NATCHEZ &8212; A company working to bring elderly apartments to South Canal Street moved ahead one step in the process Thursday night.

The Natchez Planning Commission approved Integra Development Partners&8217; request to rezone a seven-acre lot from industrial to multi-family.

The apartments would be accessible by Marin Avenue and a South Canal Street entrance.

&8220;Several rezonings in the area substantiate this change,&8221; City Planner Andrew Smith said. &8220;Development has occurred on this portion of Canal.&8221;

Bill Kramer of North Carolina-based Integra said the land was right for what his company wants to do.

Neighboring property owner Walter Biglane said he was in favor of the development.

Larry Brown Jr., whose family also owns adjacent property, said he was not opposed to the development, but wanted to know more.

&8220;We are concerned about what&8217;s going in there,&8221; he said. &8220;There really hasn&8217;t been much change back there over the years. We&8217;d like to just ask that this be reviewed carefully.&8221;

Brown questioned the width of the access roads, asking if fire trucks could easily maneuver.

Kramer said the private road into the development will be the appropriate width for fire and safety vehicles.

&8220;There&8217;s no doubt that we have a need for this type of property,&8221; Brown said.

The board of aldermen will have to give final approval to the development&8217;s zoning requests.