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Fruit stand issue stumps aldermen
Published Wednesday, May 13, 2009
NATCHEZ — The city has been stumped by a fruit stand.
City ordinance states fruit stands are not allowed within the city limits, yet a fruit stand has been in operation on Pilgrim Boulevard near D’Evereux Drive for months.
However, City Planner John “Rusty” Lewis has written a text amendment for the existing city ordinance to allow fruit stands in a B-4 zoning district, as long as the stand is located 300 feet from a U.S. highway.
The text amendment is not site specific, yet the board of aldermen continuously found themselves discussing the Pilgrim Boulevard fruit stand that “pulled the trigger” that was the genesis for the text amendment.
Lewis said the fruit stand was placed and has been operating illegally, and he should have to make an application with the planning department for his fruit stand if the text amendment passes.
The fruit stand is owned by George Davis, and according to Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis and Alderman James “Ricky” Gray, any text amendment to change the ordinance should not affect Davis and his stand, since it has been in operation for years.
According to the two elected officials, Davis should be grandfathered in, therefore he should not have to make an application for his stand with the planning department.
Mathis made a motion that the text amendment be tabled so further discussion could ensue.
Dillard seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved.
In other business:
4 The Rev. Clifton Marvel appeared before the board to discuss damages to his backyard fence and driveway stemming from a drainage ditch project on Minor Street.
Mayor Jake Middleton said he will visit Marvel’s residence to inspect the damage, and if it is the city’s responsibility, it will be handled appropriately.
4 Adams County Emergency Management Director Stan Owens encouraged all residents of Natchez and Adams County to sign up for the Code Red weather warning system.
“I’m very impressed with it,” Owens said. “It called my phone within 15 to 30 seconds of a National Weather Service Warning.”
Those interested can visit www.adamscountyms.gov.
4 Jordan, Kaiser and Sessions was awarded business of the month.
Comments
Posted by speakup (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 2:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
what is phone number to call to sign up for code red? any one no?
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 5:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.adamscountyms.net/departments...
Posted by wifetoone (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 5:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
speakup- call the Civil Defense office and they will help you.
Posted by Lilsister (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Speaking as a resident in the community where the fruit stand is located, I feel this stand is a great asset to our community. Many of us do not drive anymore, but we can walk to the fruit stand and buy produce and other items. I know Mr. Davis, personally and he has been apart of our community for years. I hope the mayor and others do the right thing and allow him to stay in business. What kind of community are we living in now that denies a man to earn an honest living? PEOPLE, we need jobs!
Mr. Lewis stated that Mr. Davis has been operating illegally, but how can this be? If this is true, someone has not been doing his/her job. I am certain that Mr. Davis never intended to break any laws. If he did, it was because he probaly did not understand the process.
GIVE THE MAN A CHANCE TO MAKE AN HONEST LIVING.
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Correct me if I'm wrong. Wasn't there a farmer's market in the MARKETPLACE on Main St.? Isn't there a farmer's market on Union St. every Saturday morning? I think both of those locations are very well inside the city limits. I think our officials have enough REAL PROBLEMS to deal with rather than this man and his fruit wagon. Hell, people sit on the side of the road in their trucks during harvest season and sell their goods. I love being able to stop and get a watermelon without having to go to the grocery store and pay 3 prices! GIVE US A BREAK!!
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about Gay's Fruit stand on north 61 isn't that with in city limits?
Posted by mslugirl (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about Well's produce on Homochitto St? Definitley in the city limits.
Posted by showbiz (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gays Fruit stand is closed.after 48yrs of selling fruit .Natchez people are having a hard time meeting ends as it is why start trouble for hard working honest people .GO GET THOSE DRUG DEALERS.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's crazy to NOT allow fruit stands within the city limits!!
what's up with that?
must be some reason for that- such as catering to the grocery stores? This is unjust and irrational.
I don't see anything wrong with fruit stands within the city limits, as long as they have a business license and have the landowner's permission, and pay their rent like everybody else. In fact I cannot see how this stupid illogical ordinance/law can stand up to scrutiny, I think most people WANT fruit stands around. Why pick on farmers that want to have fruit stands
What about the crawfish stands? What about the vegetable stands?
Who will be next? NO car dealerships within the city limits? No beauty shops within the city limits? NO hospitals within the city limits?
This is crazy - leave the little fruit/veg stand people alone and let them have their business and livelihood.
Strike this stupid law/ordinance from the books and let people work who want to work.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
but what riles me and what I think should be stopped
is the illegal pirate peddlers that sneak around and set up in parking lots outside of legal stores and sell out of the trunk of their car, I see a lot of peddlers with Texas car tag, and they sell junk stuff - knock off perfumes, purses, shoes,stolen merchandise, defective merchandise, etc - who knows where their junk comes from
they skedattle when the police come around or are told to leave, as they know they are illegal, well sometimes they get a bit hostile when told to get off private property, until the police come then they take off quick
you would be surprised the number of people that get suckered by these thieves yet have no recourse
something really needs to be done about penalizing these illegal peddlers
Posted by Sarge (anonymous) on May 13, 2009 at 6 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree krogers! I see those "fly-by-night" peddlers all over the place and they sell nothing but JUNK! Pure JUNK!!!
Then when the buyer gets it home and they find it to be defective and try to return it,,,,,The "fly-by-night" peddlers are gone!!
Money wasted that could have been spent in a local store!
Has anyone else noticed all the trucks here lately parked at different places that are selling PUPPIES???
Where did they get all those puppies? Are they stolen? Do they possibly come here from "puppy mills" out of state to sell their damaged and disease infested pups to unsuspecting people?
I have seen them selling puppies in Natchez,,,,Vidalia,,,,Ferriday, and the surrounding area's! But I have never seen them being harrassed to stop selling the pups, and that's a living breathing creature that is sitting in a HOT truck all day long waiting for some bleeding heart to come along and rescue it!!!
My point is that honest hard-working folks that are trying to make a buck by selling FOOD are being picked on but yet the people selling ANIMALS on the side of the road are being allowed to do so!!!
What's wrong with this picture people???
Posted by abc747 (anonymous) on May 14, 2009 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Is Mr. Davis's produce stand the one next to Walgreens on Pilgrim? If so, it's very clean & professional looking and should be allowed to stay where it is. I'm sorry to hear Gay's Fruit Stand is out of business - they were wonderful. The puppies being sold on the side of the road are from one local puppy mill - they are unhealthy pups and anyone who buys one is in for heartache. The Natchez Humane Society shelter has dozens of pups available - $45 covers cost of spay or neuter and they are dewormed and vaccinated.
Posted by consider_reason (anonymous) on May 14, 2009 at 12:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fruit vs. aldermen. An equal match in a battle of wits.
This should roll on for decades.
Posted by harjedalen (anonymous) on May 15, 2009 at 11:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Caveat Emptor, " let the buyer beware. What happened to all you conservatives who champion free enterprise? What's more free than peddler's and fruit stands? Yes Virginia, there is risk in freedom but let the buyer beware. In travels all over the world, I find more free enterprise in Communist nations than I find on the streets of Natchez.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on May 17, 2009 at 12:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What about kids selling lemonade this summer? Will the law put them out of business too?
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