Funeral home owner Mark Grissom verbally requested a zoning change be removed from the Cleveland City Council agenda.

Mayor Tom Rowland said Monday that Grissom called him shortly before the meeting saying he was not going forward with his request to change the zoning district at 105 and 107 30th St., and 3005 Julian Drive from Low Density Residential to Commercial Highway.

Even though the item was removed, Julian Drive resident Robert Loveridge presented a petition signed by 210 people who opposed the zoning change based on the belief that Grissom intended to build a crematorium on the property.

City Attorney John Kimball said Grissom would have to start all over if he decided to rezone the property at a later date.

“It would be as if it was never submitted. It would just start all over again,” Kimball said.

An item concerning intersection improvements at 25th Street and North Ocoee Street was delayed until July 9 when Tennessee Department of Transportation representatives will be available.

The congested intersection of 25th and Ocoee streets is in the design stage of a major makeover by TDOT. Preliminary design shows each leg will have seven lanes, counting a pair of through lanes in each direction, two left-turn lanes and a dedicated right-turn lane. The plan also shows a retaining wall on the north side of the Walgreens pharmacy, curbs and guttering, sidewalks on each side and an update of the storm water drainage system.

Attorney Roger Jenne attended the Council meeting thinking Council members were considering funding its 20 percent portion of the intersection improvements.

“I’ve been told that if the city does not go forward with its portion, the project may be pushed back a considerable period of time,” he said.

Also, the burned-out house at 470 14th St. was torn down by its owner only days before it was scheduled for demolition by the city.

Joe V. Williams had until this morning to demolish the house at 470 4th St.

Public Works Director Tommy Myers told Cleveland City Council members Monday afternoon he drove by the property that morning and the house was gone.

“It has been removed. The only thing left is the foundation and they are over there cleaning it up now except the old brick. They are cleaning the bricks and stacking them,” he said.

Tearing down the house brought an end to a legal fight between the city and landlord that began Thanksgiving Day in 2010 when the structure was gutted by fire.