February 1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS STAFF REPORT • APPLICATION -- 1997-0108 PROPERTY.-- Riverside Drive, (all Local Historic Districts) OWNER -- City of South Bend Department of Public Works DESIGNATION -- Riverside Drive Local Historic District (Blanket Certificate Request) RATING -- N/A STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE/HISTORIC CONTEXT Although not individually rated in the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory the street identification signs are an integral part of the character of the established neighborhood. Though not historical in nature, the traffic control signs are understood as a modern necessity. PROPOSED CHANGE The City of South Bend requests a blanket certificate of appropriateness to replace and install street identification and traffic control signs in all Preservation Districts per the documentation submitted. Signs are to be • mounted on U channel posts. STANDARDS , I.A.l. - Required Distinctive existing features such as parks, gardens, streetlights, fences, signs..... shall be retained. New plant materials, fencing, walkways,. signs..... shall be compatible with the character of the neighborhood in size, scale, material and color. I.A.2. - Recommended Whenever possible, original features should be restored. I.A.3. - Prohibited Signs, street lights..... which are out of scale or inappropriate to the neighborhood may not be used. "Note: The standards stated above pertain to River Bend, Edgewater Place, Lincolnway East, East Wayne Street as well as Riverside Drive. While West North Shore was more generalized, the same remains for all Historic Districts listed respectively. RECOMMENDATION It should be noted that the letter from the Department of Public Works (see letter as exhibit of application) states that the same street identification signs that were removed at intersections along Riverside Drive (four inch high white lettering on a green reflective background on a six inch blade) will be reused. Verbal conversation confirms thatthe same traffic control signage is also to be reinstalled. However they are proposed to be displayed atop standard U channel posts rather than attached to streetlamp posts. Staff • concurs that the mounting of appurtances to the streetlight posts may tend to cause damage to the conrete poles and therefore agrees that alternative measures are appropriate to the display of such signage.