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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- In a special Kirksville City Council meeting late Thursday afternoon, council members unanimously approved a new subdivision and cleared the way for six duplexes to take the place of the Catalpa Grove Trailer Court on West La Harpe Street.

It is called the "West End Development Subdivision," and it has a total of nine lots, all owned by Ken Read of Kirksville.

The council approved the rezoning of the six lots where the trailer court sits from R-1

Single-Family Residential to R-2 Two-Family Residential.

At its April meeting, the Kirksville Planning and Zoning Commission denied Read's request to rezone all nine lots.

A nearby neighbor of the property, who spoke out against the rezoning at last month's public hearing, on Thursday spoke in favor of the revised rezoning request, calling it a win-win situation for the neighborhood, the city and for Read.

"I'm just thinking this is going to be one of those things, Ken (Read), that we want to thank you for as an upgrade for especially the neighborhood where the trailer court that's been there for many years has really deteriorated badly," said Glen Novinger.

Resident Joe Rhoads, who lives a block north of the rezoned property, spoke at the special meeting, saying that because there was no announcement of a public hearing for Thursday's meeting, he strongly objects to the change in zoning at this point in time until he has a chance to see what R-2 Two-Family Residential zoning consists of.

Read told KTVO he has given residents of the trailer court until the end of June to move out.

He said, by now, most of them have somewhere else to go.

He told us that within a matter of days, contractors will begin pouring foundations for three single-family homes on the three lots that face South First Street.

Click here for a link to the May 9, 2012 story on this topic.