Editor's note: This article has been updated to provide history about the Dowell House. 

A request to rezone a 62,977-square-foot piece of land where the existing Dowell House is located was tabled by McKinney City Council during a meeting Dec. 4. At the request of the applicant, the request to rezone will be moved to the Dec. 18 council meeting.

The Dowell House, built circa 1870, is located at 1104 S. Tennessee St., McKinney. The house was a bed and breakfast and was also used in the 1974 movie "Benji," Guy Giersch, historic preservation officer for the city of McKinney, said in an email.

During a McKinney Planning and Zoning meeting Nov. 13 commissioners denied the request to rezone.

According to the applicant’s presentation during the November meeting, if the rezone is approved, the existing lot will be separated into nine lots, allowing the applicant to build eight additional 6,000-square-foot single-family homes surrounding the Dowell House.

Council Member La’Shadion Shemwell said he is in support of tabling the request to give the applicant a better chance at receiving a supermajority vote, which is required since the agenda item was denied by planning and zoning.