After several weeks of efforts to educate the community about beautification, the city is taking another step forward.

Later this month, enforcement of beautification policies begins.

One of the first ways the city will be doing that is by streamlining downtown curbs.

Starting Tuesday, citations will be issued to downtown businesses and residents who violate the city’s garbage ordinance.

The ordinance states garbage can’t be left outside before 7 a.m. or after 5 p.m. and can’t be left out in cans without lids. That will help ensure that garbage cans aren’t left out for too long and garbage won’t be blown around the street.

It might seem like a small step, but this can go a long way toward making our downtown &045; the heart of our community &045; a cleaner place.

Most downtown business owners and residents are already conscientious about keeping their yards, sidewalks and curbs neat and tidy.

This ordinance &045; and enforcement of more beautification policies like it &045; will help ensure that everyone takes that extra step.

By cleaning up downtown, we can improve our quality of life, our community’s overall appearance and even our economy.

Tourists and potential industries will appreciate a neat, clean downtown area. They may not even notice our beautification efforts, but they will certainly notice when they are not enforced by the city or respected by downtown business owners and residents.

We’re so glad to see the city taking a tough stance on this issue, with partners like the Natchez Downtown Development Association and a citizen committee dedicated to educating residents about beautification. These small steps can make a big difference in our efforts to improve the community.