A workshop discussion on a request to construct a 50,000 sq. ft. office building and three soccer fields along Ga. Highway 74 South in a proposed industrial subdivision was heard by the Peachtree City Planning Commission on Jan. 12.
The conceptual site plan presented by MOBA USA included plans for an industrial subdivision with the initial phase including a two-story building totaling 50,000 sq. ft. to be used for offices and the assembly of electronic equipment and three tournament-size soccer fields on a portion of a 50-acre site across Hwy. 74 from the city’s athletic complex, according to project representatives from Marksman Construction.
The remaining parcels on the site would be developed at a later date with all development maintaining the current general industrial zoning.
MOBA was founded in Germany and has subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, India and China and has a growing presence in the United States, according to corporate Vice President Jutta Harms.
Harms in a letter to the commission said MOBA’s expected growth in the U.S. is in the asphalt and earthmoving business. The company’s newest application is the PAVE-IR Scanner which is being supported in pilot projects by the Federal Highway Association and is being specified by several state highway departments, Harms said.
MOBA’s only U.S. office is located in Fayetteville. Project representatives said the company needs more space and wants to relocate in Peachtree City. The company currently employs 20-25 people and expects to double that number.
“The increased growth now mandates our search for a new expansion site,” said Harms. “Our target expansion area is within the I-85 corridor between Newnan, Palmetto, Fairburn, Tyrone and Peachtree City and will entail approximately doubling our current location size. This proposed growth path will create additional job opportunities.”
The MOBA USA site, located on the south side of the 50-acre parcel, would include three tournament-size soccer fields. Representatives said the MOBA executive lives in Peachtree City, has children involved with soccer and wants to have a portion of the site dedicated to men’s soccer for local residents and tournaments, adding that soccer played on the site would not compete with the city’s soccer activities.
City Senior Planner David Rast said the proposal requests two curbs cuts on Hwy. 74 which would provide a connection to an internal street, allowing the property to be subdivided into smaller tracts.
The property is bordered on the west by Hwy. 74 and on the east by the Line Creek Nature Area.
Rast said the proposal would include a path connection to the existing multi-use tunnel under Hwy. 74 which will ultimately allow the path system to interconnect to the athletic complex.
The Planning Commission is expected to hear a formal presentation of the request at the next meeting.
