The Laurel Valley Development, Townsend, TN
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
DATE: October 28, 2017
Prepared by: Jane Ellen Rawdon and others on FireWise Committee
Organization: Property Owners of Laurel Valley Development
Contact Information:
Address: 611 Bear Den Road; Townsend, TN 37882
Phone: (865) 448.0443
E-mail: [email protected] The following report is a cooperative effort between various entities. The representatives listed below comprise the core decision-making team responsible for this report and mutually agree on the plan’s contents.
Community Representatives:
Linda Rose 611 Bear Den Road, Townsend TN 37882 (865) 448.0443 [email protected]
Jim Rose 611 Bear Den Road, Townsend TN 37882 (865) 448.0443 [email protected] Jimmy Allen 201 Cooper Hollow Rd, Townsend TN Home- (865) 336.2388 [email protected]
Danielle Allen 201 Cooper Hollow Rd, Townsend TN Home- (865) 336.2388 [email protected]
Jane Ellen Rawdon 706 Blueberry Lane; Townsend, TN 37882 (865) 448-6680 (901) 569-1785 (mobile) [email protected]
Local Fire Department Representatives:
Name: Don Stallions, Chief of Townsend Volunteer Fire Department
Address: 133 Tiger Drive; Townsend, TN 37882
Phone: (865) 448-6322
E-mail: [email protected]
Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
Name: Greg Salansky, Zone Fire Management Officer
Organization: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Address: 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Phone: Office (865) 436-1247 Cell- (865) 414-6461
E-mail: [email protected]
Local Tennessee Division of Forestry Representatives:
Name: Nathan Waters, Assistant District Forester, East Tennessee District
Address: P.O. Box 266, Knoxville, TN 37901
Phone Number: Office- (865) 594-6432, Cell- (865) 776-2111
E-mail: [email protected]
Name: Leon Konz, Wildfire Mitigation Specialist
Organization: Tennessee Division of Forestry
Address: 1220 Craig Road, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: 865-414-5667
E-mail: [email protected]
Name: Doug Lynn, Forestry Technician
Address: Madisonville Tower, P.O. Box 913, Madisonville, Tennessee 37354
Phone Number: Office- (865) 429-7020, Cell- (865) 617-2810
E-mail: [email protected]
Name: Eric Miller, Area Forester Address: 884 Highway 70W, Lenoir City, Tennessee 37771
Phone Number: Office- (865) 986-7335, Cell- (865) 250-8693
E-mail: [email protected]
The following parties were also involved in the review of this report:
Name: Darren Bailey, District Forester
Address: PO Box 2666, Knoxville, TN 37901
Office Phone: 865-594-6432
Cell: 865-228-9471
E-mail: [email protected]
FAX: 865-594-8907
Name: Jeff Piatt, Acting Fire Unit Leader
Address: PO Box 40627, Nashville, TN 37204
Office Phone: 615-8375425
Cell: 615-351-4771
E-mail: [email protected]
FAX: 615-837-5129
PLAN CONTENTS
1. Community Background and Existing Situation 2. Community Base Map and Other Visuals 3. Goals and Objectives 4. Prioritized Mitigation Recommendations 5. Action Plan 6. Wildfire Pre-Suppression Plan 7. Attachments
1. COMMUNITY BACKGROUND AND EXISTING SITUATION
The Laurel Valley Community is located in Townsend, Tennessee which is in Blount County. Laurel Valley was formed as a corporation in 1987; the Laurel Valley Property Owners Association assumed responsibility for the operation of the community in 1996. The community is approximately 1000 acres in size. There are approximately 485 lots, with approximately 300 structures; this includes a combination of full time residents, part time residents, and rental homes. Over the past five years, 20 new homes have been built.
There are two roads into the Laurel Valley Development, both accessed via Laurel Valley Road. The main entrance is at the Laurel Valley Guard house where a Guard is on duty from 6 am to 6 pm. The other entrance (called "back gate") is gated with key card entrance only; no one should take this route – either entering or exiting -- unless they have an access key card. There is currently not a plan to have this gate open in case of an emergency. However, the committee has an action item to address having this gate open in case of an emergency. Laurel Road access intersection with Laurel Valley Road is located approximately 1/4 mile from the intersection of Old Tuckaleechee Road and LV Road.
Main entrance: Stay on LV Road until you come to the guard house - do not turn onto Laurel Road unless you have an access card. Laurel Valley Road bears slightly to the right and becomes Country Club Drive which eventually intersects with Laurel Road. A left turn at the guard house is onto Laurel Road, a road which loops throughout the development. There are multiple cul de sacs and dead-end roads off Laurel Road and Country Club Drive. Any vehicle evacuation would be via Laurel Road or Country Club Drive and then Laurel Valley Road to Old Tuckaleechee Road. There is a short distance of .8 miles on LV Road (a Blount County 2-lane road) where it is the only vehicular route in or out. All roads within Laurel Valley development are maintained by the LVPOA; most roads are paved. Mineral Springs, Camp Townsend, Lake Madison, and Christy Lane are maintained privately. There are a few gravel roads. These generally have only 1 or 2 homes on them.
Photos of some Gravel Roads:
Other Road Photographs:
Many Roads are dead end, making it difficult for a large vehicle to turn around.
Laurel Valley History The Laurel Valley development has evolved over many years. The very first developer, Little River Light and Power, built some very small cabins in 1917. They also developed the initial plans for a golf course. Next, Laurel Valley Inc. was formed in 1926 and it contained a total of 1300 acres. It included several tracts, one of which was the Little River Light and Power tract.
Multiple real estate developers have been involved. The third developer had approximately 1,000 acres, added some roads and built the first few holes of the golf course and the name Laurel Valley was used. Next in 1970 the fourth developer took over and finished the first nine holes. They developed most of the roads and more houses were built. This organization went bankrupt in 1973 and the land was taken over by the government. The development was dormant until 1989 when the fifth developer took over. They added more roads, built the clubhouse, swimming pool and the second nine holes of the golf course. This organization was called the Laurel Valley Resort. In the late 1990’s the Laurel Valley Property Owners Association (LVPOA) was established which included basically all but the golf course, clubhouse and swimming pool. The LVPOA then took over management of all properties and roads. The two organizations (LVPOA and Laurel Valley Resort) had no formal connection. During 2009 the Laurel Valley Resort which then included a fitness facility, was sold. It was sold again in 2014 and 2017. Property The Laurel Valley development contains approximately 1,000 acres, 485 properties and 300 residences. The residences include permanent homes, part time homes and rental properties that are both short and long-term rentals. Homes range in size from small cabins to very large homes. There are 14 miles of mostly very hilly and curvy roads and all are paved but one. Widths vary from 20 feet and less. Steepness varies up to a 30% grade. The roads are well maintained. Operations The organization is managed by a board of directors and there is no paid staff. Residents volunteer their time to do almost all of the work. Some services are contracted out such as a security firm which provides personnel at the entrance from dusk to dawn; road and ditch maintenance are also contracted out. Laurel Lake Adjacent to Laurel Valley is a lake called Laurel Lake. The earthen based dam was built in the 1930s by the CCC (a Federal Government program; Conservation, Community and Core) and was deeded to the state in 1937. It contained approximately 75 acres. The property was used by not for profit organizations like the Girl Scouts, Kiwanis, etc. It contained a building with a fireplace that groups could use. Later concerns developed regarding leakage in the dam, potentially breaking and causing flooding problems. In 1990 the lake was drained. Beavers have since built their own dam and a small lake has developed. There is no car access now and thus it is not in use. It has again become a natural wetland area. The property is owned by Blount County.
Background for FireWise involvement:
Linda Rose, chair of the LVPOA FireWise committee, took the lead to get the Laurel Valley development to become a designated Firewise USA TM community. She writes:
“I, Linda Rose, attended a FireWise Community Conference for East Tennessee on May 24th, 2015 in Knoxville. Debbie Mateo, from the nearby community of Fence Rail Gap, (a designated FireWise Community) called and invited someone from our Laurel Valley Board to attend because they had a couple of extra seats available. I reluctantly agreed to attend and was so glad that I went. I was very impressed with the entire conference and decided that I would try to see if I could generate interest from other homeowners to start a committee to investigate the requirements to obtain the FireWise Designation. After the devastating fires in Gatlinburg in late November 2016, I knew that I had to make the FireWise program a reality for the Laurel Valley Community. Our new committee of six had our first meeting on May 8, 2017 and are on a fast track to complete the requirements by late fall of 2017.”
Community Description:
County: Blount Latitude/Longitude: 35.673151, -83.801021 (Guardhouse) Frontage Road: Laurel Valley Road Nearest Intersection: Old Tuckaleechee Road and E Lamar Alexander Pkwy (US 321)
Nearest Fire Department:
Name: Townsend Volunteer Fire Department Location: 133 Tiger Drive; Townsend, TN 37882 Year Established: 1979
Interface Areas:
The Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal, or SouthWRAP, is a web tool that enables civic leaders, community planners, elected officials, wildfire mitigation specialists and others to identify the risk wildfire poses to their communities. Developed by the Southern Group of State Foresters, this tool empowers anyone within the Southeastern United States to be able to better protect their homes and communities. Importantly, the outputs from the program are general and course in nature providing relative risk information. It is advisable to verify the outputs for a given tract of land with someone skilled in wildland fire behavior before making management decisions about a specific piece of property.
An August 27, 2017 Summary Report for Laurel Valley estimated that 99% of Laurel Valley meets the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) definition. The SouthWRAP WUI Risk Index layer is a rating of the potential impact of a wildfire on people and their homes. It is calculated by combing housing density and fire behavior data. The range of values is from -1 to -9, with -1 representing the least negative impact and -9 representing the most negative impact. For example, areas with high housing density and high flame lengths are rated -9 while areas with low housing density and low flame lengths are rated -1.
The map below shows the distribution of ratings for Laurel Valley.
The SouthWRAP Community Protection Zones (CPZ) represent those areas considered highest priority for mitigation planning activities. General consensus among fire planners is that for fuel mitigation treatments to be effective in reducing wildfire hazard, they must be conducted within a close distance of a community. CPZs are based on an analysis of housing density data and surrounding fire behavior potential. The WUI housing density has been used to reflect populated areas in place of community boundaries (Primary CPZ). The Rate of Spread data is used to determine the areas of concern around populated areas that are within a 2-hour fire spread distance. This is referred to as the Secondary CPZ.
The map below shows the distribution of the two CPZ protection zones.
Community Size:
Number of Lots: 485 Number of Structures: 300 Number of Rentals: Unknown Estimated Acres: 1000 Development Status: Roads are complete; a few new houses are being built each year, but development is fairly mature.
Community Infrastructure:
Home Owners Association/Organization: Yes - LVPOA
Contacts:
Name: President of LVPOA 2017 – Dewayne Wilson Address: 319 Kelly Ridge Road Phone Number: 865-336-2966 Email Address: [email protected] Name: LVPOA Board Liaison to FireWise Committee – to be appointed at a later date. Board is incomplete at this time.
Resident Population:
Estimated 155 Full-time Approximately 145 Part-time
Community Wildfire Hazard Rating:
What is the adjective risk rating? 71 Date of Assessment? June 12, 2017
Community Assessment Form: See form below.
Community Assessment Highlights
Fuel Characteristics: The areas around the gulf course are surrounded by varying percentages of pine and hardwoods. Patches of pines can be found throughout most of the neighborhoods. The WUI Risk Index Map shown above, reflects the areas where pine concentrations are the greatest. It is easily seen that the highest risk areas in the community are in the northern half; this is where the slopes are facing predominantly southwest. Southwest slopes tend to be dry and make good sites for most pines and laurel to grow. Pine areas are also found in patches in the southern half of the community. Laurel and rhododendron are common throughout the community.
It is common that homes do not have defensible space. It is heartening the community has established an extremely aggressive home assessment program resulting in significant improvements around some residents.
House Characteristics: A full range of housing types exist from small wooden cabins, more typical residential homes to larger more luxurious ones. Almost exclusively, Class A roofs exist. The newer homes have non-combustible siding, but most of the older homes do not making the 3-5-foot inorganic space next to foundations extremely important. Lot sizes vary from small to several acres. Homes are close together on some of the smaller lots. Sample Home Photos (Size varies from 1 bedroom cabins to 5 bedroom homes):
Fuel types: Fuel is heavy; in some areas there are many pine trees which are highly flammable.
Examples of fuel and power lines:
TE
Community Wildfire History:
Townsend VFD Response History
Over the past five years, the Department reports responding to five fires in the Laurel Valley area. Of those, two were started by lighting and one by a cigarette; two ignition causes are unknown. Each of the five fires was under five acres in size.
TDF Fire Response History
TDF reports responding to 24 fires that burned 2,349 acres within five miles of the Laurel Valley area between January 2007 and July 2017. Arson was the primary cause with 10 (42%) of the ignitions. The second most common cause was residences; five ignitions or 21%. Lightning was the third most common cause, igniting five or (21%).
The map below shows TDF fire responses from January 2007 to July 2017.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park fire responses within three miles of the community are shown on the map below. Between 2000 and 2010 they responded to two south of the community. Both were within the park boundary and south of Rich Mountain Gap. In addition, during this time the boundary next to Mineral Springs Road had the fuel significantly thinned, piled and burned. Between 2010 to present, there was also one response north of the community next to the Parkway north of Matthew Mountain.
2) COMMUNITY BASE MAP AND OTHER VISUALS
Satellite View showing entry/exits to Laurel Valley Nice.
Satellite View of Laurel Valley Development See attached map. Area is too large to be readable in an 8.5” x 11” document.
Area Map Showing Laurel Valley Development and Water Access Points Potential Water Access Points: Little River, Laurel Lake, Lake Madison, Golf Course Water Hazards
Golf Course water hazard (easily accessible from Laurel Road):
3) GOALS / OBJECTIVES
Goals:
Goals are general intentions of what is to be attained. The goals of this plan are to make the residents, homes, and other valuable community infrastructure safer from wildfire.
Objectives:
Objectives are precise actions for accomplishment that are measurable.
1. Establish a prioritized list of actions for the community to work on. 2. Reduce the amount of flammable vegetation around structures and other community infrastructure thereby creating defensible space. 3. Decrease the likelihood that structures can be ignited by embers and other methods of ignition through education and activities undertaken. 4. Continue to promote a community prevention and preparedness education program.
4) PRIORITIZED MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations were developed by the Community FireWise Committee, Townsend VFD and Tennessee Division of Forestry (TDF) staff. The community-wide assessment information was an important component of establishing these priorities. In addition, important factors identified during multiple meetings also played an important role.
Proposed Community Hazard Reduction Priorities:
1) Community Clean-up Day. 2) Cut, prune and mow vegetation in shared community spaces. 3) Mark Exit Routes 4) Change wooden sign posts to metal
Proposed Structural Ignitability Reduction Priorities:
Actions to encourage homeowners to take:
1. Clean roof and gutters.
2. Keep leaves, pine needles, and dry grass from under decks and around structures.
3. Install 1/8-inch metal screening on inside of vents. 4. Install metal screening under decks and walkways where needed to eliminate accumulation of leaves, pine needles, etc.
5. Create an inorganic, non-burnable, area 3-5’ wide next to foundations of structures to prevent fire from burning up to them.
6. Create defensible space around perimeter of structures by having minimal fuel for approximately 30’ next to structure.
7. Reduce fuel on roadway right-of-way where flammable fuels promote fire spreading from one side to another. This will increase the road’s effectiveness as a firebreak.
8. Where practical, reduce hazardous concentrations of fuels here it threatens something of value.
Proposed Education Initiatives Priorities:
Activities planned and implemented by community, local fire department and Department of Forestry.
1. Distribute information packets to property owners at July 8 LVPOA meeting.
2. Send monthly emails regarding tips to make homes FireWise; send more frequently during “fire season.”
3. Use Laurel Valley Facebook page to disseminate information.
4. Publish information on LVPOA website. http://laurelvalley.org/
5. Include information in “Welcome” packets for new homeowners.
6. Identify Rental agencies, Landscape Businesses, and Builders and distribute appropriate information to each group.
5) ACTION PLAN The table below explains the community’s plan of action.
Project/Recommended Date Project Category Group Action Completed
Home assessments
LV Identify advisors 8/12/17 Community TFD/LV Train advisors 8/12/17 Community Inspect as many as LV Ongoing possible of 300 homes Community
Communications
Regular emails email to LV Ongoing all property owners Community Monthly updates to the LV Ongoing LVPOA board Community
Education
Property owner LV education through Community Facebook Share brochures with people moving into the LV Ongoing community - Welcoming Community committee Special educations sessions using brochures LV with builders, Community architecture and landscaping business Provide materials to people applying to build LV in Laurel Valley through Community the Architect Review committee Generate a hang tag to LV
place in rental properties Community
Emergency plan
Understand and integrate LV September- with the Blount County Community 2017 system
Emergency exit plan
Identification of exit LV
routes for vehicles Community Guidelines for individuals LV
both by car and foot Community
Improve/install signs Replace wood posts on LV stop signs and some Community others Signs at the gatehouse and a few on roads LV
regarding hazardous Community conditions warnings Encourage homes to have LV
reflective house numbers Community Enable home owners to
remove fuel Periodically provide open top dumpsters for fuel LV
disposal; or pick up a Community service Contract services for TFD/LV
using chipper Community Provide equipment for loan (high powered leaf LV
blower-suction and Community hearing protection) Area clean up / fuel
removal Work with TDF to identify TDV/LV
highest priorities Community LV Common properties Community LV Clearing around roads Community
Firewise Day
Integrate with LVPOA annual meeting to LV 7/8/2017 educate all and get more Community people involved LV
Community
Managing Grant Funds
With TDF assistance write grant letter, filling out LV applications for items Community needing funding and managing funds
Purchase and install a VFD/LV Additional source of water non-pressurized fill Community hydrant Develop a list of LV
Identify resources that can additional resources Community assist Publicize through homeowners with projects welcoming packet professional and Publicize through the volunteers Website
LV Work with them Work with Blount Co & Community Alcoa Electric on clearing roads
Fuel reduction along park Create fire breaks GSMNP boundaries
(Depends on budget)
Between Laurel Road and LV
Laurel Lake Community
6) WILDFIRE PRE-SUPPRESSION PLAN
A. Wildfire Protection Responsibility
Structural: - Townsend VFD
1,000-gallon engine with a 1,000 GPM pump
750-gallon engine with 1,250 GPM pump
250-gallon Wildland type 6 engine
2,000-gallon tanker with 400 GPM pump
2,000-gallon tanker with 450 GPM pump
Average response time is seven minutes, longer higher up in the community.
The second alarm would go to Blount County Fire Protection District with a response time of approximately 15 minutes.
Wildland: Tenn. Division of Forestry, Blount County Station
Available Resources:
Type 4 Dozer/ Cat D4 Plow Unit
Type 6 pumper unit
1 full-time plow operator
2 seasonal fire fighters.
Resource availability includes one tractor/plow and one slip-on pumper. Approximate response time from station, 45 minutes.
B. Incident Command Post Location- Dependent on fire’s location.
C. Incident Staging Area Location- Dependent on fire’s location.
D. Medical Unit Location- Dependent on fire’s location.
E. Air Support
Helicopter and air tanker availability varies greatly during the year. Aerial suppression resources should not be assumed available. Local TDF personnel must be involved in the decision to use aerial suppression resources. The TDF Fire Chief and Army National Guard determine if the mission request can be filled. Federal Air Tanker requests must be made from TDF personnel on the fire through the TDF Fire Chief and an incident number assigned by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
F. Water Availability
There are no pressurized hydrants within the community. Potential water sources: Little River, Laurel Lake (not easy to access), Madison Lake (very small lake), water hazards on Wild Laurel Golf course (minimal water there).
G. Communications
Dispatch/Fire Departments
Name: Blount County Communication Center
Phone Number: (865) 981-7100
Radio Frequencies: 453.100
Local Tenn. TDF Office
Name: Walland Shop, 1512 East Miller’s Cove Road, Walland, TN 37886
Phone Number: (865) 982-6264
Radio Frequencies: 159.33000 Green Top (receive only)
H. Evacuation Plan. No plan is in writing at this time. There is an action item to address this in the Action Plan. LVPOA Board will install reflective Exit signs to assist with evacuation.
I. Resource List
Utilities Electric – City of Alcoa Utilities Office: (865) 380-4700 Outage: (865) 380-4890 www.cityofalcoa-tn.gov Telephone – CComcast: (800) 934-6489 AT&T: (800) 288-2020 Cable - Comcast: (800) 934-6489 Water - Tuckaleechee Utility District Office: (865) 448-2230
Fuel, Food, and Supplies Townsend IGA: 7945 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy; (865) 448-3010 Townsend Shopping Center: 7609 Old State Hwy 73; (865) 448-6915 ACE Hardware: 8031 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy; (865) 336-2644 Numerous lodging facilities & restaurants nearby
7) ATTACHMENTS
Map of Laurel Valley on next page. Also included as separate document to enable enlarging on the screen. Map of Laurel Valley