NATCHEZ &8212; Fat Mama&8217;s Tamales will have to wait longer for a new home.

A circuit judge&8217;s ruling in favor of the restaurant has been appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court.

The board of alderman upheld a zoning decision regarding Fat Mama&8217;s Tamales&8217; planned new location in February. The board&8217;s decision overturned a planning commission decision to rezone the parcel as B-1, a lighter commercial use.

The move was challenged by a group of downtown residents, and in March, Circuit Judge Forrest &8220;Al&8221; Johnson supported the city&8217;s decision.

Now, Johnson&8217;s ruling is being appealed to the state supreme court.

The necessary paperwork was filed around the first week of December, David Gammill said Friday.

Another group of citizens recently appealed Johnson&8217;s ruling in favor of the city regarding the sale of the old Natchez Pecan Shelling Company earlier this month. It, too, is awaiting a Mississippi Supreme Court ruling.

Gammill requested the property he bought on the corner of Canal and Washington Streets be granted business zoning. The zoning board granted a business zone, and the board of alderman upheld that decision.

&8220;It was already (zoned as) open land, which means you could put a hog farm there if you wanted to,&8221; Mayor Phillip West said Friday.

An open land zoning designation allows some agricultural business and has fewer restrictions than a residential or business zoning.

&8220;The board didn&8217;t see it as a major move, just across the street,&8221; West said. &8220;And it was already zoned so something much worse than a tamale restaurant could be there.&8221;

Gammill said that was the only piece zoned open land in that area, and that it was surrounded by business zoning.

Now comes the wait.

&8220;We feel pretty confident about it,&8221; Gammill said. &8220;We&8217;ve had a couple rulings in our favor. If we are able to move there, we&8217;re going to be as conscientious as we can be to everybody down there.

&8220;I think, if and when we do get down there, it will be one of those things everybody looks back on and says it wasn&8217;t that big a deal.&8221;

Fat Mama&8217;s Tamales must find a new home because the National Park Service has bought the land by eminent domain to use as part of the Fort Rosalie site. Gammill said the park service is helping them by &8220;not throwing us out on the street. They&8217;ve been very willing to assist us, and we appreciate it.&8221;