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Cook Springs residents, county hear environmental, traffic and septic concerns about Dollar General site
Summary
A Cook Springs resident told the St. Clair County Commission the near-complete Dollar General at Mountaintop Loop Road and U.S. 78 raised wetlands, septic and safety concerns; commissioners said they will collect records, review floodplain permitting and consider engineering and traffic studies.
Nancy Fincher, a Cook Springs resident, told the St. Clair County Commission at its May 21 work session that she and neighbors are “seriously concerned” about a Dollar General nearing completion at Mountaintop Loop Road and U.S. Highway 78, saying the development involved wetland fill, post‑hoc permitting and a septic system she fears will fail.
Fincher said she had obtained records indicating the Broadway Group LLC and KME Development LLC purchased about 1.6 acres and that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management issued public notice and related enforcement actions. "Ultimately, a consent agreement dated 03/05/2024 allowed the developer to retain the fill after paying civil penalties, mitigation cost, and after-the-fact permitting fees," she told commissioners, adding she had submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for county records.
Commissioners and staff acknowledged the complaint and said they would gather and provide records. Chair (speaker 1) said the county must review what it required as floodplain administrator and whether county review and permits were performed at the proper times. Commissioner discussion stressed that health‑department approvals for engineered septic systems rest with state authorities, but the county can and will collect the floodplain and permit records Fincher requested.
The public commenter also urged an immediate traffic and safety assessment of a one‑lane railroad tunnel on Cook Springs Road used by drivers approaching Exit 152, suggesting flashing warning lights, mirrors, stop control or speed‑reducing devices. Commissioners said routine liability and railroad right‑of‑way limitations will affect which measures can be implemented and that engineering options such as rumble strips may be the county's feasible avenue.
Fincher also raised litter and maintenance concerns near Exit 152 and asked that tax revenue generated by the store be reinvested into infrastructure and cleanup in the Cook Springs area. Commissioners asked the county attorney to collect and review all relevant documents, and Staff agreed to compile the county's records for follow up.
