Joint City-County County Task Force on Ridge, Slope and Hillside Development & Protection

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Sabrina Maria Briggs
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1 Joint City-County County Task Force on Ridge, Slope and Hillside Development & Protection Created by the Knoxville City Council and Knox County Commission in March 2008

2 Mission Recommend policies to balance conservation and development on hillsides and ridges.

3 Representing the Community Builders and Real Estate Professionals Environmentalists Attorneys Scientists and Engineers Elected and Appointed Officials Landscape Architects and Foresters Utility Representatives Community Advocates

4 Knoxville's distinctive narrow ridges and valleys, together with its rivers have surely shaped the city's image in the minds of generations of residents and visitors as literally as they have shaped the city's development. Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee (1976) McAnnally Ridge and House Mountain

5 More than 60 % of the county s forested land is on the mountains and ridges. South County s Brown Mountain

6 Ridges are part of our natural beauty Beaver Copper Ridge, east a view of from I-75 Raccoon Valley Road looking south

7 Ridges are part of community identity Beaver Ridge defines Halls, Powell and Karns. Beaver Ridge, east of I-75

8 Why a Task Force?

9 Destructive Grading and Clearing Beaver A hillside Ridge, cut along east Callahan of I-75 Drive, (now partially repaired)

10 Disrupted Views South Knoxville Water Tower South Knoxville Water Tower

11 Working Against Nature Wildwood Subdivision Phase III

12 Extensive Erosion and Deforestation Terra Vista Subdivision

13 Water Pollution

14 Goals and Considerations Public Safety Resource Protection Preservation of Natural Beauty Balancing Private Property Rights with Community Benefits

15 Public Safety: Fire Protection Sevier County, TN

16 Public Safety: Fire Hazards Cove Mountain, Sevier County, TN

17 Public Safety: Landslides 5020 Pleasant Ridge Rd

18 Resource Protection: Air Clear Day Hazy Day Clear Day Hazy Day Great Smoky Mountains

19 Resource Protection: Air Trees Help Reduce Our Carbon Footprint Knoxville ranks as a Top 10 metropolitan area with the largest per capita carbon footprint One tree absorbs about 13 pounds of carbon per year. Image courtesy of: Salt River Project (SRP)

20 Resource Protection: Water Reducing Runoff One mature tree absorbs 11,000 gallons/year Forested land above Ft. Loudoun Lake University Heights, South Knoxville

21 Resource Protection: Forests Energy conservation Mature trees shade homes from summer sun and provide a wind break from winter winds. Home on Thorngrove Pike Home on Cherokee Blvd

22 Resource Protection: Forests Mature tree increases property values 5-20 %

23 Resource Protection: Habitat Flickr - kajvin Flickr- Canon Chris Flickr- Wade Franklin INSERT IMAGE OF HABITAT NWFS NWFS Tim Robinson

24 Property Rights

25 PRELIMINARY POLICY PROPOSALS FOR HILLSIDE & RIDGETOP AREAS

26 Task Force Consensus Points to foster environmental benefits and public safety Reduce pavement widths for roads to 20 feet Allow reduced building setbacks Enable conservation subdivisions Promote fire safety programs Reforest scarred landscapes / develop guidelines for reforestation management practices

27 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 1. Reduce Density In rural areas, one dwelling unit per acre on 15-25% slopes and less density above 25% Type of Hillside Density Northeast Knox County

28 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 1. Reduce Density In suburban areas, two dwelling units per acre on 15-25% slopes Forest Hills Subdivision off Sutherland Ave

29 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 2. Limit Intensity of Use Prohibit industrial and commercial development Dumplin Creek Shopping Center Development - Kodak, TN

30 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 2. Limit Intensity of Use (apartments & offices) Limit the size of buildings; large complexes should be located at the base of a ridge Apartments at the base of Sharps Ridge

31 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 2. Limit Intensity of Use Limit building height to 35 feet Sugar Top Resort, near Banner Elk, NC Flickr- Oncle Bernard

32 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 3. Reduce Disturbance Prohibit clearing and grading without an approved development plan

33 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 3. Reduce Disturbance The steeper the slope the less clearing and grading Slope Potential Disturbance Limits 15-25% 25-40% 40-50% 50% 15% 10% New house in Asheville, NC >50% 0%

34 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 3. Reduce Disturbance Create borrow pit standards; Limit extent (such as lower slopes), Identify alternatives (non-ridge sites), Require slope restoration and reforestation Abandoned Borrow Pit on Washington Pike

Hillside area showing seeded grass Current

35 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 4. Restore and reforest Adopt reforestation standards Hillside area showing seeded grass Current standard Hillside area showing reforestation Proposed standard

36 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 4. Restore and reforest Adopt slope restoration standards Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative slope restoration practices

37 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 5. Create public green space systems Conserve key hillside and ridgetop areas as connected public green space system Urban Wilderness Corridor Area South Knoxville

program as part of a greenway and park system.

38 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 5. Create public green space systems Identify areas for a donation / purchase program as part of a greenway and park system. Urban Wilderness Corridor Other Potential Systems Ft. Stanley Ft. Dickerson Log Haven & Ft. Higley McAnnally Ridge and House Mountain

39 Draft Policies for Hillsides and Ridgetops 5. Create public green space systems Provide density bonuses when conservation areas / public green spaces are set aside Hillside Areas Conserved Density Increased

40 Upcoming Meetings all meetings start at 6:30PM Monday, July 13 South Doyle Middle School 3900 Decatur Rd Tuesday, July 14 Halls Senior Center 4410 Crippen Rd Wednesday, July 15 LT Ross Building 247 Western Ave Thursday, July 16 Karns Community Club Center 7708 Oak Ridge Hwy Monday, July 20 New Harvest Park 4775 New Harvest Ln Thursday July 23 Powell Library 330 West Emory Rd Thursday, August 6 Deane Hill Recreation Center 7400 Deane Hill Dr Monday, August 10 Ramsey House 2614 Thorngrove Pk

41 Thank you! Hillside & Ridgetop Task Force efforts sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry

42 A view from a ridge above Thorngrove Pike looking toward the Smokies Tim Robinson

*Tell the Forest Service about how the Wesser Bald area appears natural.

*Tell the Forest Service about how the Wesser Bald area appears natural. Wesser Bald 6,642 acres The Wesser Bald area is located in Swain and Macon Counties on the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest. NC1365 and a powerline corridor separate the Wesser