The effort to build condominiums on the Mississippi River bluff in Natchez pits two groups who hope to do the right thing for our community.

One one side are developers who have pledged to invest $19 million in the economy.

On the other are residents, homeowners and other stakeholders who want to preserve Natchez’s beauty and history.

And this week, the Natchez Preservation Commission has been in the middle &045; and made the right decision Monday night to table the design for the project until it more closely matches the city’s preservation ordinance.

Natchez’s ordinance was designed to protect the city’s history &045; its charming neighborhoods, landmarks and architecture. The ordinance covers historic buildings as well as new construction.

And that ordinance &045; and the city’s adherence to it &045; has secured Natchez valuable federal and state funding to enhance our community.

The preservation commission’s decision gives the condo developers time to pursue a design plan that is more appropriate for the historic district, something the room full of concerned citizens Monday night can attest to the need for.

But it also keeps the door open for the condo development itself, something that can benefit our community as it invests in our downtown and the waterfront area.

We believe a compromise can still be struck between maintaining our historic character and looking to the future of development, and we’re glad to see the preservation commission stuck to its mission and to the ordinance while offering a way to keep this project alive.