NATCHEZ — The possible location of a new Natchez-Adams County Humane Society shelter has a few residents uneasy about having the shelter and its four-legged residents close to their houses.

The new shelter would be located behind the current shelter located at 392 Liberty Road, approximately 25 yards from Dameron Street resident Andy Pressgrove’s house.

Pressgrove said his house is 300 yards from the current shelter. He said he is worried the noise of barking dogs he already hears will be getting much louder if the shelter moves closer to his house.

“Those dogs get all riled up at different parts of the night,” he said. “We can hear them now, and when they get back there closer, it’s going to be horrible.”

Edgin Construction is scheduled to appear before the Natchez Planning Commission next week for approval of the shelter’s proposed location as a special exception to the city’s zoning code and to subdivide the property into two lots. The property is owned by Ricky Edgin.

Attempts to reach Edgin Thursday were unsuccessful.

Pressgrove said he and other residents will be at the meeting to voice their opposition to the proposed location of the new shelter.

“We’ve been living here for 40 years, and we’re not going anywhere, but it will negatively impact a lot of the proprety value of other people here who might want to sell their houses,” he said.

The locations of the current and proposed shelters are in the B-4 Highway Business zoning district. According to the city’s development code, animal shelters are permitted as special exceptions in the B-4 Highway Business zoning district.

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Fortenbery announced at Tuesday’s aldermen meeting that he had been contacted by residents in the Westover Subdivision with concerns about the shelter moving closer to their houses. He said he believed the humane society had other locations it could have used instead of moving closer to a residential area.

“None of them are against animals or against the animal shelter,” Fortenbery said. “I just think it could have been handled differently…it’s so blown out of proportion now.”

Fortenbery said he believes the city code should be amended so project developers meet with residents to explain details and get feedback prior to appearing before city commissions.

He said he also thinks the city should have an ordinance that outlines the distance animal shelters must be from residences.

Good Hope Construction owner Vidal Davis donated property on Col. John Pitchford Parkway along with Connor House and Dan Bland a number of years ago.

Davis designed conceptual plans for the new shelter, but the humane society board ultimately decided to take the shelter in a different direction last year.

Since new board members were elected in November, plans for the new shelter have been ongoing.

Humane society board member Linda Kennon said the humane society has been contacted by one resident who opposes the location of the new shelter.

She said the project is at a standstill until the planning commission decides whether the new animal shelter can be built at the proposed location.

“Right now we’re just waiting until the decision of the planning commission, and then we will go from there,” she said.

The Natchez Planning Commission will meet at 5:15 p.m. Thursday in the Natchez City Council Chambers.