Chalet Village ANNUAL MEETING
Mark your calendars for the weekend of April 25th, when we will have our annual meeting for the Chalet Village Homeowners Association. Registration begins at 9am along with our Firewise Day activities. The business meeting will begin at 10am. Saturday evening from 6-8pm we will have our social get together. All of this will take place at the South Baden Clubhouse. On Sunday morning, we will have our annual brunch at the North Clubhouse from 9am to Noon.
A WORD FROM Our president, Patrick Potter
What a winter it has been so far! The good thing, or bad depending on your perspective, about the Great Smoky Mountains is if you do not like the weather, hang around because it will change. During the last week, we had a downpour of rain resulting in flooding parts of downtown Gatlinburg and Sevier County. We awoke on Saturday morning to snow, and before the end of day, we had almost two inches on the ground. Sunday morning brought Spring-like temperatures, with the first signs of flowers and trees starting to bud and bloom. I have a feeling Old Man Winter is not finished with us, so do not put away those snow shovels yet.
The founding members of Chalet Village established covenants and restrictions, and did so for a good reason. Page 3, subparagraph 13, recorded in Misc. Book 32, paragraph 208 in the Sevier County Registers Office reads as follows:
“No lot owner shall be allowed to remove topsoil, or trees or otherwise destroy the natural beauty of any lot, except for those activities commensurate with the construction of a residence, which must have the approval of the Developer, as provided herein above.”
In addition, Gatlinburg has ordinances that prohibit the removal of trees for anything other than a pre-approved house site. A common language referencing this type of tree removal is “Clear Cutting,” or when you cut down all the trees on your property to allow for a better view (this is against County and City ordinances). The unnecessary cutting of trees and vegetation puts personal property, and that of neighboring properties at risk. Cutting all the trees kills the roots in the soil and that’s what is ultimately keeping houses or driveways from sliding off the mountain. If homes or driveways slide or actually wash away, the damage is NOT covered by Insurance. The City and/or County may bill property owners for emergency service calls due to such occurrences as “clear cutting”. Please think twice before cutting a tree or consider hiring a professional.
A few weeks ago, another board member and I were riding around Chalet Village after a bad storm and I saw a vehicle pulled to the side of the road. A couple of gentlemen were dragging a downed tree out of the road. As we got closer, I realized it was our Facilities Manager, Ken Webster and fellow employee Darren Phillips and my heart swelled with pride. What an act of service! They were a great example of doing the right thing because it was the right thing! We pulled over, jumped out, grabbed a limb, and within a few minutes the road was clear. So, here is a challenge to all owners in Chalet Village. We can call it “Be the Difference Challenge” and we can all make a difference here in Chalet Village. In my own vehicle, I have placed a pair of gloves and a few extra heavy-duty trash bags to assist my efforts when I drive upon trash or litter in the road. I can easily pull over, pick up the trash, and properly dispose of it. Imagine how much more beautiful the mountain would be if everyone took care of one or two streets! Please be careful and always watch for traffic and bears.
See You at the St. Patrick’s Day Party
Patrick Potter, President CVOC
“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” John F. Kennedy
CVOC FIREWISE CORNER
CVOC FIREWISE Issue 3 2020_February
JOIN OUR FIREWISE PREPARDNESS TEAM
Since our adoption of the Firewise USA program in 2018, the Chalet Village Team has accomplished many tasks. Our CWPP (Community Wildfire Protection Plan) started on Sep. 21, 2017. It was approved by Firewise USA and the TN Dept of Agriculture Forestry Division in early 2018. Included were many projects, some of which have been instituted and are now a yearly or semi-yearly activity. There are others for which we need your help!
Every Quarter, a Chalet Village representative attends the Sevier County Firewise meeting where other Firewise groups share information and project progress. At the most recent one, we received a reminder that all Fire Departments can and will use volunteers, not necessarily as firefighters, but other tasks like supply line driving and attending to firefighter needs. These are important support efforts that help a lot. If you have some time to volunteer, let any Fire Department know you are available. Emergency Services are starting to use “Flashing Directional Markers”. If you see one of these please leave them where they are. They are magnetic and could be attached to signs, mailboxes etc. They are bright yellow and flash an orange/yellow LED light.
Every year in conjunction with our Homeowners meeting we sponsor a Chalet Village Firewise Education Day held at the Owners Clubhouse on South Baden. This year it will be on Saturday, April 25th, starting a 9am and will be set up until 3pm.
Every spring and every fall we have community wide Firewise cleanup weeks where residents and volunteers come out to do projects of fuel removal, like chipping brush and cleaning properties. For this purpose, we as a community have acquired chainsaws, a chipper, a 2ft wide mulcher/masticator, blowers, winches, logging chains, leaf shredders and hand tools, like rakes and shovels available for use by homeowners and residents. You too can join in these projects or create one for your property. We need volunteers to help with these projects, please join the team. Here are the basics:
⦁ You originate a project, i.e. Gutter Cleaning, Brush Cutting, Tree Trimming etc.
⦁ We, the Firewise Committee and Volunteers will help you plan it if needed.
⦁ We can get you in touch with the pros if needed.
⦁ Together we’ll plan the date and the time.
⦁ Our Volunteers will show up with and run the chippers, mulchers, cutters or saws etc.
⦁ You supply the extra labor
If this works for you, we’ll be happy to help. Remember that all the work done by us is on a volunteer basis and we cannot take responsibility for anything done on your property without you or your representative present.
This Spring we will have access to the big chipper from TDF from May 13 through May 27. If you have a large brush and/or tree project, try to time it during those 2 weeks. The big chipper makes the work a lot easier and faster. Just ask some of the homeowners that we have worked with over the last 2 years. We can accomplish a lot together.
Some of the projects you may want to have help with can be from these Firewise Principals;
Do you know what YOU can do when Fire Danger is High?
Firewise principles start right around your home. The first 5 feet is the most important.
What YOU can do:
1. Remove all flammable furniture & Rugs from your decks and porches
2. Remove or pull back all flammable mulch and/or dry grasses from around your house. Create a 5ft space that cannot burn around house or wooden fences that are attached to the house.
3. During wind events, note and mark any places in corners of the house and under stairs where leaves accumulate. This is where embers land during fire storms and you do not want to have any leaf piles there. If possible, use 1/8-inch mesh wire to close off those areas
4. Use 1/8-inch mesh wire to close off all soffits, roof louvers & basement vents.
5. Keep your gutters free of all leaves. Install Gutter guards if possible, metal type not plastic.
6. Cut any branches that are overhanging your house and decks.
7. During a wildfire event crank up your sprinklers to water decks and the lawn around 10-20 feet of your home.
These items cost little to nothing, except for time for you to take care of it. This could save your house during a wildfire event. REMEMBER: WHEN SMOKE IS IN THE AIR IT’S TOO LATE TO PREPARE!
Make these preparations as you do your normal yard work all year round.
If you have to time to volunteer and/or would like to become a sponsor, please contact Pete Jucker 865-776-0446 or CVOCFirewise@gmail.com.
CHALET VILLAGE NEWS
We have many new homeowners and property owners in Chalet Village who do not know a great deal about our area. Chalet Village, because of the way it was developed starting in the 1960’s, really encompasses several different subdivisions: Alpendorf, Tyrolea, Ski Road Properties, Chalet Village North, along with several other smaller ones.
All of these subdivisions fall under the larger umbrella of Chalet Village. It’s worth noting, as our President mentioned in his article, that there are covenants and restrictions in place to protect our mountain. If you are unaware of these, they are referenced on your Warranty Deed. Chalet Village is a very unique development. There are approximately 1,500 lots in Chalet Village, with a wide range of topography challenges. We are spread between city and county governments. The majority of Chalet Village lots are serviced by individual septic systems instead of a central sewer system. Many of our newer property owners have very little experience with septic systems.
All of Chalet Village has utility water available to its lots. If you are located within the City of Gatlinburg, your water is provided by the city. If you are located in Chalet Village North, your water is provided by TN Water Service, a private utility company that owns water systems such as ours in numerous areas around the country. They are, however, regulated by the TN Public Utility Commission. Any concerns about their service, if not answered directly from TN Water Service, should be addressed to the TN Public Utility Commission. The main tasks of the Chalet Village Owners Club, according to the bylaws, are the upkeep of our 3 clubhouse facilities, which include the pools and tennis courts and the collection of the annual usage fees and assessments as prescribed in the covenants and restrictions.
March, St Patrick’s Day Pot Luck
Make plans to attend our annual St. Patrick’s Day pot luck. This year we will be celebrating Saturday, March 14th, so come enjoy an evening of socializing with other Chalet Village owners. Beverages will include beer, wine, soft drinks, water, coffee and tea. You are welcome to BYOB, if you prefer something else to drink. The Club will provide traditional corned beef and an alternative meat. Please bring a side dish to share including, but not limited to salads, appetizers, casseroles, and desserts to name a few. We look forward to having a great time of fellowship. Be sure and wear your green.
MOMENTS IN CHALET VILLAGE HISTORY
The South Baden Clubhouse Pool was completed in 1970, 50 years ago this year. In late August, 1979, the Homeowner’s Association became the legal owner of our Club facilities. In 1995, the Upper Alpine Clubhouse and pool opened after being rebuilt. In 1996, bear proof garbage can holders were mandated by a resolution from the homeowners and also the City of Gatlinburg. In 1997, the Ski Mountain Fire Station was built.