No Easy Exit With Alpenglow Sawmill
Following up on our previous email, we want to highlight more reasons why the proposed Alpenglow Sawmill and Glu-Lam Factory is not suitable for our community.
The Nevada County Planning Commission can make "Special Findings" to approve development projects that don't meet the County's own requirements. These "Special Findings" undermine the regulations set forth in the County Code, updated and reaffirmed by the Board of Supervisors in April 2024.
Specifically, Section 12.05.052 "Development Permit" on page 771 outlines the County’s requirements for the proposed development. Here are some critical points:
Nevada County Code Development Requirement #9:
Adequate provisions must be made for emergency access to the site.
Our Response:
This is absurd. There’s one way in and the same one way out!
The County or local Fire Departments are not requiring an emergency evacuation route. It seems absurd that an 18-acre industrial complex wouldn’t need a secondary point of ingress and egress for emergencies. A wood-fueled sawmill could experience a catastrophic fire, trapping residents on Silverado and Klondike Flat Roads.
No "Special Finding" can excuse this critical wildfire requirement.
This project poses too great a danger with stockpiled dry and flammable material. Consider these recent dangerous Sawmill Fires:
August 24, 2023: The Shetler Lumber Company in Waterford, PA Waterford, sawdust hopper catches fire. The responding Fire Chief noted, “fires at sawmills and lumber yards like this one aren’t uncommon due to the sheer amount of dry, flammable materials and their potential to spread quickly.”
November 7, 2023: The Welker Sawmill in Fresno, CA (pictured above) burned down: Video of Sawmill Fire and TV News
Six days ago (June 24, 2024): The Colby Sawmill in Boscawen, New Hampshire burned to the ground.
All these sawmill fires happened within the last 12 months!
Fortunately, these fires occurred in areas with lower wildfire risks compared to Truckee. The risk of catastrophic wildfire risk in the dense forests surrounding homes on Klondike Flat and Silverado Roads is the same as in Truckee - HIGH!
Do we want this hazard in Truckee?
The risk of a catastrophic wildfire starting from embers cast from an uncontrolled fire at the Alpenglow Sawmill could engulf the adjacent residential neighborhood and trap residents without an emergency evacuation route.
This location is not right for this project! For the safety of residents to prevent a catastrophic wildfire, Nevada County must deny approval of the project!
Deny the Project - It is NOT Safe !
Do NOT Approve any “Special Finding” for Requirement #9 !!
Stay informed and stay safe. Together, we can protect our community.