Audubon project sounds fishy

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The name of a proposed low- to middle-income housing development conjures up peaceful and serene images — Audubon Terrace.

But the details surrounding the plan and how the plan is progressing smell more like a garbage dump.

The development would construct approximately 65 low- to middle-income housing units to an area near Bluebird Drive.

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Last week representatives from the group missed a second meeting before the Natchez Board of Alderman.

City officials seem baffled as to why the group has stood them up twice. The developers blame the city for either not providing paperwork to them prior to the meeting or at least not in sufficient time.

Each side disputes which one is at fault.

City leaders are crying foul over possible contaminants at the site. The developers say it’s been cleared and that they’ve provided the city with proof.

All of the key players at the city say they’ve seen no such a report.

Some one isn’t telling the truth and the residents near the affected development — many of who are opposed to it — are left wondering what the truth is.

We’d like to think the disagreements were just simple misunderstandings, but one of the group’s consultants is former Natchez City Planner Andrew Smith.

As city planner Smith was often at the center of controversy and often the subject of many disagreements between city department heads and the public alike.

Problems seemed to swirl around Smith when he was in the city planner’s chair.

And some things never change, even if you put a pretty name like Audubon Terrace on it.