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page 10 <br />they he <br />gradual <br />Mr. Jeff Moss of 701 Cottage Grove then spoke of the <br />need to maintain property values in the area, and to <br />take positive action to halt the loss of its historic <br />character. To oppose the proposal was a negative act <br />which would reinforce the area's decline. <br />Mr. Oxian interjected that, at this time, the HPC <br />could only approve or disapprove the boundaries of <br />the proposed district. Standards, to be written by <br />the neighborhood association, would be adopted much <br />later, after boundaries were set. C of A procedures <br />do not go into effect until both boundaries and <br />standards were officially in place. <br />This method of establishing districts differed, he <br />said, from the method used to establish South Bend's <br />other local historic districts. Previously, <br />boundaries and standards had been drawn up together, <br />and approved as a package by at least a 51% majority <br />vote within the district. <br />Presentations resumed. The owner of 627 Leland said <br />that owners already were required to meet a variety <br />of city standards when they undertook construction <br />projects. Broad and flexible district standards were <br />possible, and would halt deterioration and, perhaps, <br />bring about zoning changes forbidding multifamily <br />occupancy. <br />An unidentified woman again raised the issue of why <br />the HPC staff couldn't get more time to study the <br />proposal. Mr. Oxian said that more delay would have <br />been possible using the older method of establishing <br />districts. The method being used in this particular <br />case --creation of a district by ordinance --entailed a <br />90 -day review period. The 90 days had expired. <br />The owner of 744 Cottage Grove spoke briefly; she <br />pointed out that the proposed district was within <br />walking distance of downtown South Bend. <br />Ms. Linda Edgerton of 520 Leland then stated that the <br />neighborhood's historic character had been steadily <br />fading during her 16 years of residence. She <br />affirmed the neighborhood's importance, tracing its <br />origins to the 1820's and claiming that many of the <br />homes were built around clapboard cabins dating from <br />the pioneering era. Further, to designate a historic <br />district here would justly honor the working class. <br />Ms. Dayle Brown of 713 Cushing said she'd moved into <br />