EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — A long-planned housing development near Kearney Road is moving forward with a new approach, while the same local family behind the project is also breathing new life into a downtown warehouse.
Rocky and Christa McLaughlin, longtime Excelsior Springs residents and property owners, are preparing updated plans for Morocco Estates, a 16-lot subdivision near Kearney Road and Missouri Highway 69. The project was originally expected to include duplexes, but rising construction costs changed the math.
A Google map shows the Morocco Estates development area near Kearney Road and Missouri Highway 69.
The McLaughlins asked the city to rezone the property from R2 to R3, allowing them to build three- and four-unit townhome-style buildings instead of duplexes. The change could increase the number of homes from 32 units to as many as 64.
At the March 30, 2026, Planning and Zoning meeting, neighbors shared concerns about what that added density could mean for Kearney Road. Several said traffic is already a problem in the area, and they worry more units could bring more cars, parking issues, and safety concerns.
Others asked about privacy, drainage, and how the development might affect nearby homes.
City staff said those details will be reviewed as part of the next step, when formal site plans are submitted. That review is expected to include parking, stormwater, screening, setbacks, and other city requirements.
