NATCHEZ &045;&045; A Silver Street business owner has asked city officials to negotiate with Under-the-Hill property owner James Biglane to open up more parking along the riverfront.

But one city official said getting the road reopened may be trickier than it seems, although overall development of the riverfront, including parking, will have to be addressed.

Biglane could not be reached for comment prior to press time.

Andre Farish, owner of the Under-the-Hill Saloon, told aldermen in a recent meeting that Biglane erected a gate across Water Street, barring access to an adjacent parking area. Farish asked city officials to enforce eminent domain to get Biglane to take down the gate.

&uot;The lack of parking is detrimental to the livelihood of the business owner, causing a loss of revenue,&uot; bar patrons said in a letter and petition to city officials.

&uot;It is an aggravation to the local patrons and (visitors) who wish to … spend money at the business.&uot;

City officials have discussed the idea of extending Water Street down the riverfront as part of an overall riverfront development plan, City Attorney Walter Brown said.

But Brown said that although Biglane erected the gate on his own property, several more parties also own parcels of land along Water Street.

That, he said, makes negotiating the use of that street and adjacent parking more complicated.

&uot;The ideal solution is to sit down with all the property owners (with interest in those parcels)&uot; to negotiate a deal for its use, Brown said.

The city could condemn the land, Brown said, &uot;but that’s an expensive proposition.&uot;

Yet eventually, he said, the city will have to decide how it wants the riverfront, including Natchez Under-the-Hill, to be developed.

&uot;Our ultimate goal is going to have to be, cooperatively or otherwise, to utilize the entire riverfront,&uot; he said.

Mayor Phillip West said he wants to meet with aldermen to come up with a more current plan of what developments the city wants to court to the riverfront, not just to follow studies that have already been done.

Once the city decides what developments to pursue &045;&045; or is approached by developers with specific plans &045;&045; it will be in a better position to determine what parking will be needed on the riverfront.

&uot;That will be determined by what types of plans&uot; are developed for the riverfront, West said.

For his part, Farish said he would like to see the city &uot;extend Water Street to make it a scenic waterfront drive.&uot;