FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) — A company in the process of installing fiber optic cables in a southern Indiana neighborhood has been ordered to immediately stop all operations. 

The stop-work order was issued after residents in the Cobblers Crossing subdivision said they were frustrated and blindsided by a fiber optic cable installation project that has left yards and streets littered with holes, pipes, and flags — all without clear communication or warning.

Neighbors said they received little notice, if any, before the digging started. Many feel the project was dropped on them with no real opportunity for input.

"The other aspect is that nobody here seems to really have been interested in this," John Manzo, Vice President of the Cobblers Crossing Homeowner's Association, added. "We feel like it was just sort of hoisted upon us and given last-minute notice."

Within days of the work starting, holes appeared throughout the subdivision — some in the street, others in residents' yards — leaving many feeling like they’ve lost control over what’s happening in their own neighborhood, which is off Charlestown Road in New Albany.

"They seem to be in a big hurry to get this done, but they’re not doing really careful work," Manzo said. "If you were to take a ride around the subdivision, you would see all sorts of stuff going on — basically a mess that’s taken over the whole subdivision."

Luis Gonzalez, told WDRB he was the onsite supervisor for the company installing the cable, and spoke to our news crew through an interpreter.

"He’s saying that we dig the holes because we have to expose the gas, the fiber, electric, and water — because we don’t want to hit something and cause an accident," the interpreter explained. "But whenever we finish with everything, we start covering the holes back."

Despite concerns from residents, the project showed no signs of slowing down -- until Floyd County commissioners issued the stop-work order on June 5. 

"The commissioners seemed a little shocked last night at how brazen [it is]," Manzo said following Tuesday’s Floyd County Commissioners meeting.

County leaders confirmed their hands are tied.

"They said this was approved by the state or a previous board, so the current commissioners were basically caught flat-footed on this," Manzo said.

Even so, the project is on indefinite hold for now, per the Stop-Work Order. Here is the exact wording of the order:

"The Floyd County Commissioners and the Floyd County Department of Building & Development Services have issued a stop-work order effective immediately, for all utility permits issued to Lumos Fiber of Indiana due to violations of the County Utility Agreement and public safety concerns presented by the New Albany Township Fire Protection District. This stop-work order shall remain in effect until further notice."

Lumos Fiber of Indiana had planned to provide high-speed fiber optic service to more than 80,000 homes in Clark and Floyd counties.

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