A plan to build 80 homes on 37 acres that are currently part of the Peachtree City industrial park was unveiled Monday night.

The plan for Callula Hill, which would be adjacent to the Lake McIntosh reservoir, was presented to the Peachtree City Planning Commission by Pathway Communities.

Along with the 80 homes is a 10,000- to 12,000-square-foot event center that would include 12 cottages for rental in conjunction with events such as weddings, said Pathways representative Gene Levine.

The reason for seeking a residential rezoning lies in the beauty of the property, Levine said. The parcel is surrounded by Lake McIntosh, several industrial parcels and also the Planterra Ridge golf course.

The industrial tracts that are developed are being used for non-heavy manufacturing and distribution, said City Planner David Rast. There is one undeveloped six-acre industrial zoned tract adjacent to the site but Pathway owns that site and can control its destiny, Levine said.

Commissioners pointed out that landscaping, and the amount of trees saved on individual lots, would make a big difference in the quality of the subdivision.

Commission Chairman Marty Mullin said an aerial photo showing a large amount of trees on the site underscored the need to save as many trees as possible.

“There’s a lot of beautiful trees right there,” Mullin said.

Levine said the topography of the site will make it difficult to keep the natural trees though as many will be kept as possible.

Mullin suggested possibly reducing the lot size by two or three to make saving trees easier. He also suggested ditching the bulldozer when clearing the site.

“You almost have to get out there and carve that individual lot,” Mullin said.

Commissioner Joe Frazar said he felt the density of homes “is tight in here.” Frazar also envisioned the potential for drainage difficulties.

Callula Hill’s proximity to Falcon Field drew some skepticism from one resident about the residential viability of the project.

Phyllis Aguayo said she remembered hearing that the traffic patterns at Falcon Field currently go over undeveloped land in Coweta County but the patterns could change in the future.

Levine said the company is willing to provide a letter at closing that reminds the buyer that Falcon Field is nearby. He said the end of the runway is about a quarter-mile away from the property line but the center of the property is about a half-mile away from the end of the runway.

Aguayo also said although she thinks the site would be better served as corporate offices, she felt there must be fewer residential lots in order to save more trees.

Levine said the homes would be targeted at Peachtree City residents who want to downsize, as the home sizes will be restricted to preserve the lakefront views for all lots in the subdivision. The maximum house size will be approximately 4,000 square feet, Levine said.

The parks proposed for the development would not include playground equipment for children but will be geared towards open-air pavilions with maybe a fire pit, Levine said.

The starting price will be in the high $300,000 range up to $700,000, Levine said.

Levine said the event facility is envisioned as being operated by a private company in a manner similar to that of Glendalough Manor in Tyrone, which hosts weddings and upscale party events.