Is There A Future For The Former Knights Inn Motel In Autauga County?
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An exclusive investigation from Autauga County — some county leaders say they’re fed up with a motel that has now become an eyesore. So why has the building not been fixed or torn down?
Just off the Pine Level exit on interstate 65, you may have passed the former Knights Inn Motel, which has been closed for almost a year. But there’s still activity going on there the sheriff’s office has received 32 calls to this property since then.
Yellow tape blocks the entryway of this motel. The locks on the doors keep people from trespassing inside. Well — some of them.
It’s the former Knights Inn, which state fire marshals forced to close last October because the building violated fire codes and health standards.
“Almost once a day, somebody calls about it. And I know commissioners are getting complaints because they tell me they’re getting complaints,” Said Autauga County Chief Deputy, Joe Sedinger.
Not only complaints of the motel’s condition, Chief Deputy Joe Sedinger says deputies have been called out to the property several times. Thefts, trespassing, Drug related activity are just some of the calls deputies have gone out to at the motel.
We tried to contact the owner of the property, but our calls were not returned. We did contact the manager of the Knights Inn in Bessemer, which is owned by the same person. The manager there told us they do not plan to re-open the motel in Autauga County and it is for sale.
But we saw no for sale sign on the property.
County commissioner, Kyle Glover, says county leaders want to step in, but there’s one problem.
“At this point in time, we don’t have a county ordinance that allows us to take the next step from the state agencies who have already stepped in,” Said Glover.
Glover says the county now has to create an ordinance to be approved for the next legislative session to make any changes to “eyesore” properties that still have owners.
“After a period of time, if there is no effort to bring this back to code or keep it above the code, then we would like to be able to force the hand of the owner to do something with the property,” Said Glover.
Here’s the catch — there is a statute that says the county commission can step in if the property is declared a “public nuissance.” They say the only way for that to happen is if they get enough complaint calls to the county commission or the sheriff’s office.
