NATCHEZ — The Natchez Planning and Preservation commissions will discuss this week possible changes in parking at the Roth Hill casino site that reduce landscaping of the site’s public park.

Natchez City Planner Bob Nix said minor amendments proposed by casino developers to the site plan move eight of 16 parking spots near the casino entrance across Roth Hill road to serve as parallel parking adjacent to the public park area.

Nix said developers moved the parking spaces so heating and air conditioning equipment could be relocated from the parking garage to a higher elevation to protect the equipment from potential flooding.

“Although some of the landscaping has been replaced with parking, it was done for a good reason,” Nix said.

Three more parking spaces have also been added to the parking garage, totaling the garage spaces at 307.

The reduction of the potential landscaping, Nix said, will be minor and does not reduce the acreage of the park.

Nix said the commissions will have to consider whether the parallel parking at the base of Roth Hill is safe and would detract from the aesthetic of the site.

The casino’s architect, Ed A. Vance, will present the parking changes and plans for lighting at landscaping to the commissions at their regular monthly meetings this week.

The presentation, Nix said, will also include a first look at a cross-section illustration on how the Natchez Trails Project comes through the site. Nix said some of the areas of the trail are wide, but he said some areas are too narrow to meet the Trails’ standards and are not adequately shaded.

The landscaping plan, Nix said, will show the species of trees, shrubbery, grasses and flowers for the site. Nix said the plan includes crepe myrtle trees, oakleaf holly trees, Asian jasmine and several other species. Nix said the commissions will consider the placement of the landscaping and whether it is adequate.