movers they can
capture some households that otherwise would have
bypassed LaSalle Park as a potential place to live.
The study indicates that new-build for-sale units could
have values in the range of $155,000 to $250,000, again
depending on the building format. Duplex houses or
attached cottages could be at the lower end of the
price spectrum, while detached single-family houses
are more likely to be at the higher end of the range.
A range of housing strategies will help ensure the LaSalle Park Neighborhood is a successful, diverse, mixed-income area.
Housing Repair and Quality
Housing repair assistance can allow neighborhood
residents to stay in their homes as they age. Code
Enforcement can ensure that houses and their yards
are kept in acceptable condition; in particular, the
City’s Rental Safety Verification Program Code can
assure a level of quality for rental housing units.
During the planning process, participants
were asked a series of questions about the
planning area. Of those that responded...
stated that the need
for repair of existing
homes was an issue in
the neighborhood
80%53%
stated that absentee or
poor quality landlords
were an issue in the
neighborhood
stated the need for
more homeownership
was an issue in the
neighborhood
53%
House on Sheridan Street.
Liberty Street vacant lot.
Home Ownership
The City of South Bend has several programs to assist
first time homebuyers and current homeowners:
• Certified First Time Home Buyer Education which
is typically required for most federal and state
housing assistance programs such as Habitat
for Humanity and Community Homebuyers
Corporation for home buyers whose income does
not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income.
• South Bend’s Housing Counseling Agency offers
housing counseling and is open to all individuals in
need regardless of whether they are participating
in an assistance program. This includes both
foreclosure prevention counseling and credit /
budget counseling.
The study further suggests that all of the new for-
lease units would be in multi-family structures, mainly
apartments or lofts. Some of the smaller units could
also include a mix of accessory dwellings and small
cottages, which tend to be detached formats.
The study recommends that the City and developers
focus on parcels that provide the best visibility to
traffic for marketing and advertising exposures; and
locations that can help serve as catalysts for additional
reinvestment. New housing placed in the right spots
can generate positive momentum for additional
projects.
47 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Housing Demographics
Based on LandUseUSA’s study of 2022 American
Community Survey (ACS) data,
• Median Income: the study area’s median
household income is about $20,000, which is
significantly lower than the city’s median of about
$50,000
• Rental vs. Owner Occupied: 56 percent of
occupied housing units are rented and 44 percent
are owned
• Owner Median Income: the study area’s owners
have a median household income of about
$25,000, which is significantly lower than the city’s
median of about $70,000
• Rental Median Income: renters have a median
household income of about $15,000, which also is
significantly lower than the city’s median of about
$40,000
• Median Home Value: the median home value is
closer to $95,000 in the Study Area and $145,000
in the City of South Bend
Housing Study
Addressing High Vacancy
This study estimates that the current vacancy rate for
the Study Area and the City of South Bend is close to
15 percent. Ideally, vacancies should be at or below 6
percent, Some ways to accomplish this are:
• Provide additional programs incentivizing
property owners to reinvest into rehabs,
renovations, remodels, and perhaps even
expansions to add accessory studios or suites.
• One-to-one: At least one existing unit in the study
area should be rehabbed for every new unit that is
built.
Site Selection
Rather than scattering the Annual Forecast Absorption
to infill sites throughout the Study Area, it would
be better to identify a few important neighborhood
nodes where reinvestment is most likely to generate
trickle-through benefits for additional projects.
Areas to consider include areas with best visibility to
traffic (for marketing and advertising exposures); and
locations that can help serve as catalysts for additional
reinvestment.
For Sale and Rental Opportunities
The market can support the construction of the following
new units:
• up to twenty-nine new for-lease rental units;
• up to eight new attached for-sale units, including
condominiums and townhouses; and
• up to eight new detached for sale houses.
This approach implies that all low-income households
earning less than 60% of AMI will not be able to afford
new-builds, and instead will need to settle for units that
had been previously leased or previously owned by
prior tenants. However, this approach might overlook the
potential absorption of tiny homes, accessory dwelling,
small cottages, and micro lofts that could be built to
address affordability.
The initial study indicates that new-build for-sale
units could have values in the range of $155,000 to
$250,000, again depending on the building format.
Duplex houses or attached cottages could be at the
lower end of the price spectrum, whereas detached
single-family houses are more likely to be at the higher
end of the range. Developers could cautiously test
the upper threshold of the price spectrum for a few
houses in 2024 and 2025, nudging their prices upward to
$275,000 and perhaps even $299,900.
New-build construction could have contract rents in the
range of $950 to $1,750 per month. The study suggests
that all of the new for-lease units would be in multi-
family structures, which implies apartments or lofts.
However, it is LandUseUSA’s professional opinion that
some of the smaller units could also include a mix of
accessory dwellings and small cottages, which tend to
be detached formats.
We consider the possibility that even low-income
households might afford a new-build construction like an
accessory dwelling, small cottage, or micro-loft.
Street Connections
Following modern principles of urbanism, it is apparent
that some improvements may be necessary to address
local street connectivity. This could include extending
four connectors (Chicago, Lake, Kentucky, and Bendix
streets) south to Western Avenue – even if it means
undoing the expensive infrastructure that created those
dead-ends in the first place. As much as possible, the
city also should strive to purchase parcels needed to
complete the east-west Jefferson Boulevard through
the Study Area.
New rental units
New for sale units(townhomes or condominiums)
New For-Sale Single-Family Home
Price Range: $950 - $1,750 monthly
29
Price Range: Lower end of $155,000 - $299,000
Price Range: $155,000 - $299,000
8
8
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan48
Parks & Trails
LaSalle Park Pavilion.LaSalle Park playground.
Existing Parks
Proposed Parks and Open Spaces
Parks and Trails Key
Proposed Trails
Recreation Trails
Map showing Parks and Trails.
There has been many recent improvements to LaSalle Park including
new walking trails, play equipment, improved Charles Black Center, and
additional sports courts. In an effort to continue to improve the LaSalle
Park, additional amenities and improvements can be made. LaSalle Park
can be expanded east to offer additional amenities and greenspace for
the neighborhood. The neighborhood should be reengaged as specific
projects are approached.
The LaSalle Park Neighborhood can feature a series of formal and informal
open spaces. Vacant lots along Washington Street south of the lake can
feature a tree nursery to increase availability of trees to plant within the
neighborhood. The wetland area north of LaSalle Park can be preserved as
a natural area. An area between Iowa Street and Kentucky Street can also
be an informal open space.
Parks
The existing path around The Lake can be enhanced with better lighting
and connected to a new trail placed along the perimeter of the park. Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetColfax Avenue
49 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
Sustainability Principles
South Bend is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and each neighborhood has a role to play in reducing the community’s emissions. The projects put forward in the LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan support the City’s
sustainability goals related to green infrastructure, built environment, and clean transportation.
Green infrastructure plays a central role in improving air, soil, and
water quality by reducing energy use in buildings, supporting the
capturing and use of carbon, and improving stormwater filtration.
• Increase the number of trees planted to improve the energy
efficiency of buildings by lowering the energy needed to heat or
cool a building.
• Plant street trees to help extend the useful life of street
pavement due to increased shading of pavement.
• Reduce paved surfaces in the neighborhood to help lower
stormwater run off, improve water quality, and reduce
vulnerability to the urban heat island effect.
• Seek to have water be absorbed where it falls instead of
transferred off site for processing.
Transportation represents one of the largest sources of emissions in
our community, so making biking, walking, transit, and other forms of
shared mobility more accessible to residents is critical.
• Allow an appropriate mixing of land uses to reduce the amount
of travel required.
• Add new bike lanes and improve walkability to allow more
people to safely bike and walk, reducing vehicle-related
emissions.
• Construct shared use paths, which put less stress on the
existing street infrastructure, ultimately reducing the frequency
of street repair.
• Promote public transportation, which compared to driving
alone, reduces emissions and improves air quality.
Reducing energy use in South Bend will significantly cut greenhouse
gas emissions.
• Rehabilitate existing structures to reduce carbon emissions and
construction waste.
• Reuse materials or select lower-carbon building materials when
constructing new housing.
• Promote the use of solar panels for energy generation.
• Encourage urban residential infill and the use of existing
public utilities and infrastructure to reduce the need to extend
services into rural areas.
Green Infrastructure Built Environment Transportation
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan50
Greening The Neighborhood
Greening neighborhoods creates healthier, more energy efficient, and attractive neighborhoods where residents and natural ecosystems can thrive.
Map showing existing tree canopy.
Current Tree Coverage
Existing Tree Canopy
Existing Street Tree
Building Footprint
What is a Healthy Tree Canopy?
The City’s goal for urban neighborhoods is to have 40% tree
canopy coverage by 2050. The urban tree canopy is measured as a
percentage of the overall land area that is sheltered from above by
tree branches and leaves. Smaller green areas on the following map
indicate trees that have not yet reached full maturity.
Tree canopy in LaSalle Park.Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
51 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Neighborhood Plan
How does this plan support it?
Why is it important?
Potential Canopy: Additional Street Trees
Map showing potential tree canopy.
Existing Tree Canopy
Existing Street Tree
Building Footprint
Proposed Street Tree
The LaSalle Park Neighborhood has a current tree canopy of 27%.
This plan proposes installing a tree every 30 feet along streets where
possible and in public spaces as shown in the concept designs. This
effort would yield approximately an additional 912 trees, raising the
tree canopy to 33% within the planning area. Additional trees must be
planted on private property to achieve the citywide goal of 40% tree
canopy.
Trees are essential to healthy neighborhoods by providing the following
benefits:
• removing street-level air pollution,
• cooling down neighborhoods (heat island effect),
• slowing traffic and helping to create safer, walkable streets,
• improving community health and wellness,
• reducing flooding, erosion, and water pollution from runoff,
• creating stronger and more attractive places,
• reducing urban noise (cars, trains),
• increasing energy savings for heating and cooling buildings, and
• increasing property values.
2.72.7
Million Million
Gallons Stormwater
Runoff Prevented
$86,987
Energy Savings 1,485,007
Pounds Sequestered
Planting 912 additional trees results in carbon sequestered, water runoff saved, and
energy costs reduced. Calculated on design.itreetools.org based on 30-year time
frame.Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
Sheridan StreetMeade StreetWashington Street
Western Avenue
Linden Avenue
Falcon StreetJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetColfax Avenue
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Streets & Transportation52
53 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Streets & Transportation
Streets & Transportation
Streetscape Improvements & Traffic Calming • Bike Infrastructure
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Streets & Transportation54
Streetscape Improvements & Traffic Calming
Throughout the planning process, participants
frequently noted the need to address the condition of
streets, alleys, sidewalks, and lighting within the LaSalle
Park Neighborhood. As these types of infrastructure
improvements are important to every neighborhood in
South Bend, they should be addressed on a citywide
scale according to condition, funding, and current
priorities. Yet, this plan does identify places to receive
improvements beyond general maintenance.
The project list that follows was developed based
on input gathered at neighborhood workshops, from
311 calls to the City of South Bend, and planning and
engineering considerations. Changes to streets in
the River Park Neighborhood should be improved
in accordance with South Bend’s Complete Streets
policy. The use of streets by people on foot and bicycle
is prioritized over high-speed vehicle travel. Street
improvements should support the use of the Transpo
bus system, including by improving the comfort of bus
stops.
The Urban Renewal Plan for the Neighborhood
included an alteration of the neighborhood street
grid. Starting in 1968, four north south streets (Bendix,
Kentucky, Lake and Chicago Streets) would be
permanently cut off motor vehicles from Western
Avenue with the addition of cul-de-sacs. The logic of
the plan was to increase public safety by preventing
access at non signalized intersections within the
neighborhood. The design likely unintentionally
prevented other traffic (pedestrians, bicyclists) with a
series of curbs, fences and posts. Reportedly, these
traffic interruptions were not supported by all residents.
Jefferson Blvd was also interrupted with a couple of
deleted sections creating further disconnection to
neighborhood traffic.
stated improved sidewalks
would encourage them to
walk more. 3 out of 3During the planning process, participants were
asked a series of questions about streets, bicycle
infrastructure, and other infrastructure topics.
stated they walk in the
neighborhood.
stated they walk to LaSalle Park
or the Charles Black Center. 53% 50%
Priority Areas
Streetscape Improvements
Streetscape improvements are large-scale projects
that may:
• have significant traffic and aesthetic impacts;
• include changes to street pavement width,
the full replacement of driveway approaches,
curbs, and sidewalks;
• upgrade street trees and lighting; and
• include traffic calming elements.Priority Areas
Traffic Calming
Traffic calming involves small-scale interventions
to alter the physical design of a street to improve
safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.
Kaley Street
Falcon Street
Sheridan StreetWashington Street
Linden Avenue
Intersection improvements are projects to improve
safety, often by reducing excessive pavement widths
and enhancing pedestrian crossings.
Priority Areas
Intersection Improvements
Western Avenue - Iowa Street
Washington Street - Kaley Street
Washington Street - Falcon Street
Washington Street - Sheridan Street
55 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Streets & Transportation
Streets Map Key
Streetscape Improvements
Traffic Calming
Intersection Improvements
Map showing infrastructure improvements.Sheridan StreetSheridan StreetMeade StreetMeade StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetJefferson BoulevardJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetKaley StreetColfax AvenueColfax Avenue
Chicago StreetChicago StreetKentucky StreetKentucky StreetBendix StreetBendix Street
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Streets & Transportation56
Bike Infrastructure
Following is a list of bicycle-related projects proposed for the River Park Neighborhood.
stated designated bicycle infrastructure
would encourage them to bike more.
During the planning process, participants were asked
a series of questions about bicycle infrastructure.
stated better lighting would
encourage them to bike more. 60%60%
Washington Street Sheridan Street - Meade Street
Meade Street Washington Street - Bertrand Street
Falcon Street Washington Street - Western Avenue
None None
Shared Use PathProtected Bike Lane
Off-street facility shared by people on foot and bicycles
Shared On-Street
On-Street facility shared by both
vehicles and bicycles without
designated space for each.
Facility separated from motor vehicle traffic by a curb, planter, or other
physical barriers for the exclusive use of people on bicycles
RouteRouteExtent
Bike Lane
Designated lane for bicyclists
within the street normally marked
with a painted line and cyclist
symbol.
Route RouteExtent
LaSalle Park Washington Street - Falcon Street - Linden Avenue
Linden Avenue Kaley Street - Falcon Street
57 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Streets & Transportation
Map showing bicycle infrastructure improvements.
Streets Map Key
Shared Use Path (Trail)
Protected Bike Lane
Bike Lane
Shared On-StreetExisting
Shared Use Path (Trail)
Protected Bike Lane
Bike Lane
Shared On-StreetProposedSheridan StreetSheridan StreetMeade StreetMeade StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetJefferson BoulevardJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetKaley StreetColfax AvenueColfax Avenue
Chicago StreetChicago StreetKentucky StreetKentucky StreetBendix StreetBendix Street
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning58
59 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning
Built Form & Zoning
Zoning Districts • Zoning Map • Building Types
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning60
Built Form & Zoning
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage HouseDetached HouseDuplex
Carriage HouseDetached HouseDuplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1S1
The S1 District is established to provide for and maintain suburban neighborhoods in outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential development.
Buildings with relatively deep setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by a driveway from the street.Larger city blocks with informal character and plantings.
S2Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established to provide for, maintain, and enhance suburban neighborhoods of primarily apartment complexes or houses grouped together outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential development, including single unit, two unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.Larger size buildings with relatively deep setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by a driveway from the street or shared parking areas located in the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal character and plantings.
U1Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established to provide for, promote, and maintain urban neighborhoods located in core and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit residential development, allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest setbacks and inviting building frontages that create a consistent block face along smaller city blocks.Detached garages located at the rear of the lot, often accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with sidewalks and street trees.
U2Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established to provide for, promote, and maintain the development of diverse housing types in urban neighborhoods located near neighborhood centers in core and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit residential development, allowing up to four units and the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest setbacks and inviting building frontages that create a consistent block face along smaller city blocks.Detached garages accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with sidewalks and street trees.
U3Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established to provide for, promote, and maintain the development of a full range of housing types located near neighborhood centers and along major streets in urban neighborhoods in core and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-unit residential development, together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest setbacks and inviting building frontages that create a consistent block face along smaller city blocks.Detached garages or shared parking accessed from an alley.Pedestrian-oriented scale with sidewalks and street trees.
UFUrban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established to enhance and support a full range of housing types and small-scale commercial uses found outside neighborhood centers in core and outlying areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two unit, multi-unit, and ADUs. Integrates limited small-scale office, commercial, and institutional uses that are compatible in scale.Buildings with smaller setbacks create a consistent block face along smaller city blocks.Detached garages or shared parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with sidewalks and street trees.
NCNeighborhood Center
The NC District is established to promote higher intensity, urban neighborhood centers, typically located near the intersection of major streets, in core and outlying areas of the City that are well connected to surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront retail, professional offices, and dwelling units located in townhouses, apartment buildings, and in the upper stories or rear of mixed-use buildings.Buildings with active building frontages set at or close to the sidewalk.Pedestrian-oriented scale with sidewalks and street trees.
DTDowntown
The DT District is established to promote the development of the downtown region of the City of South Bend as a high intensity urban center for a multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high rise mixed-use developments including a variety of compatible building types and urban uses.
Buildings with active building frontages set at or close to the sidewalk.Pedestrian-oriented scale with sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
TownhouseApartment HouseStacked FlatsShopMid-Rise/Tower
Carriage HouseTownhouseApartment HouseStacked FlatsShop
Carriage HouseDetached HouseCottage CourtDuplexTownhouseApartment HouseStacked FlatsShop
Carriage HouseDetached HouseCottage CourtDuplexTownhouseApartment HouseStacked Flats
Carriage HouseDetached HouseCottage CourtDuplexTownhouseApartment House
Carriage HouseDetached HouseCottage CourtDuplexTownhouseApartment HouseStacked Flats
Intent
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
IntentThe S1 Suburban Neighborhood 1 District
primarily supports single-unit residential
development on larger lots with deep
setbacks.
The U1 Urban Neighborhood 1 District
supports mostly single-unit detached
dwellings, but well designed duplexes would
also be appropriate. The U1 District features
modest building setbacks and inviting
frontages, such as porches and stoops.
The S2 District supports a full range of housing
types placed on large lots with deep setbacks.
Overview
The built form of the LaSalle Park Neighborhood is guided by the South
Bend Zoning Ordinance, including its zoning map. The ordinance is a local
law that governs the physical development of property, both the form and
scale of buildings and the specific use of land.
The future zoning map within this section proposes how each lot within
the LaSalle Park Neighborhood should be zoned following adoption of this
plan. Over time, property within the neighborhood should be allowed to
proceed gradually to the next increment of development.
Combined with the regulations found within the South Bend Zoning
Ordinance, the aim of the future zoning map is to maintain and enhance
the LaSalle Park Neighborhood’s pedestrian-oriented, urban environment.
Vehicle access, parking, and garages should be from alleys when
present. Vacating of alleys is discouraged as it hinders redevelopment of
vacant lots. Drive-throughs are discouraged, and if they are present, they
should be designed not to be visible from the street. New commercial
development should occur according to the standards of the NC
Neighborhood Center District.
As properties are developed or reused, nonconforming conditions should
be brought into conformance with the proposed zoning district shown,
including landscaping, parking, lighting, and building standards.
This plan seeks to allow a greater quantity and diversity in housing units;
doing so will permit people to find housing within the neighborhood that
meets their price and lifestyle needs. Ancillary dwelling units, such as
garage apartments or backyard cottages, are encouraged for the LaSalle
Park Neighborhood.
The South Bend zoning map divides the city into twelve zoning districts.
Seven of these districts are proposed for the LaSalle Park Neighborhood:
U1, U2, U3, UF, NC, OS, and I.
Suburban Neighborhood 1S1 Suburban Neighborhood 2S2 Urban Neighborhood 1U1
Where It Is Appropriate
Due to its suburban nature, the S1 District is
not appropriate anywhere in the LaSalle Park
Neighborhood.
Due to its suburban nature, the S2 District is
not appropriate anywhere in the LaSalle Park
Neighborhood.
The U1 District is well suited for most of
the LaSalle Park Neighborhood. This plan
would support special exceptions for newly
constructed duplexes.
Intent
61 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
Standard DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
MORE SUBURBAN MORE URBAN
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Carriage House
Detached House
Duplex
Suburban Neighborhood 1
S1
The S1 District is established
to provide for and maintain
suburban neighborhoods in
outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single unit residential
development.
Buildings with relatively deep
setbacks on larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
S2
Suburban Neighborhood 2
The S2 District is established
to provide for, maintain,
and enhance suburban
neighborhoods of primarily
apartment complexes or
houses grouped together
outside of the City's core.
A full range of residential
development, including single
unit, two unit, multi-unit, and
ADUs.
Larger size buildings with
relatively deep setbacks on
larger lots.
Attached garages accessed by
a driveway from the street or
shared parking areas located in
the rear or interior of the lot.
Larger city blocks with informal
character and plantings.
U1
Urban Neighborhood 1
The U1 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain urban neighborhoods
located in core and outlying
areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages located
at the rear of the lot, often
accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U2
Urban Neighborhood 2
The U2 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
diverse housing types in urban
neighborhoods located near
neighborhood centers in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Primarily single and two unit
residential development,
allowing up to four units and
the addition of ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages accessed
from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
U3
Urban Neighborhood 3
The U3 District is established
to provide for, promote, and
maintain the development of
a full range of housing types
located near neighborhood
centers and along major streets
in urban neighborhoods in core
and outlying areas of the City.
Single unit, two-unit, and multi-
unit residential development,
together with ADUs.
Buildings with modest
setbacks and inviting building
frontages that create a
consistent block face along
smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
UF
Urban Neighborhood Flex
The UF District is established
to enhance and support a full
range of housing types and
small-scale commercial uses
found outside neighborhood
centers in core and outlying
areas of the City.
A mixture of single unit, two
unit, multi-unit, and ADUs.
Integrates limited small-
scale office, commercial, and
institutional uses that are
compatible in scale.
Buildings with smaller setbacks
create a consistent block face
along smaller city blocks.
Detached garages or shared
parking accessed from an alley.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
NC
Neighborhood Center
The NC District is established
to promote higher intensity,
urban neighborhood centers,
typically located near the
intersection of major streets, in
core and outlying areas of the
City that are well connected to
surrounding neighborhoods.
A mixture of storefront
retail, professional offices,
and dwelling units located
in townhouses, apartment
buildings, and in the upper
stories or rear of mixed-use
buildings.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
DT
Downtown
The DT District is established
to promote the development
of the downtown region of the
City of South Bend as a high
intensity urban center for a
multi-county region.
A mixture of mid-rise and high
rise mixed-use developments
including a variety of
compatible building types and
urban uses.
Buildings with active building
frontages set at or close to the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian-oriented scale with
sidewalks and street trees.
Typical Characteristics
Building Types
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Mid-Rise/Tower
Carriage House
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Shop
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Carriage House
Detached House
Cottage Court
Duplex
Townhouse
Apartment House
Stacked Flats
Intent
The DT Downtown District supports the
development of South Bend’s core into a high-
intensity, mixed use urban area.
The NC Neighborhood Center District supports
higher intensity, mixed-use urban centers,
often near the intersection of major streets.
Buildings usually have small or no setbacks
and can be up to four stories. In addition to
having higher concentrations of housing units,
these areas typically serve as the commercial
centers for their neighborhood.
The UF Urban Flex District supports a full
range of housing types, together with limited
small-scale commercial uses. Buildings
typically have small setbacks and are two to
four stories.
The U3 Urban Neighborhood 3 District
supports a full range of housing types, from
single-unit dwellings to large multi-unit
buildings, placed at small setbacks. Buildings
in the U3 District may be built up to four stories
in height.
The U2 Urban Neighborhood 2 District
provides for primarily detached houses and
duplexes, but it allows for neighborhood-scale
buildings of up to four units. Buildings have
modest setbacks and inviting frontages, such
as porches and stoops.
Urban Neighborhood 2U2 Urban Neighborhood 3U3 Urban Neighborhood FlexUF Neighborhood CenterNC DowntownDT
The DT District would not apply to properties
in the area of LaSalle Park.
Areas south of LaSalle Park on Washington
Street are appropriate for the U2 District. The
plan would support rezoning properties within
the U1 District south of Washington Street
to the U2 District for sensitively designed
buildings of up to four units built at a scale
compatible with surrounding residential
properties.
Properties along Falcon Street are well suited
for the U3 district may be appropriate for the
U3 District if limited to 6 units and 2.5 stories.
The UF District is appropriate for scattered
locations to support small-scale services and
retail, especially at intersections.
Areas along Western Avenue are well suited
for the NC District.
Open Space
OS
The OS District is established
to promote the development of
a range of public shared open
spaces dispersed through the
City.
Active or passive open spaces,
including neighborhood parks,
formal greens or plazas,
greenways, trails, recreational
fields, or natural spaces that
accommodate a wide range
of ages, physical abilities, and
programming.
Buildings and uses that
activate and address the
open space or support park
functions.
Wide sidewalks and pathways
for multiple uses surrounded
by a formal or informal
arrangement of trees and
landscaping.
Seating and site amenities that
encourage pedestrian use and
comfort.
U
University
The U District is established
to promote the development
of major college or university
campuses.
A diversity of uses, functions,
and facilities that facilitate the
highest level of education.
A range of commercial uses
which are accessory to or
typically associated with a
college or university campus,
such as a bookstore, hotel,
food sales and service,
school supplies, and personal
services.
Pedestrian-oriented scale
with sidewalks and a formal or
informal arrangement of trees
and landscaping.
C
Commercial
The C District is established
to provide a location for
medium- to high intensity
commercial uses that are auto-
oriented, typically located
along major corridors at the
fringe of the City or as small
groupings located outside of
neighborhood centers.
Auto-oriented commercial
uses that may include outdoor
sales or operations.
Buildings located on larger lots
and city blocks in a suburban
format.
Coordinated to facilitate
vehicular and pedestrian
access from nearby
neighborhoods.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to residential uses.
I
Industrial
The I District is established to
provide a location for medium-
to high intensity industrial
uses, typically grouped along
highways and major streets
and separated from residential
uses.
Office/warehouse, distribution,
wholesale, assembly, and
manufacturing or processing
facilities that may require
substantial amounts of outdoor
storage or operations.
Uses typically generate heavy
traffic.
Buildings located on larger lots
on bigger city blocks.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to other uses.
HP
Historic Preservation
The HP Overlay District is
established to preserve
buildings, other structures, and
sites of historical, architectural,
engineering, and cultural
significance in South Bend.
Chapin Park and Leeper Park
East Wayne Street
Edgewater Place
Lincolnway East
North St. Joseph Street
River Bend
Riverside Drive
Taylor’s Field
West North Shore Drive
Local Landmarks
NNZO
Northeast Neighborhood
The NNZO Overlay District
codifies the recommendations
of the Northeast Neighborhood
Design Guidelines which are
most relevant and applicable
to new development in the
NNZO.
Establish a comprehensive
design approach for the NNZO.
Encourage high-quality design
of future buildings and site
development that preserves
and enhances the character of
a traditional neighborhood.
Create a strong, unique
neighborhood identity image.
Provide a range of design
options to address future
development opportunities.
Instill and enforce the sense
of “pride of place” among
residents, businesses, and
property owners.
Typical Characteristics
Intent
Special & Overlay DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEWSPECIAL DISTRICTS OVERLAY DISTRICTS
Open Space
OS
The OS District is established
to promote the development of
a range of public shared open
spaces dispersed through the
City.
Active or passive open spaces,
including neighborhood parks,
formal greens or plazas,
greenways, trails, recreational
fields, or natural spaces that
accommodate a wide range
of ages, physical abilities, and
programming.
Buildings and uses that
activate and address the
open space or support park
functions.
Wide sidewalks and pathways
for multiple uses surrounded
by a formal or informal
arrangement of trees and
landscaping.
Seating and site amenities that
encourage pedestrian use and
comfort.
U
University
The U District is established
to promote the development
of major college or university
campuses.
A diversity of uses, functions,
and facilities that facilitate the
highest level of education.
A range of commercial uses
which are accessory to or
typically associated with a
college or university campus,
such as a bookstore, hotel,
food sales and service,
school supplies, and personal
services.
Pedestrian-oriented scale
with sidewalks and a formal or
informal arrangement of trees
and landscaping.
C
Commercial
The C District is established
to provide a location for
medium- to high intensity
commercial uses that are auto-
oriented, typically located
along major corridors at the
fringe of the City or as small
groupings located outside of
neighborhood centers.
Auto-oriented commercial
uses that may include outdoor
sales or operations.
Buildings located on larger lots
and city blocks in a suburban
format.
Coordinated to facilitate
vehicular and pedestrian
access from nearby
neighborhoods.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to residential uses.
I
Industrial
The I District is established to
provide a location for medium-
to high intensity industrial
uses, typically grouped along
highways and major streets
and separated from residential
uses.
Office/warehouse, distribution,
wholesale, assembly, and
manufacturing or processing
facilities that may require
substantial amounts of outdoor
storage or operations.
Uses typically generate heavy
traffic.
Buildings located on larger lots
on bigger city blocks.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to other uses.
HP
Historic Preservation
The HP Overlay District is
established to preserve
buildings, other structures, and
sites of historical, architectural,
engineering, and cultural
significance in South Bend.
Chapin Park and Leeper Park
East Wayne Street
Edgewater Place
Lincolnway East
North St. Joseph Street
River Bend
Riverside Drive
Taylor’s Field
West North Shore Drive
Local Landmarks
NNZO
Northeast Neighborhood
The NNZO Overlay District
codifies the recommendations
of the Northeast Neighborhood
Design Guidelines which are
most relevant and applicable
to new development in the
NNZO.
Establish a comprehensive
design approach for the NNZO.
Encourage high-quality design
of future buildings and site
development that preserves
and enhances the character of
a traditional neighborhood.
Create a strong, unique
neighborhood identity image.
Provide a range of design
options to address future
development opportunities.
Instill and enforce the sense
of “pride of place” among
residents, businesses, and
property owners.
Typical Characteristics
Intent
Special & Overlay DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEW
SPECIAL DISTRICTS OVERLAY DISTRICTS
Open Space
OS
The OS District is established
to promote the development of
a range of public shared open
spaces dispersed through the
City.
Active or passive open spaces,
including neighborhood parks,
formal greens or plazas,
greenways, trails, recreational
fields, or natural spaces that
accommodate a wide range
of ages, physical abilities, and
programming.
Buildings and uses that
activate and address the
open space or support park
functions.
Wide sidewalks and pathways
for multiple uses surrounded
by a formal or informal
arrangement of trees and
landscaping.
Seating and site amenities that
encourage pedestrian use and
comfort.
U
University
The U District is established
to promote the development
of major college or university
campuses.
A diversity of uses, functions,
and facilities that facilitate the
highest level of education.
A range of commercial uses
which are accessory to or
typically associated with a
college or university campus,
such as a bookstore, hotel,
food sales and service,
school supplies, and personal
services.
Pedestrian-oriented scale
with sidewalks and a formal or
informal arrangement of trees
and landscaping.
C
Commercial
The C District is established
to provide a location for
medium- to high intensity
commercial uses that are auto-
oriented, typically located
along major corridors at the
fringe of the City or as small
groupings located outside of
neighborhood centers.
Auto-oriented commercial
uses that may include outdoor
sales or operations.
Buildings located on larger lots
and city blocks in a suburban
format.
Coordinated to facilitate
vehicular and pedestrian
access from nearby
neighborhoods.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to residential uses.
I
Industrial
The I District is established to
provide a location for medium-
to high intensity industrial
uses, typically grouped along
highways and major streets
and separated from residential
uses.
Office/warehouse, distribution,
wholesale, assembly, and
manufacturing or processing
facilities that may require
substantial amounts of outdoor
storage or operations.
Uses typically generate heavy
traffic.
Buildings located on larger lots
on bigger city blocks.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to other uses.
HP
Historic Preservation
The HP Overlay District is
established to preserve
buildings, other structures, and
sites of historical, architectural,
engineering, and cultural
significance in South Bend.
Chapin Park and Leeper Park
East Wayne Street
Edgewater Place
Lincolnway East
North St. Joseph Street
River Bend
Riverside Drive
Taylor’s Field
West North Shore Drive
Local Landmarks
NNZO
Northeast Neighborhood
The NNZO Overlay District
codifies the recommendations
of the Northeast Neighborhood
Design Guidelines which are
most relevant and applicable
to new development in the
NNZO.
Establish a comprehensive
design approach for the NNZO.
Encourage high-quality design
of future buildings and site
development that preserves
and enhances the character of
a traditional neighborhood.
Create a strong, unique
neighborhood identity image.
Provide a range of design
options to address future
development opportunities.
Instill and enforce the sense
of “pride of place” among
residents, businesses, and
property owners.
Typical Characteristics
Intent
Special & Overlay DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEWSPECIAL DISTRICTS OVERLAY DISTRICTS
Open Space
OS
The OS District is established
to promote the development of
a range of public shared open
spaces dispersed through the
City.
Active or passive open spaces,
including neighborhood parks,
formal greens or plazas,
greenways, trails, recreational
fields, or natural spaces that
accommodate a wide range
of ages, physical abilities, and
programming.
Buildings and uses that
activate and address the
open space or support park
functions.
Wide sidewalks and pathways
for multiple uses surrounded
by a formal or informal
arrangement of trees and
landscaping.
Seating and site amenities that
encourage pedestrian use and
comfort.
U
University
The U District is established
to promote the development
of major college or university
campuses.
A diversity of uses, functions,
and facilities that facilitate the
highest level of education.
A range of commercial uses
which are accessory to or
typically associated with a
college or university campus,
such as a bookstore, hotel,
food sales and service,
school supplies, and personal
services.
Pedestrian-oriented scale
with sidewalks and a formal or
informal arrangement of trees
and landscaping.
C
Commercial
The C District is established
to provide a location for
medium- to high intensity
commercial uses that are auto-
oriented, typically located
along major corridors at the
fringe of the City or as small
groupings located outside of
neighborhood centers.
Auto-oriented commercial
uses that may include outdoor
sales or operations.
Buildings located on larger lots
and city blocks in a suburban
format.
Coordinated to facilitate
vehicular and pedestrian
access from nearby
neighborhoods.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to residential uses.
I
Industrial
The I District is established to
provide a location for medium-
to high intensity industrial
uses, typically grouped along
highways and major streets
and separated from residential
uses.
Office/warehouse, distribution,
wholesale, assembly, and
manufacturing or processing
facilities that may require
substantial amounts of outdoor
storage or operations.
Uses typically generate heavy
traffic.
Buildings located on larger lots
on bigger city blocks.
Landscaped to be attractive
and provide appropriate
buffering to other uses.
HP
Historic Preservation
The HP Overlay District is
established to preserve
buildings, other structures, and
sites of historical, architectural,
engineering, and cultural
significance in South Bend.
Chapin Park and Leeper Park
East Wayne Street
Edgewater Place
Lincolnway East
North St. Joseph Street
River Bend
Riverside Drive
Taylor’s Field
West North Shore Drive
Local Landmarks
NNZO
Northeast Neighborhood
The NNZO Overlay District
codifies the recommendations
of the Northeast Neighborhood
Design Guidelines which are
most relevant and applicable
to new development in the
NNZO.
Establish a comprehensive
design approach for the NNZO.
Encourage high-quality design
of future buildings and site
development that preserves
and enhances the character of
a traditional neighborhood.
Create a strong, unique
neighborhood identity image.
Provide a range of design
options to address future
development opportunities.
Instill and enforce the sense
of “pride of place” among
residents, businesses, and
property owners.
Typical Characteristics
Intent
Special & Overlay DistrictsZONING DISTRICT OVERVIEWSPECIAL DISTRICTS OVERLAY DISTRICTS
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning62
Open SpaceOS UniversityU CommercialC IndustrialI
Intent
The C Commercial District supports medium-
to high-intensity commercial uses that are
auto-oriented and found in suburban locations.
The I Industrial District supports medium-
to high-intensity industrial uses, typically
grouped along highways and major streets
and separated from residential uses.
The U University District supports the
development of university campuses.
The OS Open Space District supports the
development of public parks and other open
spaces.
Where It Is Appropriate
Because of its suburban, auto-oriented nature,
the C Commercial District is not appropriate
anywhere in this urban neighborhood.
The OS District includes LaSalle Park and
Beck’s Lake. Designated areas to the south
of LaSalle Park and to the east could be
appropriate for additional open space as land
becomes available.
The U District is not currently proposed for the
LaSalle Park Neighborhood.
The I District is appropriate for existing
industrial areas located in the northern tier of
the neighborhood. Any development in the
I District should be sensitive to surrounding
land uses.
Historic Preservation
The HP Overlay District is established to
preserve buildings, other structures, and
sites of historical, architectural, engineering,
and cultural significance in South Bend.
The planning area does not currently include
any local historic districts or local landmarks.
HP
63 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning
Proposed Zoning Map for LaSalle Park Neighborhood Area.
U1: Urban Neighborhood 1
U2: Urban Neighborhood 2
U3: Urban Neighborhood 3
UF: Urban Flex
C: Commercial
NC: Neighborhood Center
OS: Open Space
I: Industrial
Zoning Districts
Sheridan StreetSheridan StreetMeade StreetMeade StreetWashington StreetWashington Street
Western AvenueWestern Avenue
Linden AvenueLinden Avenue
Falcon StreetFalcon StreetJefferson BoulevardJefferson Boulevard
Kaley StreetKaley StreetIllinois StreetIllinois StreetLiberty StreetLiberty StreetColfax AvenueColfax Avenue
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning64
Carriage House Detached House Cottage Court Duplex
S1
S2
U1
U2
U3
UF
NC
DT
Suburban Neighborhood 1
Suburban Neighborhood 2
Urban Neighborhood 1
Urban Neighborhood 2
Urban Neighborhood 3
Urban Neighborhood Flex
Neighborhood Center
Downtown
The table on the following pages illustrates the character of different building types and shows in which zoning districts they are permitted. Building types do not apply to the OS, U, C, or I zoning districts,
Building Types
S1S2U1 U2UFS1S1S2S2S2U1U2U2U2 U3U3U3U3 UFUFUFNCU1
Cottage court photos (top to bottom):
michaelwatkinsarchitect.com
kerneyhomes.com
cottagecourt.com
Zoning Districts
65 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Built Form & Zoning
Townhouse Apartment House Stacked Flats Shop Mid-Rise / Tower
U3 NC DTS2S2S2U2U2U3U3UFUFUFUFNCNCNCDTDTDTDT
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Implementation Matrix66
67 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Implementation Matrix
Implementation Matrix
Infrastructure • Parks • Housing • Underutilized Properties • Sense of Community
1.09 Iowa Street Park Alley Improvements: Update safety lighting along the Iowa Street Alley
1.1 Street Connections: Improve connectivity along Bendix, Chicago, Kentucky, and Lake Street.
1.11 Intersection Improvements: Improve instersections along Washington and Falcon, Washington
and Kaley, Washington and Sheridan, Iowa and Western, and the intersection between Linde,
Coflax and Kaley.
1.12 Bike Trails: Complete a LaSalle Park perimeter path along Washington and Falcon..
1.13 Protected Bike Lane: Create a protected bike lane that runs from Washington to Meade and
Falcon.
1.01 Linden Avenue: Complete streetscape improvements, improved intersections, pedestrian
crossings, and shared use paths near LaSalle Park.
1.02 Washington Street: Complete streetscape improvements, improved intersections, pedestrian
crossings, and shared use paths connecting to LaSalle Park.
1.03 Streetscape Improvements and Traffic Calming: Complete high priority traffic calming on
neighborhood streets especially along Sheridan, Falcon, and Kaley.
1.04 Shared Use Path: Create a shared use path along Linden that runs from Kaley to Falcon
1.05 Falcon Street Path: Improve access and safety of pedestrians and cyclists through shared-use
path connecting Harrison Elementary School to the Neighborhood.
1.06 Trees: Plant trees where possible, especially in the city right-of-way, to increase the urban tree
canopy.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association,
Property Owners
1.07 Infrastructure Maintenance: Complete regular maintenance on streets throughout the
neighborhood.
1.08 Promote Curb and Sidewalk Program: Promote existing curb & sidewalk replacement program
to assist with costs.
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association,
Property Owners
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Implementation Matrix68
Implementation Matrix
This plan outlines potential projects and activities to occur in the neighborhood over the next 20 years. Major projects, especially those to be undertaken in the next 10 years, are highlighted in the implementation matrix below.
Strategy 1: Create a safe and attractive neighborhood through infrastructure improvements.
Action 1-5 Years 5-10 Years 10+ Years
Timeline
City Partner Potential PartnersLead Responsibility
69 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Implementation Matrix
2.6 Market Space at Charles Black Center: Improve access and safety of pedestrians and cyclists
through shared-use paths along the park.
2.1 The Grove: text
2.2 LaSalle Park Trail: Improve access and safety of pedestrians and cyclists through shared-use
paths along the park.
2.3 Beck’s Lake Imprpovements: text
2.4 Iowa Street Park: text
2.5 Natural Habitat Preservation: text
Strategy 2: Improve park spaces and access.
Action 1-5 Years 5-10 Years 10+ Years
Timeline
City Partner Potential Partners
Lead Responsibility
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection 70
3.1
Develop Housing: Support the production of a range of housing types including new
construction and rehabilitation of market rate and affordable units for owner and rental housing.
Prioritize housing development in the Western third of neighborhood (West of Falcon)
Add Medium density housing along Washington and Kenmore vacant lots.
3.2 Home Repair: Ensure housing is well maintained by offering owner-occupied housing repair
assistance and using code enforcement tools as necessary.
Nonprofit Organizations, Property Owners, Financial
Institutions
3.3 Home Ownership: Explore mechanisms that can promote and transition renters into
homeowners in the neighborhood.Nonprofit Organizations
3.4 Support Homebuilders and Developers: text Nonprofit Organizations
3.5 Residential TIF Area: Investigate creation of residential TIF area within the neighborhood.
3.6 LaSalle Park Home Renovations: Support project with design considerations that create more
intentional public and private space
3.7 Iowa Street Park Housing: Develop higher density housing that integrates with the new park
space.
3.8 Western Avenue Mixed Use: Promote additional residential infill development on targeted
blocks.
3.9 Zoning: Update the zoning map for the plan area.
Strategy 3: Develop and preserve housing in the neighborhood.
Action 1-5 Years 5-10 Years 10+ Years
Timeline
City Partner Potential PartnersLead Responsibility
71 LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Subsection
4.1 Problem Properties: Utilize the Chronic Problem Properties regulations to reduce the negative
impact of problem properties on the neighborhood.
4.4 Underutilized Storefronts: Create active and engaging storefronts along Western Avenue.
4.5 Problem Properties: Utilize the Chronic Problem Properties regulations to reduce the negative
impact of problem properties on the neighborhood.
5.1 Western Avenue Branch Library Relocation: Support new library location.LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association
5.2 Capacity Building: Build neighborhood capacity through engagement of all neighborhood
residents.LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association
5.3 Neighborhood Events: Hold neighborhood events which celebrate the neighborhood.LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association
5.4 Communication: Develop and maintain communication with neighbors including residents of
rental housing.LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association
5.5 Youth Programming: Develop additional youth programming through city and other community
facilities LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association
5.6 Relationships: Foster relationships among the City, neighborhood institutions, and the
neighborhood organization.LaSalle Park Neighborhood Association
LaSalle Park Neighborhood Plan: Implementation Matrix71
Strategy 4: Address underutilized and problem properties in the neighborhood.
Strategy 5: Develop sense of community through neighborhood engagement.
Action 1-5 Years 5-10 Years 10+ Years
Timeline
City Partner Potential PartnersLead Responsibility
Action 1-5 Years 5-10 Years 10+ Years
Timeline
City Partner Potential PartnersLead Responsibility
4.1 Upgrade Linden Ave: Reduce access to wooded private properties between Linden Ave and the
Railraod Tracks through upgrades to Linden Ave.
4.2 Revitalize Never Developed Lots: Utilize never developed lots south of Washington as a
dedicated tree planting area (The Grove)
4.3 Grocery Store: text here
SOUTH BEND PLAN COMMISSION Page 1 of 1
Staff Report – PC#0273-25 December 15, 2025
Requested Action
AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA,
AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO MAKE MISCELLANEOUS
CHANGES FOR CLARIFICATION AND CONSISTENCY TO SIMPLIFY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
AND TO ACHIEVE HIGHER QUALITY DEVELOPMENT
Project Summary
Amend Chapter 21 of the South Bend Municipal Code to clarify, correct, or revise various sections to
assist in development of a more vibrant and resilient community while improving the ease of use of the
Zoning Ordinance.
Analysis: Continuing to monitor and improve the Zoning Ordinance is vital to maintaining growth and
development in a way that helps support economic growth and revitalizes neighborhoods. Since
the last update to the zoning ordinance, various rules within it have been identified as overly
restrictive, or as outdated and in need of modernization. For these reasons, staff recommends
changing the ordinance to help streamline the development process and provide greater
flexibility for developers; reduce the need for unnecessary variances from the code while not
impacting the quality of development; and provide a number of updates that will bring the code
up to date with current development trends. Additionally, there have been a number of
typographical errors identified in the ordinance, as well as areas where further clarification is
needed. Fixing these issues will improve understanding for users of the code.
Recommendation: Based on the information available prior to the public hearing, the staff recommends
the text amendment be sent to the Common Council with a favorable recommendation.
Analysis & Recommendation
Zoning Ordinance Amendment #7
Last Updated 12/11/2025
General updates providing a clarification and/ or correction to an existing rule, such as a typographical, consistency, and cross reference revision are addressed in the following sections:
21-02.03(b)(3); 21-02.03(f)(1)(B - new); 21-05.02(f)(2)(D); 21-06.01(k)(7)(A)(iii); 21-06.01(l)(3)(A)(ii); 21-06.02(f)(12)(A)(i); 21-06.03(e); 21-06.03(j); 21-06.03(k); 21-07.03(d)(2); 21-07.04(e)
21-08.01(e)(8)(B); 21-08.01(g)(5); 21-08.02(h)(3); 21-08.02(i)(3); 21-09.01(l)(4)(c); 21-09.02(c)(4); 21-10.02(a)(10)(B); 21-10.02(a)(10)(C); 21-10.07(d)(1)(A); 21-12.07(f)(4)(A); 21-13.01(j)(2)
Standard Ordinance Sections Item Proposed Change Rationale
21-06.02(b)(4) new EV Charging Station Update Exempts free libraries and EV charging stations from accessory structure rules Modernize rules to align with vehicle fueling options.
21-06.02(e)Maximum Number of Accessory Buildings Eliminates accessory building limits in commercial and industrial districts Allow for more functional land use and consistent with the character of non-residential districts.
21-06.02(e)(2)EV Charging Station Update Exempts free libraries and EV charging stations from accessory structure rules and moves
from (e)(2) to (b)(4) Modernize rules to align with vehicle fueling options.
21-06.02(e)(3) new Accessory Buidlings Allow for Pergolas as long as criteria are met Avoids need for variances for this typical accessory type.
21-06.02(f)(24)(A)(v)Max height ground mounted solar energy system Increase max height ground mounted solar energy system from 12' to 18'Avoids need for variances for typical permit requests and to promote renewable energy. Also aligns with accessory
standards.
21-06.02(f)(27)Trash Enclosure Rewrite of the trash and recycling encosure rules, adding allowable alternatives to
enclosure requirements when not visible from street Provide clarity and allows for more cost-effective construction and administrative flexibility.
21-06.02(f)(4)(C)(i)Size of chicken coop 2 sq ft minimum floor area per chicken in a coop Creates consistency with Chapter 5, Animal Welfare regulations.
21-02.03(d)(2)(D)Building Stories and Rooftop Spaces Allow Zoning Administrator to waive stories standard for rooftop amenity spaces above 4
stories, conditions apply Allows for administrative flexibility and eliminates need for variance.
21-02.03(e)(1)Contextual Setback Allows Zoning Administrator to increase building frontage encroachment when a contextual
setback is applied Allows for contextual placement of building frontages.
21-02.03(f)(2) new Building Width definition Add a Building Width definition, including a Zoning Admnistrator waiver for the max width of
certain building types.Improves user understanding by more clearly stating existing rules for building standards.
21-03.01(h)Façade transparency in S1 Adds façade transparency in S1 - 10% front, 5% corner
21-03.02(h)Façade transparency in S2 Adds façade transparency in S2 - 10% front-ground, 5% corner-ground, 15% front & corner-
upper
21-08.01(c)(2)Building Entrance - Industrial Allow Zoning Administrator to waive front entrance requirement for I Industrial Allows for flexibility in building design.
21-08.01(e)(3)Façade Materials Allow CMUs that look like brick or stone Improves user understanding by providing a clarification and/ or correction to an existing rule. Also, allows for more
flexibility in use of currently available design materials.
21-02.03(f)(1)(C)Transparency - Half Story Zoning Administrator can reduce the required transparency by 50% for certain top floor
designs consistent with the architectural style Allows for administrative flexibility with regards to some common architectural styles.
21-03.01(g)Allow rear balcony encroachment of 5' in S1
21-03.02(g)Allow rear balcony encroachment of 5' in S2
21-03.03(g)Allow rear balcony encroachment of 5' in U1
21-03.04(g)Allow rear balcony encroachment of 5' in U2
21-03.05(g)Allow rear balcony encroachment of 3' in U3
21-03.06(g)Allow rear balcony encroachment of 3' in UF
21-04.04(f)Building Entrance - Industrial Allow Zoning Administrator to waive front entrance requirement for some uses in I Industrial Allows for flexibility in industrial building design.
21-04.04(g)Building Materials - Industrial Allow CMUs that look like brick or stone Creates more flexibility for industrial building design while maintaining quality.
21-08.02(e)(3)Building Height - Detached Home Allow detached homes in S2, U3, and UF to 3 stories
21-08.02(f)(3)Building Height - Cottage Court Allow cottage courts to 2 stories in S2, UF, U3 Districts
Building Height - Duplex Allow duplexes in S2, U3, and UF to 3 stories
Building Width - Duplex Allows duplexes up to 60' in S1 & S2 Supports ease of duplex development on larger suburban lots.
Building Height - Stacked Flats Removes minimum height for stacked flats Removes an unneccssary restriction on building design.
Building Width - Stacked Flats Increases S2 and DT Stacked Flats building width from 120' to 250', and all other districts to
150'Allow for flexibility in building design for elevator buildings and larger suburban lots.
Building Width - Shop Increases DT Shop building widths from 150' to 250' max Aligns better with the size of Downtown lots.
Building Type - Shop Reduces façade minimum height from 16' to 12' in UF Allows for district appropriate façade heights.
21-08.03(d)(2)Building Frontage Clarifies how a stoop is connected and elevated to the sidewalk in relation to the parcel States rule more explicitly to meet ordinance intent.Accessory StandardsBuilding Design & Measurements21-08.02(j)(3)
21-08.02(k)(3)
Allows for increased detached home heights consistent with district building standards.
Creates more appealing residential building designs
Balcony Encroachment Removes an unneccssary restriction on building design.
21-08.02(g)(3)Building Standards
21-03.03(d)U1 Lot Width 20' min. Footnote - *Lot Width minimum may be 20' for attached dwellings Supports ease of development of for-sale duplexes in urban districts.
21-03.06(f)UF Max. Square Footage Increase total retail and service use area to 5000 sf Creates more flexibility for non-residential development in UF. Eases reuse of existing neighborhood business
buildings.
21-03.08(d)DT Minimum Lot Width Reduces DT minimum lot width to 15'Supports ease of development, especially for townhouses, in urban districts.
21-03.01(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.02(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.03(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.04(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.05(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.06(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.07(j)(footnote 1)
21-03.08(j)(footnote 1)
21-04.01(j)(footnote 1)
21-04.02(j)(footnote 1)
21-04.03(j)(footnote 1)
21-04.04(j)(footnote 1)
21-09.01(d)(table 21-09A)Revises tree sizes - 1.75" caliper new shade tree. 1.5" caliper new ornamental tree
21-09.01(g) new Ground Cover Adds ground cover requirement and prohibits use of artificial turf in areas seen from the
street, including front/corner yard and tree lawn
21-09.01(k)(4) new Alternate Landscape Plan Allow for use of artificial turf with Zoning Administrator approval
21-09.02(c)(5)Permits Zoning Administrator to allow 6' max fence height for schools and daycare centers Improves public safety for vulnerable populations.
21-09.05(a)(1)Apply Clear Sight Area to tall fences at intersection of alleys Supports increased public safety.
21-07.03(d)(4)Minimum Lot Width for Curb Cut Creates a 30' minimum lot width to get a curb cut (15' under a shared driveway condition)Ensures that the city does not have garage dominated streetscapes and to minimize the need for curb cuts.
21-07.03(e)(1)Parking Space Widths Allows Zoning Administrator to reduce parking dimensions up to one foot Allows for design flexibility on smaller urban parcels.
21-03.07(c) Principal Uses
21-03.08(c) Principal Uses
21-06.01(k)(11)Change section heading to Gas/Fuel Station
21-06.01(k)(11)(A)Add EV charging stations to fuel station standards
21-06.01(k)(21)(A)(iii)Minimum Lot Size for Auto Sales Add 120'x180' minimum lot size for Auto Sales Ensure adequate space for required site development standards.
21-06.01(k)(22)(A)(ii)Outdoor vehicle storage Reduces allowed storage time from 30 days to 14 days for unregistered or salvaged vehicles
for districts other than I Enhances urban aesthetics and property values, but also addresses potential public safety issues.
21-06.01(k)(7)(A)(vii)Drive-Through Facility Delete requirement for one waiting space after pick-up window Unneccessary rule since parking is allowed in front.
21-06.01(k) Diagram Captions EV Charging Station Update Change gas station diagram captions to "Gas/Fuel station..."Modernize rules to align with vehicle fueling options.
21-06.02(f)(12)(A)(iii)Home Occupation Adds a operating hours restriction from 7am to 9pm Restricts the operating hours of home-based businesses to minimize disturbance to neighbors.
21-06.02(f)(12)(A)(vi)Home Occupation Adds clarification that the entrance cannot face the street Makes a reasonable accommodation of home-based businesses.
21-09.01(n)(2)(table 21-09B)EV Charging Station Update Change use name to Gas/Fuel Station Modernize rules to align with vehicle fueling options.District Standards21-06.02(f)(12)(B)
21-06.02(f)(12)(C)Landscape or FenceModernize rules to align with vehicle fueling options.EV Charging Station Update
Change use name to Gas/Fuel Station
Home Occupation
Home Occupation
Update and reformat examples of prohibited and permitted home occupations and align
specific uses to use types listed in the Principle Uses table 21-06AParking/ AccessPrincipal UsesRevises existing tree caliper from 2" to 1.75"
Creates consistency with revised tree ordinance Chapter 19.
Fence Height
Clarifies that natural materials should be used for ground cover while allowing for administrative flexibility with regards
to use of artificial turf.
Trees
Modernize home-based business rules to align with current economy.
Update and reformat examples of prohibited and permitted home occupations and align
specific uses to use types listed in the Principle Uses table 21-06A Modernize home-based business rules to align with current economy.
21-10.01(TABLE 21-10A)Temporary Signs for a Non-Residential Use Increase max size for Temporary Signs for a Non-Residential Use size from 24 square feet to
32 square feet Allows for common sign size.
21-10.02(a)(13)Open Signs Permit open signs to be illuminated Current code bans illuminated open signs.
21-10.04(b)Sign Height Sign height is measured from natural grade Creates consistency with other similar rules.
21-10.05(d)(5)(A)Allows roof signs in I Creates consistency with other similar districts.
21-10.05(d)(7)(C)Delete second-floor sign rule Eliminate need for variances and allows for flexibility in sign placement.
21-03.08(c) Principal Uses table New Special Exception - Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales &
Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping
Add Special Exception for Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales in DT district; Add Special Exception for
Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping in DT district Allows further review of uses, including limiting proximity to sensitive areas like schools and homes.
21-04.03(b) Principal Uses table Allows further review of uses, including limiting proximity to sensitive areas like schools and homes.
21-04.04(b) Principal Uses table Allows further review of uses, including limiting proximity to sensitive areas like schools and homes.
21-06.01(Table 21-06A)New Special Exceptions - Gas, Liquor, Tobacco uses
Add Special Exception for Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales in DT, C, & I districts; Add Special
Exception for Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping in DT, C, & I districts; Add Special Exception for Gas
Stations in C & I districts and change use name to Gas/Fuel Station; Remove Special
Exception requirement for new construction U1 Duplex
Allows further review of uses, including limiting proximity to sensitive areas like schools and homes.Special ExceptionSignsAdd Special Exception for Gas Stations in C & I districts and change use name to Gas/Fuel
Station; Add Special Exception for Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales in C & I districts
On Premise Signs
New Special Exception - Gas Stations
SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. _____
ORDINANCE NO. ___________
AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO MAKE MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES FOR CLARIFICATION AND CONSISTENCY
TO SIMPLIFY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND
TO ACHIEVE HIGHER QUALITY DEVELOPMENT STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT
The Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, adopted a new zoning ordinance for the City of South Bend that went into effect on January 1, 2020. Since its adoption in November 2019, use of the Ordinance has identified a few standards that need further clarification, correction, or revision. Changes to these standards will support a more vibrant,
resilient community while improving the ease of use of the zoning ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows:
SECTION I. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 2 Definitions & Measurements, Section 21-02.03 Measurements, subsection (b) Building Placement is hereby amended as follows:
(3) Building Setbacks. A setback distance is measured perpendicularly from the
lot line to the closest exterior wall of a building's facade, exclusive of building frontage type (e.g., porch, stoop). A setback is measured from the greater of an actual or proposed street right-of-way.
SECTION II. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 2 Definitions
& Measurements, Section 21-02.03 Measurements, subsection (d) Building Form is hereby
amended as follows:
(2) Building Height (Stories). (D) A single one-story shared amenity space per building shall not count as
a story toward the maximum number if it meets the following criteria: i. Is open only to building occupants and their guests; ii. Has a gross floor area of no more than 25% of the gross floor
area of the floor below;
iii. Is set back where it is not visible from the street; and
iv. Has no significant impact, as determined by the Zoning
Administrator, on surrounding residential uses in a S1, U1, or U2 district.
SECTION III. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 2 Definitions
& Measurements, Section 21-02.03 Measurements, subsection (e) Building Components is
hereby amended as follows:
(1) When a building component is allowed to be built into a minimum required setback, it is called an encroachment and shall meet all regulations for building components per Section 21-08.01. Where a contextual setback is applied, the Zoning Administrator may allow additional building frontage type
encroachment. SECTION IV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 2 Definitions
& Measurements, Section 21-02.03 Measurements, subsection (f) Building Standards is
hereby amended as follows:
(1) Facade Transparency.
(B) Façade transparency percentages are calculated independently for each floor on each facade. (B)(C)
(C)(D) Upper floor transparency is calculated based on the total façade
area located between the surface of any floor to the surface of the floor above it or, if there is no floor above, from the surface of the floor to the surface of the roof. The Zoning Administrator may reduce the required transparency on the top floor of a
building by up to 50% for designs consistent with the building’s
architectural style. (2) Building Width. Width is measured as the horizontal length of a building façade measured parallel to a primary or secondary street. Building widths are
applied only to facades visible from a street. (A) For the Stacked Flats, Shop, and Mid-Rise/Tower building types: (i) Elevated hallway connections between structures that are set
back at least 20 feet from the front or corner facade shall not
count toward continuity of building width. (ii) The Zoning Administrator may permit an increase in the maximum building width of up to 25% to fill out the lot
frontage when it is contextually appropriate and the building design meets the intent of the ordinance.
SECTION V. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard
Districts, Section 21-03.01 S1 Suburban Neighborhood 1, subsection (g) Building
Components; Section 21-03.02 S2 Suburban Neighborhood 2, subsection (g) Building
Components; Section 21-03.03 U1 Urban Neighborhood 1, subsection (g) Building
Components; Section 21-03.04 U2 Urban Neighborhood 2, subsection (g) Building
Components are hereby amended as follows:
Allowed Encroachments (max.) Rear Balcony Not Allowed 5’
SECTION VI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard
Districts, Section 21-03.01 S1 Suburban Neighborhood 1, subsection (h) Building Standards is hereby amended as follows: Façade Transparency (min.)
Ground Floor - Front Facade 10%
Ground Floor - Corner Facade 5% Upper Floor - Front Facade 10% Upper Floor - Corner Facade 5%
SECTION VII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.01 S1 Suburban Neighborhood 1, subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.02 S2 Suburban Neighborhood 2, subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.03 U1 Urban Neighborhood 1, subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.04 U2 Urban Neighborhood 2,
subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.05 U3 Urban Neighborhood 3, subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.06 UF Urban Neighborhood Flex, subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.07 NC Neighborhood Center, subsection (j) Landscape; Section 21-03.08 DT Downtown, subsection (j) Landscape are hereby amended as follows: 1 An existing tree of at least 2” 1.75” may fulfill this requirement. SECTION VIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.02 S2 Suburban Neighborhood 2, subsection (h) Building Standards
is hereby amended as follows:
Façade Transparency (min.) Ground Floor - Front Facade 10% Ground Floor - Corner Facade 5%
Upper Floor - Front & Corner Facade 15%
SECTION IX. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.03 U1 Urban Neighborhood 1, subsection (d) Building Placement is hereby amended as follows:
Lot Width 1 30’ min.
Building Setbacks Front1 2 Side2 3 1 Lot width may be reduced to 20’ for attached dwellings.
1 2
2 3 SECTION X. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard
Districts, Section 21-03.05 U3 Urban Neighborhood 3, subsection (g) Building Components;
Section 21-03.06 UF Urban Neighborhood Flex, subsection (g) Building Components are hereby amended as follows: Allowed Encroachments (max.) Rear
Balcony Not allowed 3’
SECTION XI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.06 UF Urban Neighborhood Flex, subsection (f) Building Form is
hereby amended as follows:
Building Design Total Non-Residential or Non-Civic Use (max.) 5,000 square feet Total Retail & Service Use (max.) 2,500 square feet
SECTION XII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.07 NC Neighborhood Center, subsection (c) Principal Uses is hereby amended as follows:
Gas/Fuel Station
SECTION XIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.08 DT Downtown, subsection (c) Principal Uses is hereby amended
as follows:
Gas/Fuel Station Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales Allowed Special Exception Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping Allowed Special Exception
SECTION XIV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 3 Standard Districts, Section 21-03.08 DT Downtown, subsection (d) Building Placement is hereby amended as follows:
Lot Size Lot Width 20’ 15’ min
SECTION XV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 4 Special
Districts, Section 21-04.01 OS Open Space, subsection (i) Landscape; Section 21-04.02 U University, subsection (i) Landscape; Section 21-04.03 C Commercial, subsection (i) Landscape; Section 21-04.04 I Industrial, subsection (i) Landscape are hereby amended as follows:
1 An existing tree of at least 2” 1.75” may fulfill this requirement. SECTION XVI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 4 Special
Districts, Section 21-04.03 C Commercial, subsection (b) Principal Uses; Section 21-04.04 I
Industrial, subsection (b) Principal Uses is hereby amended as follows: Gas/Fuel Station Allowed Special Exception Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales Allowed Special Exception
Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping Allowed Special Exception
SECTION XVII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 4 Special Districts, Section 21-04.04 I Industrial, subsection (f) Building Components is hereby
amended as follows:
Main entrances shall be prominently located and visible from the primary street or open space.; the Zoning Administrator may waive this requirement for any Agricultural; Industrial, Manufacturing, & Processing; Transportation; or Utilities use
if not needed to meet the intent of this ordinance.
SECTION XVIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 4 Special Districts, Section 21-04.04 I Industrial, subsection (g) Building Standards is hereby amended
as follows:
Standard, fluted, or split face concrete masonry units (CMUs) above the basement level are prohibited as face material. Glazed or heavily polished CMUs or CMUs that look like brick or stone are allowed.
SECTION XIX. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 4 Special Districts, Section 21-05.02 NNZO Northeast Neighborhood Zoning Overlay, subsection (f) Building Standards is hereby amended as follows:
(2) Building Materials (D) Security devices such as solid metal security gates, metal roll-down windows, coiling shutters, and link/grill systems shall not be installed
on front or corner facades, except where such devices are at least 50
percent transparency and located wholly behind a window or door, when viewed from the street or open space. (E)(D)
(F)(E)
(G)(F) (H)(G)
SECTION XX. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.01 Principal Uses, Table 21-06A: Principal Uses by Zoning District is hereby amended as follows: Retail & Service DT
Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales Allowed Special Exception
Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping Allowed Special Exception Retail & Service C, I Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales Allowed Special Exception
Gas/Fuel Station Allowed Special Exception
Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping Allowed Special Exception SECTION XXI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.01 Principal Uses, subsection (k) Retail & Services is hereby amended as
follows:
(7) Drive-Through Facility
(A) Standards:
(iii) A drive-through facility shall not cause any interference to a
public right-of-way or conflict with safe movement along sidewalks or walkways, to building entrances or exits, or to required parking spaces.
(vii) A drive-through facility shall provide sufficient room for at
least one waiting space after exiting the last pick-up or service facility. (viii)(vii)
(ix)(viii)
(x)(ix) (11) Gas/Fuel Station
(A) Standards: (i) Gasoline Fuel dispensers and pump island canopies shall not be located within any minimum required setback. In a NC or DT district, gasoline fuel dispensers and pump island canopies shall
not be located in an established front or corner yard.
(ii) Gas/fuel stations shall not cause any interference to a public right-of-way or conflict with safe movement along sidewalks or walkways, to building entrances or exits, or to required parking
spaces.
(iii) The site design of any gas/fuel station shall provide for the safe and efficient ingress and egress to the site for fuel delivery vehicles and an area for such fuel delivery vehicles to park
while unloading which does not interfere with or impede ingress
or egress to or from any public street, required parking spaces, or any gasoline fuel sales area. (vi) A gas/fuel station canopy shall be consistent in design and
materials with the primary building, shall be neutral colored,
and shall have masonry support columns. (21) Vehicle Sales or Rental
(A) Standards: (iii) A vehicle sales or rental use shall have a minimum lot size of 120’ by 180’.
(iii)(iv) (iv)(v)
(v)(vi)
(vi)(vii) (vii)(viii) (viii)(ix) (ix)(x)
(22) Vehicle Service, Major (A) Standards:
(ii) No partially dismantled, wrecked, or unregistered vehicle shall
be stored outdoors for more than 14 30 days, except in an I district, where the maximum time shall be 30 days.
SECTION XXII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.01 Principal Uses, subsection (k) Retail & Services, Gas Station diagrams are hereby amended as follows: Gas/fuel station layout for an urban location
Gas/fuel station layout for a suburban location SECTION XXIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.01 Principal Uses, subsection (l) Transportation is hereby amended as follows:
(4) Parking Lot (A) Standards:
(i) See Section 21-07.03(h)(g) for parking structure regulations. SECTION XXIV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.02 Accessory Uses and Structures, subsection (b) Applicability is hereby
amended as follows: (4) Any structure that is less than 4 square feet in area and 9 feet in height, including, but not limited to, little free libraries and electric vehicle charging
stations, shall not be considered an accessory structure.
SECTION XXV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses, Section 21-06.02 Accessory Uses and Structures, subsection (e) Maximum Number of
Accessory Buildings is hereby amended as follows:
A lot in a S1, S2, U1, U2, U3, or UF district shall not have more than one detached accessory building; however, the following structures shall not count for the purposes of this calculation.
(2) Any structure that is less than 4 square feet in area and 6 feet in height. (3)(2)
(3) A pergola of 200 square feet or less that is no taller than the eave of the
primary structure or 18’, whichever is less. SECTION XXVI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.02 Accessory Uses and Structures, subsection (f) Accessory Use Definitions
and Standards is hereby amended as follows: (4) Chickens, Chicken Coops, and Chicken Pens
(C) Construction
(i) The chicken coop shall be enclosed with solid material on all sides and have a solid roof and door(s). The coop shall be at least 18 inches high, and provide at least 1 2 square foot of floor
area per chicken. Traditional building materials shall be used.
Doors shall be constructed so that they can shut and lock. Vents, covered with wire, will be placed as necessary for adequate ventilation. The coop shall be impermeable to rodents, wild birds, and predators, including dogs and cats.
(12) Home Occupations (A) Standards
(i) The home occupation shall be located within a fully enclosed
building owned or occupied by the resident of the site.. (iii) No more than one client may be served or instructed at a time. Clients may not be served or instructed before 7:00 a.m. or after
9:00 p.m.
(vi) There shall be no additional or separate entrance to the primary dwelling facing the street for the purpose of conducting the
home occupation.
(B) Prohibited Home Occupations. The following uses, by the nature of the investment or operation, have a pronounced tendency, once started, to rapidly increase beyond the limits specified above for home
occupations and impair the use, value and quiet enjoyment of adjacent
residential properties. Therefore, the following uses specified below and other similar or comparable uses shall not be permitted as home occupations: Bar/Tavern/Restaurant; Beer/Wine/Liquor Sales; Industrial (any); Medical/Dental Clinic; Tobacco/Hookah/Vaping;
Transportation (any); Vehicle Service (any); and Veterinary Clinic,
Kennel, or Stable. (i) Antique, Book or Gift Shop (ii) Appliance Repair, large or small
(iii) Barber Shop / Beauty Shop
(iv) Bicycle Repair or Service (v) Dance, Yoga, or Exercise Studio (vi) Dental Office or Clinic (vii) Freight, Trucking or Shipping
(viii) Lawn Mower Repair or Service
(ix) Medical Office or Clinic (x) Painting of Vehicles, Trailers, Boats, etc. (xii) Private Schools with Organized Classes (xiii) Restaurants, Eating, or Drinking Establishments
(xiv) Upholstering
(xv) Television or Radio Repair (xvi) Tool or Equipment Rental (xvii) Tooling, Welding, or Machine Shop (xviii) Vehicle Repairs, major or minor
(xix) Veterinary Clinic, Kennel, or Stable (C) Permitted Home Occupations. By way of example, the following uses, when conducted in compliance with the conditions set forth above, qualify as permitted home occupations: Animal Care Establishment (i.e., Pet
Grooming); Childcare Home as defined by IC 12-7-2-28.6; Food Preparation
as defined in IC 16-42-5.3; Personal Care & Services, including, but not limited to Baking, Barber/Beauty Shop, and Teaching/Tutoring (including musical instruments, dance, yoga); and Professional Offices.
(i) Artist’s, Musician’s, or Writer’s Studio
(ii) Cake Making or Decorating (not a catering or commercial bakery facility) (iii) Childcare Home as defined by IC 12-7-2-28.6
(iv) Data Processing, Word Processing, or Transcription Services (v) Dressmaking, Millinery, Sewing, or Tailoring
(vi) Home School, including Cottage Schools
(vii) Personal Office (viii) Teaching or Tutoring, including musical instruments or dance, when limited to one pupil at a time (ix) Internet Sales, exclusively online
(24) Solar Energy System (A) Standards:
(v) Ground-mounted solar energy systems are limited to a
maximum height of 12 18 feet. Power transmission lines from a ground mounted solar energy system to any structure shall be located underground, if possible, and shall be completely shielded against shock hazard.
SECTION XXVII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses, Section 21-06.02 Accessory Uses and Structures, subsection (f) Accessory Use Definitions and Standards, (27) Trash Containers is hereby deleted and replaced as follows:
(27) Trash and Recycling Containers Designated outdoor storage areas and equipment used to collect refuse and recyclables.
(A) Standards
(i) Any trash or recycling container or combination of containers exceeding 36 cubic feet in capacity shall be placed on an impervious surface and screened on all sides by a building or a
solid-walled enclosure not less than 6 feet in height nor more
than 10 feet in height above grade and equipped with an opaque screen gate. (ii) The solid-walled portion of the enclosure shall be similar in
design and materials to those of the building façade and shall be
built to grade. Fences shall not be considered as a solid wall, and chain link fences with slats shall not be used as gate material.
(iii) Gates or doors of the enclosure shall be kept completely closed
except when refuse is being added or removed.
(iv) Building foundation landscape, designed per Section 21-09.01(m), shall be installed along any sides of the enclosure not
screened by a building.
(v) The Zoning Administrator, upon request by an applicant, shall have the authority to approve an alternate design subject to the provisions below, as long as the intent of the ordinance is met.
a. Enclosure, material, and landscaping requirements may be reduced or waived if the enclosure is adjacent to and accessed from an alley and is not visible from a street.
b. An opaque fence may be used in place of a solid wall if
the enclosure is located in an established rear yard or in a side yard not visible from a street and is designed so that refuse cannot leak or blow under it.
c. Landscaping may be reduced or waived if the enclosure
is located in an established rear yard or in a side yard not visible from a street. SECTION XXVIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses,
Section 21-06.03 Temporary Uses and Structures, subsection (e) Duration is hereby amended
as follows: Except as specifically provided otherwise in this section , a temporary use, building or structure shall be permitted for a period not to exceed one year. Except as specifically
provided otherwise in this section, the improvement location permit, if required, may
be renewed one or more times by the Zoning Administrator, for good cause shown, for an additional period(s) not to exceed a total of three years beyond the original expiration date.
SECTION XXIX. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses, Section 21-06.03 Temporary Uses and Structures, subsection (j) Regulations for Mobile Classrooms is hereby amended as follows:
(1) Mobile classrooms shall be for use by a within the following Civic &
Institutional Use types: College/University, Religious Institution, School, Pre-K/Primary/Secondary; or and
SECTION XXX. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 6 Uses, Section 21-06.03 Temporary Uses and Structures, subsection (k) Regulations for Temporary
Seasonal Retail Sales is hereby amended as follows: (2) In districts where off-street parking is required, a minimum of 3 off-street parking spaces shall be provided on-site for the temporary seasonal retail sales use;
(3)(2) (4)(3) (5)(4)
SECTION XXXI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 7 Access & Parking, Section 21-07.03 Vehicle Access & Parking, subsection (d) Off-Street Vehicle Parking Area Access is hereby amended as follows:
(2) Whenever practical, if an alley is present and open to traffic, all vehicular
access should shall take place from the alley. When an alley is not present, access to corner lots from a secondary street is preferable to access from a primary street.
(4) Curb cuts shall not be allowed on lots of less than 30’ in width. Under a shared
driveway condition, this minimum may be reduced to 15’ if the lots sharing the driveway are at least 30’ in width combined. (4)(5)
(5)(6) (6)(7) SECTION XXXII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 7 Access
& Parking, Section 21-07.03 Vehicle Access & Parking, subsection (e) Design and
Construction of Off-Street Vehicle Parking Areas is hereby amended as follows: (1) Parking Area Layout. The layout of all off-street parking areas shall be in compliance with Table 21- 07B or the most recent version in the Architectural
Graphic Standards for a Level of Service “A” or “B.” An alley adjacent to the
lot may be used to meet the requirement for drive aisle width. The Zoning Administrator may reduce any measurement within Table 21-07B by up to one (1) foot on space-constrained lots.
SECTION XXXIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 7 Access & Parking, Section 21-07.04 Off-Street Loading, subsection (e) Use of Loading Area is hereby deleted in its entirety.
SECTION XXXIIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8
Building Standards, Section 21-08.01 Building Standards, subsection (c) Building Design is hereby amended as follows: (2) Primary facades shall be oriented to a front lot line. Building designs that
orient main entrances so that they are not visible from the primary street are
prohibited. Any entrance on a side facade shall be visible from the street or clearly identified using architectural features, awnings/canopies, or lighting. The Zoning Administrator may waive this requirement for buildings oriented to a common open space or for Agricultural; Industrial, Manufacturing, &
Processing; Transportation; and Utilities uses in an I district.
SECTION XXXV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.01 Building Standards, subsection (e) Building Materials
for New Construction – Front and Corner Facades is hereby amended as follows:
(3) Standard, fluted, or split face concrete masonry units (CMUs) above the basement level are prohibited as face material. Glazed or heavily polished CMUs or CMUs that look like brick or stone are allowed.
(7) Security devices such as solid metal security gates, metal roll-down windows, coiling shutters, and link/grill systems shall not be installed on front or corner facades, except where such devices are at least 50 percent transparent and located wholly behind a window or door, when viewed from the street or open
space.
(7)(8) (8)(9) In a NC or DT district, the following additional regulations apply. (A) Vinyl siding is prohibited.
(B) Security devices such as coiling shutters and accordion gates are prohibited on front or corner side facades, except where such devices are at least 50 percent transparent and located wholly behind a window or door, when viewed from the public right-of-way or open space.
(C)(B) Vents, air conditioners, and other utility elements, except where such elements are enclosed, camouflaged, screened, obscured, or otherwise not visible from the street, are prohibited as part of a front or corner facade.
(9)(10) (10)(11)
SECTION XXXVI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8
Building Standards, Section 21-08.01 Building Standards, subsection (g) Building
Components is hereby amended as follows: (5) Building Entrance. A point of ingress and egress for pedestrians into a building, upper story use, or first floor tenant space.
SECTION XXXVII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (e) Detached House is hereby amended as follows:
(3) Building Type Standards Building Dimensions Building Height
S2, U3, UF districts 3 stories max.
All other districts 2.5 stories max. SECTION XXXVIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8
Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (f) Cottage Court is hereby
amended as follows: (3) Building Type Standards
Building Dimensions
Building Height U2 district 1.5 storyies max. All other districts 2 stories max.
SECTION XXXIX. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (g) Duplex is hereby amended as follows:
(3) Building Type Standards
Building Dimensions Building Height S1, U1, U2 districts 2.5 storyies max.
All other districts 3 stories max.
Building Width S1, S2 districts 60’ max. All other districts 48’ max.
SECTION XL. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (h) Townhouse is hereby amended as
follows:
(3) Building Type Standards Building Dimensions
Building Height 3 storyies max.
SECTION XLI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (i) Apartment House is hereby
amended as follows:
(3) Building Type Standards Building Dimensions
Building Height 3 storyies max.
SECTION XLII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (j) Stacked Flats is hereby amended
as follows:
(3) Building Type Standards Building Dimensions
Building Height (stories) 2 min. / 5 stories max.
Building Width S2, DT districts 200’ 250’ max. All other districts 120’ 150’ max.
SECTION XLIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building Standards, Section 21-08.02 Building Types, subsection (k) Shop is hereby amended as follows:
(3) Building Type Standards Building Dimensions Façade Height UF district 12’ min.
All other districts 16’ min.
Building Width DT district 250’ max All other districts 150’ max
SECTION XLIV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 8 Building
Standards, Section 21-08.03 Building Frontage Types, subsection (d) Stoop is hereby amended as follows: Standards
A stoop shall be at least 18” above the sidewalk and shall directly connect to the
sidewalk, walkway, or driveway. A stoop shall have a railing or wall, a covering, or be at least 18” above the adjacent walkway or driveway. A stoop shall be at least 18” above the elevation of the city sidewalk achieved by
building an elevated stoop and/or building on an elevated lot.
A stoop shall connect to the city sidewalk directly or via a walkway or driveway. A stoop shall have a railing, a wall, a covering, or be elevated at least 18” above an adjoining driveway or walkway.
SECTION XLV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Site
Development, Section 21-09.01 Landscape, subsection (d) Minimum Plant Material Sizes at Time of Planting is hereby amended as follows: Table 21-09A: Minimum Size at Time of Planting
Plant Category Minimum Size
Deciduous Shade Tree 2 ½” 1.75” caliper at 6” above ground Deciduous Ornamental Tree 1 ½” 1.5” caliper at 6” above ground
SECTION XLVI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Site
Development, Section 21-09.01 Landscape, is hereby amended as follows: (g) Ground Cover In a front yard, corner yard, or tree lawn, ground cover shall include, but is not
limited to, grasses; natural vegetated ground covers; preserved existing natural
vegetation (e.g., thickets); or mulch. Artificial turf or similar synthetic material shall not be used. (g)(h) (h)(i)
(i)(j) (j)(k) (k)(l) (4) The use of artificial turf for games courts or athletic fields if other alternatives are not feasible. Any approval to allow artificial turf must
be noted in the landscape plan. (l)(m) (m)(n) (o)(p)
SECTION XLVII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Site
Development, Section 21-09.01 Landscape, subsection (l) Streetscape Trees is hereby amended as follows: (4) General Requirements
(C) Streetscape trees shall consist of native, deciduous shade trees and be selected from the recommended list of tree species for South Bend. and Trees must be approved granted a permit by the City Forester.
SECTION XLVIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Site Development, Section 21-09.01 Landscape, subsection (n) Landscape Buffer is hereby amended as follows:
(1) Applicability Table 21-09B: Buffers Required by Use Uses Standards Gas/Fuel Station 21-06.01(k)(11)
SECTION XLIX . Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Site Development, Section 21-09.02 Fences & Walls, subsection (c) Height is hereby amended as follows:
(4) An open fence more than 50% open enclosing a game court as defined by Section 21-06.02(f)(9) may be erected to a maximum of 12 feet in height, irrespective of the above standards.
(5) A fence more than 50% open providing safety at School, Pre-
K/Primary/Secondary and Day Care Center uses may be erected to a maximum of 6 feet in height, irrespective of the above standards, to the extent determined by the Zoning Administrator.
SECTION L . Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Site Development, Section 21-09.05 Clear Sight Area, subsection (a) Clear Sight Area
Requirements is hereby amended as follows:
(1) Except in a NC or DT district, no building, structure, or improvement, including landscape, shall be erected, placed, planted, or maintained so as to interfere with a clear sight area located between the heights of 3 feet and 10
feet above the crown of a street, driveway, or alley. A clear sight area shall be
established for all streets and alleys, whether public or private. SECTION LI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 10 Signs,
Section 21-10.01 General Provisions, Table 21-10A Allowed Temporary Signs is hereby
amended as follows: Temporary Signs for a Non-Residential Use Total Sign Surface Area
S1, S2, U1, U2, or U3 district 24 32 square feet max. total for all signs
per street frontage SECTION LII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 10 Signs,
Section 21-10.02 Exempt Signs, subsection (a) Exempt Signs is hereby amended as follows:
(10) Parking Lot Directional and Information Sign (B) S1, S2, U1, U2, U3, UF, and NC Districts – signs shall not exceed 4
square feet in surface area, or nor shall they exceed 4 feet in height;
(C) DT, OS, U and C Districts – signs shall not exceed 6 square feet in surface area, or nor shall they exceed 4 feet in height;
(13) Window Sign. One window sign per non-residential use provided it does not
exceed 4 square feet and is non-illuminated. SECTION LIII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 10 Signs, Section 21-10.04 Sign Measurement, subsection (b) Sign Height is hereby amended as
follows:
Sign height is measured as the vertical distance from the street grade at average natural ground level within 2 feet of the base of the sign or sign structure, to the highest point of the sign or sign structure.
SECTION LIV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 9 Signs, Section 21-10.05 On-Premise Signs, subsection (d) On-Premise Signs: Building Signs is
hereby amended as follows:
(5) Roof Signs (A) Roof signs are only permitted in the NC, or DT, or I districts and shall
only be installed on a building with a flat roof. (7) Wall Signs (C) No wall sign may extend above the window sills of the second story,
unless the establishment extends to the second story or above. No
portion of a wall sign may extend above the roofline or parapet wall of a building with a flat roof or above the lower eave of a building with a pitched roof.
SECTION LV. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 10 Signs, Section 21-10.07 Off-Premise Signs, subsection (d) Advertising Signs is hereby amended as follows:
(1) Sign Surface Area for Advertising Signs (A) Limited Access Highways and Arterial Streets - The maximum sign surface area for advertising signs oriented toward a limited access highway shall be 672 square feet.
SECTION LVI. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 12 Administration, Section 21-12.07 Development Review Procedures, subsection (f) Common Procedures is hereby amended as follows:
(4) Use Variance Procedures (A) Applicability
(ii) When a combination of uses on a lot is not allowed in any of the
zoning districts, the property should be zoned into the district that permits the most of those proposed uses and a use variance sought for the balance of uses (iii)(ii) In any of the above conditions, a A use variance cannot be
sought if a use could be permitted with a special exception.
(E) Procedure
(i) When a combination of uses on a lot is not allowed in any of the zoning districts, the property should be zoned into the district
that permits the most of those proposed uses and a use variance
sought for the balance of uses. (i)(ii) (ii)(iii) (iii)(iv)
(iv)(v)
(v)(vi) (vi)(vii) (vii)(viii) (viii)(ix)
(ix)(x)
(x)(xi) (xi)(xii)
SECTION LVII. Chapter 21, Zoning, of the South Bend Municipal Code, Article 13
Nonconformities & Enforcement, Section 21-13.01 Nonconformities, subsection (j) Reconstruction, Remodeling, or Enlargement of a Legally Established Nonconforming 1 Unit Dwelling or 2 Unit Dwelling is hereby amended as follows:
(2) Remodeled or enlarged, provided that such remodeling or additions comply
with the development standards of the applicable district related to maximum building coverage, minimum setbacks (except as set forth in (l) below), maximum setbacks, and building height, and off-street parking.
SECTION LVIII. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage
by the Common Council and approval by the Mayor.
____________________________ Canneth Lee, Common Council President
Attest: _____________________________
Bianca Tirado, City Clerk
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana on the _________day
of ___________, 2025, at _________ o’clock ____. m.
__________________________
Bianca Tirado, City Clerk
Approved and signed by me on the _________ day of ____________, 2025, at
________ o’clock ____. m. ____________________________
James Mueller
Mayor, City of South Bend, Indiana