By Alabama Public Radio
Orange Beach, AL – A national conservation group and the owner of an undeveloped island in South Alabama have reached an agreement that could lead to Orange Beach's purchase of the island.
The agreement gives the group Trust for Public Land and the city of Orange Beach a six-month period to have Robinson Island appraised. They also use this time to raise funds to buy the island at fair market value. Owner Frank Hughes bought the 12-and-a-half acre island in 1997 for nearly a million dollars. Since then, he has attempted to build a subdivision on the land, but Baldwin county has refused to approve his plans. Hughes says he will sell the island for a fair price. But, if the city does not purchase Robinson Island, Hughes says he has every right to develop the land. In September, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby cleared two million dollars for Orange Beach's share of the purchase. The bill awaits a final vote in Congress.