VIDALIA — The Vidalia Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to establish two economic development districts that would allow the city to take advantage of tax incentives to recruit new industries.

Concordia Parish Economic Development Director Heather Malone presented ordinances to establish economic development districts on six to seven acres on the riverfront and more than 30 acres across from Walmart on Carter Street.

Malone told the board the districts would allow the city to use tax-increment financing to fund infrastructure on sites for proposed developments.

TIF is a mechanism that enables a local government to use future tax revenues in a specific area and apply them toward funding infrastructure improvements.

Malone said developers have in the past asked if Vidalia has the ability to use TIF.

“We’ve received lots of interest in these areas, and we never closed the deal,” Malone said. “We really feel like this will give us a competitive edge.”

Mayor Hyram Copeland said not having the ability to use TIF may have caused developers to take their business elsewhere in the past.

“It’s been successful as far as bringing new developments and industry into the state,” he said.

In other news from the meeting:

-The board approved several occupational licenses, but voted to deny a license for Karianna Weatherly for Karianna’s Do or Dye Hair Salon at 2036 Eleanor St. after a lengthy discussion about the matter.

Alderwoman Maureen Saunders said she believes the city has previously denied salons in a residential area.

The salon would involve placing a commercial building in a residential area.

After voting to deny the license, the board asked the city attorney to look at previous meeting minutes to find out whether the board had voted to deny licenses for other salons in residential areas.

Copeland said he believes the board made that decision a few years ago and grandfathered in already established salons, but voted to deny new salons in residential areas.

Weatherly was not present at the meeting to explain her business plan.

Alderman Tron McCoy expressed concern that only two of nine occupational license applicants appeared at the meeting.

Saunders agreed.

“If you want to open a business and we have questions, I think we should be able to ask them,” she said.

The board decided to establish a city policy that all future occupational license applicants must appear before the board of aldermen at the meeting when a vote is scheduled for their applications.

The occupational licenses that were approved included:

-Diamond Nails, 808 Carter St.

-Southern Treats, 707 Carter St.

-Delicioso, 1651 Carter St.

-China Buffet (ownership change), 2002 Carter St.

-St. Andrews Mission thrift store, 1611 Carter St.

-J&M Home Solutions, 1103 Plum St.

-Hancock Hydrotesting, 701 N. Oak St.

-The Butt Hut, 1100 Carter St.

-Bee’s Boutique, 1644 Carter St.