NATCHEZ — As the Natchez-Adams Humane Society continues to raise money for the construction of a new shelter, the location of the proposed shelter has caused concerns with some residents.

Oscar Seyfarth and several of his family members living on Marion E. Seyfarth Road, where the new shelter will be built, say they don’t want the shelter built so close to their houses.

Seyfarth said the new shelter will be built at the end of the private road and will be approximately 220 feet from his house.

“What’s that going to do to my property value,” he said. “And my sister’s house will be even closer. (The shelter) isn’t going to help the property value.”

The shelter will be built on four acres of donated land, and for Seyfarth, that makes perfect sense.

“We’re not against the shelter at all. I’m an animal lover,” he said. “But we’re going to lose our peace and quiet.”

And not only is Seyfarth worried about what the shelter will to do his family’s neighborhood, he has legal concerns as well.

Since all the property owners own the road, Seyfarth is concerned an increase in public traffic will open his family to frivolous lawsuits.

“We just don’t need that,” he said.

Business owner and animal shelter proponent Vidal Davis owns land at the end of Seyfarth Road, where he operates a business, and donated part of the parcel of land where the shelter will be built.

“It’s foolishness,” Davis said of the matter. “I think (Seyfarth) just doesn’t want the shelter down there.”

Davis said he regularly has clients traveling the road to access his business and has had no complaints from Seyfarth in the past.

At a meeting of the Adams County Board of Supervisors in July Seyfarth made the supervisors aware of his concerns.

And at Monday’s board meeting he made the supervisors an offer, he’s hoping will rectify the situation.

Seyfarth said he and his family will donate the road to the county if criteria stipulations are meet.

But those stipulations could be expensive, supervisor Mike Lazarus said.

Seyfarth has asked the gravel road be blacktopped, have speed bumps installed, have culverts placed at property entrances and have fencing placed on either side of the road for the entire length of the road.

“That could be $45,000 worth of work,” Lazarus said. “And I don’t think he’s going to get everything on that list.”

Seyfarth said while the county taking ownership of the road won’t change the humane society’s plans, it will alleviate his legal concerns.

The board took Seyfarth’s request under consideration and instructed County Attorney Bobby Cox to contact Davis to see if the Humane Society still plans to build the new shelter.

However, Davis said while the building fund is still approximately $250,000 short, they have no intention to build elsewhere.