County Commission authorized county attorney to take steps necessary to halt Lightning Ridge subdivision development

The Franklin County Commission authorized County Attorney Evan Hargett to take any legal action necessary to prevent the development of a western Franklin County subdivision that Hargett said was being marketed in violation of county ordinances.

Commissioners took the action at their February 17th meeting to allow Hargett to move forward against the owners of Lightning Ridge, a land development located in both Franklin and Colbert Counties that encompasses more than 1,115 acres with 150 lots.

The lots are offered for sale, with only $199 down, with financing available. The ‘lots, or tracts, are undeveloped raw land with no infrastructure in place, nor have the developers submitted the required subdivision plans with the Franklin County Commission, Hargett said.

After repeated correspondence with the developer, Hargett said Lightning Ridge subdivision has been removed from the Classic Country Land LLC website that shows properties across the country for sale.

The commission authorized Hargett to move forward with any available legal action to stop the development of the allegedly violative subdivision, including filing for injunctive relief in Franklin County Circuit Court.

Alabama law  describes the procedure for subdivision approval to include submitting a proposed plat to the County Engineering department or planning commission, which reviews it for compliance with local regulations on infrastructure, drainage, and street design. The process may require a public hearing and, if outside a municipality, final approval by the County Commission.

The developer was offering the tracts starting at $25,000, with no credit checks, payable in ‘affordable monthly installments’ according to www.classiccountryland.com. 

Those installment payments also include interest payments that can add significantly to the buyer’s cost.

Hargett said a citizen contacted the Franklin County Commission about the development and that neither the Franklin County Highway Department nor the commission had received notice or any required filing for Lightning Ridge.

According to the company’s marketing literature, the company markets raw land tracts that are off-grid friendly and targeted for those seeking rural, affordable land.

Hargett said the company had sold seven lots in the Franklin County development before pulling Lightning Ridge off the website of available properties. The proposed subdivision is located off Highway 247 near Troy Thorn Road according to county officials.

“You simply can’t sell lots in a subdivision that doesn’t legally exist because its owners have not complied with legal requirements to plat and request approval of a subdivision,” Hargett said. “There is a $1,000 per lot fine for not doing so and it doubles after 30 days.”

In other agenda items at its February 17th meeting, the commission:

—approved a $638,750 low bid from CMI, Inc., for the sale of 1,750 breath testing devices to be distributed statewide. Although the purchase is coordinated through the Franklin County Commission, the purchase is fully funded by a grant from the  Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

—approved hiring Ron Coats a a temporary, part-time assistant in the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency.

—approved an amendment to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management stormwater grant projects on Highway 90 and Highway 72. The Highway 90 culvert replacement low bid of $114,392.50, from TJ Construction, Inc, was approved by commissioners. The projects are funded with ADEM grant monies.

—approved hiring Allison Odom as a non-certified real property appraiser in the Franklin County Revenue Commissioner’s office.

—approved hiring Kayla Tavares as a temporary corrections officer/dispatcher in the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

—approved the resignation of Chase Oliver as a courthouse security officer and authorized advertising for the position.

—approved the hiring of Joe David Crittenden as a full-time temporary courthouse security officer.

—heard a request from Sherry Jolley with Red Bay Hospital asking the commission to donate more than $12,000 to Red Bay Hospital as part of the required 10% local governmental pledge in order for the hospital to receive donations through the Alabama Rural Hospital Investment Program, which allows individuals and businesses to donate state tax obligations to rural hospitals up to a certain limit per year. Red Bay Hospital received $245,000 in commitments, requiring $12,450 in local government matching funds, half of which has been committed by the Red Bay City Council, Jolley said.