For years, we&8217;ve heard people say things about &8220;the hysterical society&8221; and make cracks that the preservation commission will tell you what color you can and cannot paint your own house.

Those people poking fun may not understand the importance of historic preservation in Natchez.

Periodically, issues come to a head when someone seeks to go outside of the historic preservation rules and procedures.

Many residents will remember the famous &8220;blue house&8221; episode years ago that occurred when a resident chose to paint his house an iridescent blue color. The fervor that followed seemed trivial unless you lived next door or across the street.

More recently, the City of Natchez&8217;s decision to change its own rules slightly to accommodate developers of condominiums on the bluffs raised frustration among some residents. If the city doesn&8217;t follow its own rules &8212; or changes them when it doesn&8217;t like them &8212; the system becomes weakened, critics correctly argued.

We see another potential &8220;blue house&8221; on the horizon. Plans for a new hotel adjacent to the city&8217;s convention center have drawn a few raised eyebrows recently &8212; and that is before a single spade of dirt has been turned.

The chief concerns are two-fold. First, will developers be able to make the property&8217;s design fit into the historic downtown properly? Developers say, &8220;No problem.&8221;

Second, and perhaps more important, is whether or not the city&8217;s elected officials will allow the preservation commission, planning commission and zoning board to do their jobs correctly.

The fear is that in an effort to make the convention center hotel happen, city leaders may push to circumvent the process.

We hope that doesn&8217;t happen.

In spite of the occasional wisecracks about the city&8217;s preservation system, this issue is no laughing matter.