Natchez Preservation Commission members are wise to use caution and take a measured approach in considering changes at the Roth Hill casino development site.

Developers seem to be running a race against the clock to maintain Mississippi Gaming Commission approval and, perhaps, the favor of investors.

But the developers’ urgency shouldn’t pressure anyone in city government — elected or volunteer board members — to make hasty decisions.

As the old saying goes, “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.”

The Roth Hill development has been in the works for more than four years so any urgency is on the lack of planning or communication of the developers, not necessarily city leaders.

Unfortunately, once a ball such as construction of a big project begins, it’s easy for the project coordinators to start changing things — whether part of the plans all along or just as a factor of changing circumstances.

Those changes can often come with much pressure and urgency because once construction starts, the cost of delays growth steeper by the day.

As Natchez City Planner Bob Nix said on Wednesday, many of the changes that are being requested are departures from the already approved site plan for the development.

Any changes to the original site plan need to be reexamined to make sure the plans meet city building and safety codes.

That’s not being anti-business or anti-casino; it’s being pro-Natchez.