As work gets underway on the site of an estimated 1-million-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility off Peace Road and Fairview Drive, a DeKalb panel threw its unanimous support behind the manufacturer’s plans.

The DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission voted this week to move forward with a project called Project Midwest, which was once lauded by DeKalb city leaders as an estimated 1.3-million-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility comparable in size to Ferrara Candy Co. Commissioner Jerry Wright was absent.

The company behind the facility is not yet known to the public.

The City Council will need to have the final say on the matter. About a year ago, the Council greenlit annexing 147 acres into the city for the development.

Gary Horn, chief development officer at Mohr Capital, urged the commission for its support.

“We’ve built five buildings for them throughout the country, so it’s a fairly typical build for us,” Horn said.

The city in 2024 authorized an annexation request along with a concept plan and rezoning for the applicant, Mohr Acquisitions, as the company seeks to build a warehouse and distribution facility for an undisclosed national tenant. At that time, the city indicated that additional approvals would be needed.

Olson said the applicant’s plan is largely the same.

“It’s generally in the same location and the same size,” Olson said.

During a public hearing on the matter, a married couple took time to express their views.

Lynn Farris, who has lived along Webster Road with her husband John for 35 years, said she believes the developer already has a done deal.

“You have big business coming in, and we have no recourse on what we can do,” Farris said. “It’s really up to them. I’m just kind of voicing my opinion as to when you approve these things, what happens to private citizens. I don’t live in the city of DeKalb, so I have no recourse with you, either. ... They’ve never offered to buy our house or anything. They’re just going to build right around it.”

In response, Horn tried to offer reassurance.

“We’re developers. I mean, we came to an area prime for development,” Horn said. “All the rest of the land around this area is for sale. One data center comes in, they could buy it all. It’s just a matter of time.”

The applicant has provided the city with a landscape plan in accordance with the engineer’s recommendation, city documents show. Plans also include fencing around the pond.

Farris said she hadn’t been informed of any plans for fencing.

Chairman Max Mawell acknowledged Farris’ concerns and the developer’s efforts to address them.

“I was going to say hopefully, that gives you a little bit more peace of mind, if you know that now,” Maxwell said.

Under the plans, the tenant would have space in the future for an expansion of the facility.

No timeline has been set for such an expansion to date.