NATCHEZ — Emergency vehicle access at the Roth Hill casino site is being fine-tuned, but the Natchez Planning Commission approved revised parking plans Thursday to allow work to continue on the parking lot for the proposed public park.

The revised plan for the parking lot adjacent to the park includes landscaped islands, trees and a loop at the end of the parking lot that allows vehicles to turn around in a continuous forward motion. The features were not included in a previously approved plan that did not meet city code.

The turning radius for the loop, however, is not wide enough for a fire truck to turn around in a forward motion. Natchez City Planner Bob Nix said casino developers are working with city fire officials, Natchez City Engineer David Gardner and project engineer Hayden Kaiser of Jordan, Kaiser & Sessions to redesign the plan to accommodate a fire pumper truck.

Kaiser said his suggestion was to designate two parking spaces beside the loop for fire access only. The open spaces would allow a fire truck, Nix said, to pull into the entrance of the loop, back into the spaces then pull forward to exit the parking lot in a timely manner.

Nix said the planning department’s suggestion was to use the grass area near the traffic loop for a fire truck to turnaround, but he said Kaiser’s solution may be less expensive.

The commission’s approval of the parking plan is contingent on final approval from the site plan review committee, city engineer, fire marshal and fire chief.

Nix said developers are also currently looking into putting impact barriers at the end of Roth Hill Road to stop out-of-control vehicles for going into the river.

Nix said the commission will possibly see landscaping plans for the site next month.

Commissioner Karen Stubbs asked project engineer Kaiser if casino developers had considered putting a fence at the end of the walking path along the river that will dead end at private property.

“It’s at least an invitation for someone to go enjoy someone else’s property,” Stubbs said.

Nix said he recommended to Kaiser that plans for fencing to deter people from entering the private property at the end of the river walk be included in the landscaping plans. The river walk will eventually tie into the Natchez Trails Project.

Kaiser said it may be possible to include a turnaround or a loop at the end of the walkway to direct walkers away from the private property.

In other news from the meeting:

•Applications from Edgin Builders LLC for a special exception to allow a new Natchez-Adams County Humane Society’s shelter to be built in the lot behind the existing shelter were postponed at the company’s request.

•The board voted to recommend to Mayor Jake Middleton that Charles Harris be appointed chairman on the commission.

If appointed, Harris will replace Chairperson Deborah Martin who has served the maximum two-term limit for a chairperson.

The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. May 17 in the Natchez City Council Chambers.