Excluding, perhaps, matters of the heart; few things can raise the ire of people more than property disputes.

From trees cut by one neighbor without the owner’s permission to valid property line and zoning disagreements, when it comes to land, blood can quickly boil.

Our community — especially its downtown — is a melting pot of residential, commercial, industrial and retail development.

That mix, when in the proper balance, makes downtown unique and interesting.

A recent dispute over zoning was recently settled by the Mississippi Court of Appeals.

The owners of Fat Mama’s Tamales, long a Natchez fixture, were stuck in limbo for more than a year after a group of citizens sought to overturn a zoning decision by the City of Natchez.

The city had, in 2005, rezoned a piece of property near the corner of Canal and Washington streets. The rezoning change allowed Fat Mama’s to relocate to the spot. Neighbors cried foul and sought a second opinion.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals supplied that opinion this week and upheld the city’s decision, clearing the way for construction of the new restaurant building.

Ultimately, our system worked. All parties had their day in court and a decision was made.

Now it’s time to bury the hatchets — and not in each other’s back — and move on with business.

Like matters of the heart, zoning disputes can sting, but the sooner we can move on, the sooner the hearts will heal.