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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The Kirksville Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing Wednesday night regarding a request to rezone a piece of property from R-1 Single-family Residential zoning to R-2 Two-Family Residential zoning.

The request came from Kirksville resident Ken Read, who owns the piece of land at the corner of First and LaHarpe streets.

The property is two lots: one empty lot and one that is the Catalpa Grove Trailer Court, which is in the process of being dismantled.

Read wants to divide the two lots into nine lots and potentially build nine duplexes on the land.

About 10 residents who live near the property objected to Read's rezoning request.

Neighbor Jeff Becker expressed his concerns about the additional traffic and commotion that nine new duplexes would likely bring to his neighborhood.

"We would like to keep our neighborhood pretty much like it is,” said neighbor Glen Novinger. “It's probably one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city of Kirksville."

"In talking to many of the people around there, I think most of them agree it would be nice to have these homes as single-family residences," said Terry Hawkins, who owns a nearby residence.

Read told the group that if his rezoning request was denied, a new and improved Catalpa Grove Trailer Park would take the place of the current rundown park.

"We're not threatening or anything by asking for the zoning,” said Read. “We're going to put nicer, newer trailers back in there, or mobile homes, if this doesn't pass, but they would be nicer, I assure you."

After listening to both sides, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-to-1 against Read's rezoning request.

Member Mike LaBeth abstained from voting.

During a second public hearing Wednesday night, Kirksville attorney Josh Meyer explained his plans to construct a metal storage building behind his law office at 1003 E. Jefferson St.

Meyer requested a variance to allow for the construction to be a metal building versus the required brick or brick veneer building.

No one spoke out against Meyer’s request.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-1 in favor of approving Meyer’s variance request.

Member Jerry Kellum voted against the proposal.