NATCHEZ — One tree planted on the bluff is doing more than just beautifying the area — it’s a one-time use gate, too.

The crape myrtle will have to be dug up in order to allow the Riverstock music event to use the site May 14.

Whether the tree will have to be replaced and repeatedly moved for events — or if a gate will have to be installed — will depend on public behavior.

Public Works Supervisor Justin Dollar said several crape myrtle trees were planted on the former pecan factory site as part of the Natchez Trails project on Broadway Street.

Not only do they beautify the area, but they keep people from driving onto the site and damaging the lawn, Dollar said.

“When it would rain or something people would go out there and do a donut and tear the grass up,” he said.

The trees have been doing their job well, Dollar said, as no such incidents have occurred since they were planted. However, one of the trees blocks a vehicle access point cut into the sidewalk.

“That is one of the best access points for that site,” Dollar said.

The only other entrance is on Broadway Street, which Dollar said does not serve the site efficiently by itself.

The back entrance at the top of Roth Hill Road would allow large trucks to enter to set up large pieces of equipment, but is now guarded by a single crape myrtle which Dollar said cost the city $200-$300 to install.

Dollar said the tree would be removed in order to allow Riverstock, a large annual music festival, to bring in the stage for its May 14 event.

Dollar said Wednesday Public Works would not replace the tree after the event unless vandalism becomes a problem again.

At the April 26 Natchez Board of Aldermen meeting, Dollar said one of the event organizers asked the tree be removed in exchange for re-installing the same tree or replacing it at the event’s expense.

Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard said the tree should be permanently removed.

“I certainly don’t think we should put it back in there, because that’s the intended purpose (of the site),” Dillard said at the meting.

Ward 4 Alderman Mark Fortenbery expressed concern with leaving the entrance unblocked.

“If we don’t put it back, people will drive in there,” Fortenbery said.

Dollar said at the meeting he would look into a visually attractive gating option for the back entrance and report his findings to the board later.

Dollar said Wednesday the gate and the tree might both be unnecessary.

“On the whole site before, there were no crape myrtles anywhere,” Dollar said. “Maybe it won’t be a problem. If they do tear it up, we’ll put something back.”

Dollar said he has begun looking at how much the gate option would cost, but does not yet have a cost estimate.