Natchez Alderman Dan Dillard was correct when he effectively told a property owner “two wrongs don’t make a right” after the owner requested the city reverse a recent decision by the Natchez Planning Commission.

Richard Wilbourn asked the city to allow him to keep the house he owns on the corner of Main Street and St. Charles Avenue as a quadruplex apartment.

When Wilbourn sought to sell his property to a new landlord he discovered that the property sat in a R-2 residential district which does not allow more than two-families on each property.

Wilbourn’s application for a special exemption from the zoning ordinance was denied by the Natchez Planning Commission, a decision that was affirmed by the Natchez Board of Aldermen Tuesday night by a 5-0 vote.  Apparently the quadruplex in question has been on the property for more than 30 years — longer than the current zoning ordinance passed in 2014.

Neighbors say the property has created parking problems and traffic congestion in the neighborhood. The Planning and Zoning commission agreed and rejected Wilbourn’s request based on those traffic safety concerns.

Zoning laws are established to secure orderly growth, promote safety and to preserve the desirable character and real estate values of a neighborhood.

As Dillard pointed out Tuesday evening, granting one exception to the zoning ordinance risks setting a precedence that could lead to a domino effect in the neighborhood. The result could not only lead to additional traffic problems for residents, but also risks destroying the character of the neighborhood.

“Just because it was nonconforming for 30 years does not mean that it should continue being that way,” Dillard said.

We agree.

From our perspective, aldermen made the correct decision — a decision that is not only good for the neighborhood but also for the city as a whole.