Villages of Plott Creek mountain home sites are advertised as prime real estate investments whereas geologic data shows that land in this steep-slope 1,100-acre subdivision is subject to ground instability.
Haywood County Landslide Hazard Map 2005
Unpublished Haywood County Stability Index Hazard Map.
Risk models show that 49% of Haywood County land is unstable.
Donin Landslide January 7, 2009
Before and after photographs- Donin Landslide
Haywood County, NC—2009 —Asheville Citizen-Times
Following the Donin landslide disaster, Marc Pruett, head of the Haywood County erosion control department, told Vicki Hyatt, editor of The Mountaineer, that there have been landslides above and below the Donin property (Wild Acres neighborhood) as well as across the top of the mountain in the Villages of Plott Creek development. According to Mr. Pruett, the slope failures were triggered when rain soaked unstable soils known as Tuckasegee-Cullasaja complex, (TvE).
Villages of Plott Creek: Financial Concerns
The permit for the Village of Plott Creek Subdivision was granted in 1995. From that time and until 2008, developers were left to their own best judgment on steep slope subdivision placement and design. The 2008 Haywood County slope ordinance was enacted:
In order to provide for the creation of reasonably stable artificial slopes on developed land, the county hereby deems that disturbed land herein identified shall be developed so as to contain graded slopes and fills that will remain stable for a reasonable life span. It is also deemed that land-disturbing activity resulting in the construction of safe, stable properties is an important, valuable economic consideration for property owners, as well as to the citizens of Haywood County.Although not stated in the above paragraph, steep slope land ownership can be bankrupting. Landslide property loss is not covered by homeowners policies and in the event a subdivision’s private roads are damaged, property owners are obliged to pay for the repairs though special assessments.
For a measure of security, professionals recommend that all steep slope home sites be evaluated for unstable land conditions.
Haywood County Landslides
There are no published photographs of the Villages of Plott Creek landslides but these other Haywood County landslide photos illustrate the risks of building homes and roads on unstable ground.
Photographs Jones'Landslide Fatality Haywood County, NC 2003—NCGS & The Enterprise Mountaineer
Photograph of Haywood County, NC landslide property damage caused by 2003 spring rains—Story covered by The Enterprise-Mountaineer.
Photographs Horseshoe Cove Subdivision Landslides- Haywood County, NC
2003 —Pam Williams, Property Owner
Slope Movement Photos Haywood County, NC 2004—NCGS
Landslide Report : "Disappearing Haywood" —The Enterprise-Mountaineer, October 31, 2005.
Photographs Hunters Crossing Subdivision Big-Slow-Moving Landslide— November 2005—NCGS
Photographs Cascades Subdivision Landslide Haywood County, NC 2006—NCGS
Photograph Moody Landslide
Haywood County, NC 2009—
Asheville Citizen-Times
Photographs I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Rockslides— July 1997 /October 2009 —
NCGS & Asheville Citizen-Times
Photos of Ghost Town in the Sky landslide damage Haywood County, NC 2010—Asheville Citizen-Times, Flyover video provided by WSPA News
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