Hazardous Land for Sale! WNCSOS Says Landslide Map for Asheville is Cause for Concern

WNCSOS Says Landslide Map for Asheville is Cause for Concern. This preliminary Buncombe County, North Carolina landslide map shows mountainous terrain at serious risk of potential slope failures.

Mars Hill, NC (PRWEB) April 11, 2008 -- This preliminary Buncombe County, North Carolina landslide hazard map shows mountainous terrain at serious risk of potential slope failures. Red zones (High Geologic Hazard) pinpoint hazardous construction locations: high probability that slope modifications will trigger landslides.

A significant number of landslides and landslide deposits are displayed on the Western North Carolina Landslide Hazard Map (http://www.marshall.edu/cegas/geohazards/2007pdf/Session4/04%207thGeohazInTnsp_KGillon.pdf). These areas are considered unsuitable and unsafe building locations.

The Buncombe County Hazard Mitigation Plan (http://www.buncombecounty.org/common/emergency/Hazard%20ID%20&%20Analysis.pdf) (August 23, 2004) determined that the steep slopes and fragile soils of Western North Carolina put the county at high risk for landslides. This report was issued just weeks before the catastrophic 15 county slope failures of 2004. (Western North Carolina received 2 federal disaster declarations in September 2004)

Buncombe County's mountain real estate is currently under extensive development. Some of the largest residential/resort projects are: Versant, Reynolds Mountain, Bartram's Walk, The Settings, The Cliffs at High Carolina, Crest Mountain, and Southcliff. Their approximate locations are indicated on the hazard map. "These mountain slope communities were approved without landslide investigation." Carolina Concerns

Geologic Hazards are defined as geologic events which are so adverse to past, current, or foreseeable construction or land use as to constitute an extreme danger to public health, safety and property. When geologic hazard ordinances are enacted they provide real estate risk disclosure and require strict regulation and control over the development and sale of hazardous land. Buyer Beware: There are no geologic hazard ordinances in Western North Carolina.

"The 2005 Western North Carolina landslide hazard mapping program, Is it Safe to Build Here was intended to prevent the development and sale of hazardous real estate, but planning boards and developers in the 21 county region refused to wait for these critical safety studies." Carolina Concerns

The hazard maps for Macon, Buncombe, and Watauga counties show that hundreds of homes and residential roads have been built in precarious areas. Note that 75% of the developable land in Western North Carolina is located on more than a 15 degree slope and state geologists warn that this is the threshold for landslide activity. Tyler Clark, former chief geologist with the North Carolina Geological Survey, stated in an interview, "You can build in many places in North Carolina, but you have to do it right. You need good planning, design, and construction anytime you develop, and part of that is knowing what hazards to look for." NCDENR UPCLOSE (http://www.enr.state.nc.us/upclose/pages/landslidemap.html)

"We believe the public should be aware that Western North Carolina mountain real estate is a definable risky asset, regardless of whether this information is disclosed on current sales contracts. Deaths from landslides are uncommon, 6 recorded fatalities since 2003, but property damage is frequent, expensive, and uninsurable. It is our opinion that the landslide hazard maps will affect the future value of many Western North Carolina mountain homes. Properties that are located on or near landslides and landslide deposits will be classified high risk real estate." Carolina Concerns

"Prospective buyers should not rely on the actions of Western North Carolina planning boards, Realtors, or developers to protect their safety or financial interests." Carolina Concerns

"Our advice, when buying mountain real estate, is to become informed and choose wisely. Slope stability can only be determined by state licensed engineers and geologists: Sellers are not qualified to make these assessments. Complete site specific analyses are affordable, generally less than $2,000." Carolina Concerns

Attorney General Roy Cooper recently counseled, "It's tragic when people lose their homes, especially when it could be prevented."

Please visit the Western North Carolina landslide advisory website (http://www.wncsos.com) and the WNCSOS Blog (http://wncsos.blogspot.com) for more information. WNCSOS and the WNCSOS Blog are websites used by Carolina Concerns to disseminate landslide hazard opinion and research to the public.

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