CORRECTION: This story originally contained an error of fact when reporting the amount of county land the city wants to annex. The city is considering annexing nearly 14 square miles of land. We regret the error and are happy to set the record straight.

NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen is considering annexing nearly 14 square miles of county land.

Working from an annexation study that was conducted in 2001, the four parcels of land are approximately six square miles in the port area, four square miles near Trinity Episcopal Day School on U.S. 61 South, two square miles along U.S. 84 and almost two square miles in the Morgantown area.

Walter Brown, former city attorney, said annexation is beneficial in many ways.

First, it controls growth, he said..

In the county, there’s no zoning, so if someone were to build a $2 million house, another person could plop a pig pen next door and nothing could be done about it.

City Engineer David Gardner said annexation is a visionary move for the city to take.

He also said there are many benefits to annexing in new land.

Some of them include improved fire and police protection and a central sanitary sewer collection.

The city’s tax base would increase, Brown said.

In just one of the areas of land to potentially be annexed, once county residents are annexed in, they’ll increase the tax base by $300,000.

Brown said that alone is a good enough reason for the city to annex.

But also, with developments like CCA and Rentech coming in, both employing hundreds, housing is very limited.

“Most developers want to be in the city,” Brown said.

Gardner agreed and said developers will get governmental funding for projects easier if they build in the city.

At the board of aldermen meeting Tuesday, the board voted to reactivate the 2001 plan.

The board also voted to allow City Planner John “Rusty” Lewis and Gardner to look further into it and make any necessary revisions.

Gardner said there probably won’t be too many changes made to the original.

He said in the U.S. 61 South area, they’ll draw the line before Elgin Plantation.

Brown said Beau Pré won’t be annexed in, nor will Hammett Subdivision.

Gardner told the board he would have a revised plan back to them before the last regular meeting in October.

Once that’s complete, Brown said the process from start to finish will begin with the board adopting an ordinance to file in the chancery court.

After that, the supreme court will appoint a judge outside the district to hear the annexation case.

If there’s an objection, a hearing will be appointed.

If not, the chancellor will approve it and send it to the U.S. Justice Department where it will either be approved or disapproved.

Brown said it’s rare the justice department disapproves an annexation request.

The entire process would take between six months and one year if all goes smoothly.

“It’s in the city’s best interest to annex these in,” Brown said.