Typos can cause huge trouble. Believe us; we know first-hand. But it’s rare that a simple typo can cause a commercial development project to stall for years.

Unfortunately, that very thing just happened in Natchez.

Fortunately, this week Natchez aldermen finally corrected a simple but important typo that temporarily hindered a new development.

The 2007 screw-up put a piece of property in a bit of a zoning limbo for years.

Property owner Gayle Evans hoped to build an assisted living facility on his John R. Junkin Drive site, but the mix-up in zoning prevented the use he sought.

Zoning issues are often touchy ones, and in this case it was complicated by the glaring typo that put into question the site’s use.

Fortunately, both sides of the issue — nearby residents concerned about how the development would affect them and the developers — sat down and worked through some of the differences.

It’s the kind of cool, levelheaded agreements that are more often than not the exception rather than the rule in such situations.

We’re glad the two sides seemed to have worked this out and are appreciative that the city’s leadership followed the advice and guidance of the Natchez Planning Commission.

Isn’t it amazing what can be accomplished when people sit together and work through issues civilly?