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• Historic Preservation Commission <br />Room 1123 County City Building <br />South Bend, IN. 46601 <br />Attention: David Duvall, Director <br />Dear Sir: <br />February 5, 1996 <br />Having received notice of Wednesday's meeting on Saturday, I have been unable to change my <br />work schedule in order to attend this meeting. I would like to share this letter with the committee <br />members in lieu of my personal appearance. <br />Having purchased my house 4 years ago in badly deteriorating "as is" condition I hope I have <br />shown my commitment to improving my neighborhood as well as historic preservation as I have <br />renovated the house inside and out at a cost in excess of $75,000 to date. I have attempted in all of <br />these projects to restore the house to its former beauty and have used the highest quality products <br />and contractors to achieve this aim. <br />I would like the committee to be aware that I never received a copy of the historic guidelines when <br />I moved in and my understanding is that this book is apparently not presently available for <br />distribution. I would also note that I was never advised of these guidelines when other exterior <br />work was done (including a new roof, replacing storm windows and tuckpointing the foundation). <br />certainly question the fairness, if not the legality, of forcing removal of the fence which has been <br />• installed, given these circumstances. <br />I would also like the committee to be aware of the extremely positive, unsolicited feedback I have <br />received from neighbors. No fewer than seven neighbors have commented on the improved <br />appearance of the front yard since the fence was installed. The level of enthusiasm has been very <br />gratifying. I have also been made aware through the "neighborhood grapevine" that there is a real <br />level of concern that the historic preservation designation may be counter-productive by inhibiting <br />needed improvements and imposing unnecessarily rigorous guidelines which don't reflect <br />neighborhood consensus. I have been advised that there are neighbors who would like to see the <br />historic district designation rescinded and are interested in using my fence as a "cause celebre". I <br />am in favor of the historic designation but I do believe it is clear that neighbors and I would urge a <br />common sense approach that encourages a "spirit of the law" interpretation with particular <br />sensitivity to the wishes of the neighborhood for whom these regulations are presumably to serve. <br />S�cerely, <br />1;14�i <br />Jennifer Lackman <br />1414 E. Wayne St. <br />0 <br />