NATCHEZ — The City of Natchez will soon be without a city planner and an assistant city planner, leaving the leadership of the planning department in limbo until new city administration takes office.

Natchez City Planner Bob Nix announced his retirement to Mayor Jake Middleton and the Natchez Board of Aldermen late last week. Nix’s last day will be June 29.

Nix said Assistant City Planner Danit Simon is in her last week with the city and will be taking over as the executive director of planning in Pass Christian.

Nix said he decided to retire from working in public municipal government to hopefully take a teaching job, do some writing and research and also private consulting.

“I’ve been doing this for more than 30 years,” Nix said. “It’s time to do something else.”

Retirement has been on the horizon for Nix, who is 66 this year, for some time, he said.

“I have about 5 to 7 years of good, productive life, and I’ve been thinking about other professional things I want to do, and it was time to make a change,” Nix said.

Nix, who is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners, served as director of community development and planning for the City of North Miami Beach, Fla., for nine months before being hired as the city’s planner in June 2010.

A graduate of Florida State University, Nix earned his bachelor’s degree in history in 1971, and his master’s degree in urban and regional planning in 1978.

Nix said he will be retiring to Florida to be closer to his family, but he said he has enjoyed living in Natchez and will be back to visit.

“This is the best place I’ve ever lived as far as the environment and the people here and the historic downtown area,” he said. “You don’t find that anywhere else in the U.S.”

Middleton said the hiring of a new city planner and assistant city planner will more than likely be left up to the new mayor and Natchez Board of Aldermen that will take office in July.

Nix is the city’s sixth planner in the last 10 years.