The official zoning map for the Town of Wedowee hangs on the wall at Town Hall. According to The Randolph Leader, it has not been officially updated since 2004. This fall, that 22-year-old map is at the center of the town's most closely followed land-use question: whether an empty parcel on Old Highway 431, between Benefield Funeral Home and the Crystal Cove neighborhood on Wedowee Creek, can become an RV resort.
For anyone looking at a home or lot in or near town, the case shows something a listing sheet won't. The map at Town Hall may not settle what a neighboring parcel can become. The Alabama Real Estate Commission explains that Alabama law also expects the buyer, not the seller, to ask.
A Parcel With Two Readings
The land belongs to Woodland Mayor Scott Carter, who has plans in place for the resort. The 2004 map shows the parcel as residential. The Leader reports that state zoning law doesn't allow a business on residential property, so the proposal went through the rezoning process to change the designation to business.
Carter reads the parcel differently. He says the 2004 map is outdated and his property is already zoned for business. He points to places on that same map that show residential zoning but have businesses on them, including the gas station on the hill on North Main Street and the current First State Bank building at the corner of Highway 431 and State Highway 48. He also notes that his property sits on a named plat, Enloe Plaza, and that the only other properties on that plat are businesses.
The July coverage reported that, according to the Wedowee Planning Commission, at least a portion of the property is zoned residential. The September story lays out both positions and doesn't resolve them. It says that if the council votes against rezoning, Carter could take the matter to court, especially if he can document that rezoning was never necessary.
So two parties are reading the same official document and reaching different conclusions about one parcel. A buyer next door would have no way to know that from the map alone.
What Was Proposed, and Who Spoke Up
The Leader's July 28 report listed the resort's planned features:
- 74 RV lots with electrical and sewer hookups
- 20 freestanding cabins for visitors without an RV
- A swimming pool, pickleball and basketball courts, a children's playground, a dog-walking area, an indoor game room, and nature trails through the woods near Wedowee Creek
- A two-week maximum stay
- No boat ramp, and no watercraft recreation
The same report noted that the RV park near the bridge on the other side of Old 431 runs on 12-month leases, a different model from the short stays proposed here. Carter said a market study he commissioned from Jacksonville State University's business school estimated $135,000 in direct tax revenue. He said the design includes planting more than 100 trees as a sound barrier for the funeral home and nearby residents, and that the Wedowee Utilities Board assured him its infrastructure could handle the resort's water and natural gas needs.
Opponents raised concerns about more traffic, noise, disruption of funerals at Benefield Funeral Home, and the quiet of the nearby residential area. Supporters pointed to tax revenue and the need for short-term RV parking along Highway 431. Planning Commission chairman Dana Chandler, who also sits on the Town Council, told the council that those who addressed the commission included people living along Circle Drive and two businesses, the funeral home and the pharmacy.
"They addressed and they said that they wanted to not allow that. And they expressed logical concerns." — Dana Chandler, as quoted by The Randolph Leader
This post takes no position on the project. Both sides made their case in public through the town's own process, and that process is what matters to a buyer.
How a Zoning Question Moves Through Wedowee
In Wedowee, the Planning Commission holds hearings and makes recommendations, but only the Town Council can change a property's zoning. Here is how this case has moved so far:
- July 2026. Carter presented the plan to the Planning Commission. Chandler said 23 people spoke at the commission's public hearing, and a petition with more than 200 signatures was submitted on behalf of those opposed.
- August 13. The commission voted 6–1 to recommend keeping the land residential. Bill Williamson cast the only vote for rezoning. In explaining their opposition, members DJ Knight and Robby Taylor focused on the site and the nearby residents.
- August 18. The council took no action. Chandler was absent, and Knight declined to present the report in her place.
- Early September. Chandler formally delivered the commission's recommendation, and the council scheduled a second public hearing for its October 6 meeting.
Mayor Tim Coe explained why the timeline stretches out:
"Following state law, we now need to have a second public hearing before the council, and it needs to be advertised for at least three weeks."
As of October 4, 2026, that hearing hasn't happened. The council may vote that night or later. Counting from the July hearing, a single parcel's zoning question has been open for about three months, with the possibility of a court case still ahead. A buyer who closes on a nearby home during that time is buying into an open question.
Why the Burden Sits With the Buyer
The map matters this much because of how Alabama handles disclosure. The Alabama Real Estate Commission explains that the Alabama Supreme Court has held caveat emptor, or "buyer beware," to be the law for sales of existing homes.
"Neither the seller nor the seller's agents, unless asked, are required to disclose defects, except those which might pose an immediate health or safety risk to the buyers. While sellers and their seller's agents must not misrepresent conditions they are asked about, it is most important that buyers perform their due diligence."
The Alabama REALTORS Legal Helpdesk describes three situations that create a duty to disclose on resale property: a known, non-obvious defect affecting health or safety; a fiduciary relationship; or a specific question from the buyer, which calls for a truthful, non-evasive answer. Neither source addresses zoning or proposed developments specifically.
Put the two facts together. Under this framework, a vacant lot next door with a disputed designation and an active rezoning file doesn't automatically land on the seller's list of things to volunteer. A direct question from the buyer is the step that clearly triggers a truthful answer. In a town where the official map dates to 2004 and its accuracy is being argued in public, that question carries more weight than it would where maps are current. This is general background, not legal advice. A real estate attorney can tell you how these rules apply to a particular contract.
Questions to Ask Before You Make an Offer Near Town
The Crystal Cove case points to specific things to ask about any Wedowee property that borders vacant land or a commercial corridor like Old Highway 431:
- What is each adjoining parcel zoned, and on what document? Ask whether the answer comes from the 2004 map at Town Hall or from something more recent, such as a plat, a council action, or a recorded rezoning.
- Is any rezoning request, hearing, or proposal pending within sight of this property? Ask the seller in writing. The duty to answer truthfully attaches to a specific question.
- Is the neighboring land on a named commercial plat? The Enloe Plaza argument shows that a plat can figure into how a parcel's zoning is read.
- What has the Planning Commission or Town Council considered nearby recently? The Randolph Leader has covered this case at every step, and its archive is a practical way to look back over a few months of local land-use decisions.
- What does the zoning ordinance say it's for? The Leader quoted the ordinance's preamble, which lists goals including "lessening congestion in the streets" and "encouraging the most appropriate use of land and buildings." Those goals are the standard the commission and council apply when they weigh a request.
FAQ
Can I view Wedowee's zoning map online? Research for this post didn't turn up an official online version of the map or the zoning ordinance. The only public viewing location reported is the map on the wall at Town Hall.
Has the Town Council decided on the RV resort? Not as of October 4, 2026. The second public hearing is scheduled for October 6, and the council can vote that night or at a later meeting.
Would the resort include lake access? The July proposal said there would be no boat ramp and no watercraft recreation. It did include nature trails through the woods near Wedowee Creek.
If you're looking at a home near Old Highway 431, Crystal Cove, or anywhere in Wedowee where the lot next door is still empty, Bill Coats can help you put the right zoning questions to the seller in writing before you sign. Schedule a Free Consultation and bring the addresses you're considering.
