LINCOLN COUNTY, Tenn. (WHNT) – A Lincoln County judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit filed by a couple who say that Jack Daniels barrel houses are creating an uncontrollable mess to homes in their community. 

Patrick Long and his wife Christi allege that Lincoln County officials allowed Brown-Forman Corporation to build additional barrel houses without a valid environmental study or building permit.  

As reported in December, Patrick Long showed us how his trees and shrubs are covered in black fungus that is a result of his home located directly at the warehouse. he and his wife filed a lawsuit against the county who refuses to halt the construction of new warehouses.

There are currently six barrel houses operating on the Lincoln and Moore County border with plans to build fourteen more. 

“We would end up with 20 barrel houses in Lincoln County in about a half a mile radius,” said Long. “They did not go through the building and planning cycle and they never submitted to a site plan, and they never provided the building plans.” 

In December, the couple along with hundreds of others in joining counties faced the Lincoln County Commission looking for answers in solving the fungus issue only to receive an answer to build more warehouses. 

“At this point and time, they are building illegally in Lincoln County,” explained Christi Long. “At this time, we are asking the judge to force the county to issue a stop work order to stop construction at Jack Daniels.” 

The county commission approved the construction even though Jack Daniels admitted to not having a proven environmental study on the fungus.  

“Here we are as District 6 spending our own personal dollars to stop a big corporation holding Lincoln County accountable,” said Christi Long.  

Brown-Forman and Jack Daniels refused to comment on the pending litigation.