NATCHEZ — After hearing pleas from residents and voicing concerns of its own, The Natchez Preservation Commission unanimously denied Wednesday a proposed oil operation on historic Arlington property.

Mike Biglane of RMB Exploration appeared before the commission Thursday to ask for approval for the proposed oil operation, which is on 15.7 acres and incorporates the area on the opposite side of Arlington where the company conducted oil exploration earlier this year without a permit.

Biglane said at last week’s Natchez Planning Commission meeting that he was under the impression that there was an understanding that the company would conduct the early exploration then come back for approval if they intended to set up a well.

The company proceeded with the exploration without completing the city’s procedural process to rezone the property to allow an oil operation.

The operation needs a certificate of appropriateness from the Natchez Preservation Commission because of its proximity to Arlington, rezoning approval from the Natchez Planning Commission and final approval from the Natchez Board of Aldermen.

City Planner Bob Nix has said the company was under the impression the operation was approved, because it had an oil and gas lease with the city and based on other information provided to the company by planning department staff prior to Nix being hired as city planner.

Nix presented the commission with the option of designating the land for the proposed operation at Arlington as industrial, so the exploration drilling could be allowed if the commission wished to approve it. He said the well would be capped and the company could not build a tank farm to store oil until a preservation easement was in place.

Commissioner Liz Dantone voiced concerns about negative impacts the operation would have on Arlington, which was named the second most endangered historic property in Mississippi by the Mississippi Heritage Trust in 2009.

Dantone asked Biglane how big his operation is in Natchez.

Biglane said he has 200 acres of land leased for oil exploration in Natchez in addition to the property at Arlington, including property at Monmouth, Kenilworth, Winchester Road and Dunleith.

Biglane said the proposed exploration at Arlington would help the company determine where to take its next operation.

Seibert asked Biglane if all of the residents adjacent to those properties had given Biglane the mineral rights to their properties.

Biglane said most of them had, but he was still working to get signatures from residents on streets including Auburn Avenue and Desoto Street.

Biglane said, however, that if the residents refused to be a party to the lease, he could go to the Mississippi Oil and Gas Board and get a “forced lease,” which would pool the landowners into the lease.

Forced pooling essentially forces non-consenting landowners to join the agreements with their neighbors.

“You didn’t have anywhere else you could put an oil well except right here in Natchez, Mississippi, right up on Arlington?” Seibert asked Biglane.

Seibert asked Biglane how he woud like it if someone put an oil well in his backyard, if he lived where St. Charles Avenue residents Nona Colombo and her mother, Leona Adams, have lived for several years.

Colombo moved to Natchez from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and after a Murphy Oil Refinery oil spill flooded oil into her neighborhood. Colombo said she was part of a $330 million class action lawsuit and ultimately received $7,000 for her $150,000 house.

Colombo said she did not agree with rezoning the Arlington property, and she doubted very seriously if an oil operation would be approved if it was on the corner of Main Street.

“Just because we’re on the outskirts doesn’t mean we’re not a part of historic downtown Natchez,” she said.

Seibert asked Biglane if he understood the impact of his oil operation on Natchez. Biglane said he tried to put the Arlington deal together 35 years ago and was requesting the commission approve it now.

“Don’t you understand what your request is doing to this town?” Seibert asked,

Biglane said he understood because he is trying to move back to Natchez.

“Well, when you move back, I want you to move right here,” she said pointing to his application. “Right here on St. Charles Street where this well (would) be.”

Biglane said he would gladly purchase a house in that location.

Dantone made the motion to deny Biglane’s application, and commissioner Valencia Hall seconded the motion.

Hall said earlier in the meeting that her job was to protect historic preservation in Natchez and in the state. She said she would do that, regardless of what action any other boards or commissions took.

Nix said the application will go before the planning commission on June 7, which will make its recommendations to approve or deny the operation to the board of aldermen.