A 1,252-acre tract of farmland in Limestone County's unincorporated Greenbrier community is apparently the site where Toyota-Mazda might locate their $1.6 billion plant, should the companies decide to build it in Alabama.

The area, off Powell Road and Greenbrier Road, was passed over by Volkswagen in 2008 in favor of Chattanooga. Since then, it has been certified as a TVA Megasite, and an Advantage Alabama site by the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.

The site is only a short drive from Polaris and the Target Distribution Center off Interstate 565.

The Huntsville Mega Site lies in Limestone County with 1,252 acres not far from Interstate 565 and 65.

Residents in the area, who asked their names be withheld, confirmed there has been activity at the site within the last month related to the Toyota-Mazda project. One property owner said he was told three weeks ago that his land was on the site being considered.

Another homeowner, who lives near the site, said part of his property had been surveyed in connection with the project, while another was told his irrigation systems might be affected.

"They were out doing core drilling and surveying," he said. "That's probably in the last month."

Still another homeowner in the area who works on farmland was told about the Toyota-Mazda project, hearing it was a possibility.

"They said it was between here and North Carolina," the person said.

State and local economic development officials have refused any comment on the project or the Limestone County site, and government officials have stayed very tight-lipped since Alabama was identified in media reports as one of the states being looked at for the plant. It is the policy of the Alabama Department of Commerce not to comment on potential development projects.

The rural character of the Greenbrier community, just north of I-565 in Limestone County, will undoubtedly change if the Sewell farm on Powell Road becomes Alabama's first TVA Megasite for large-scale industrial development. (Eric Schultz | eschultz@al.com)

Alabama is believed to be one of two states left in contention for the auto plant.

Toyota and Mazda first announced their plans in August for the manufacturing facility, which is projected to be operational by 2021 and employ about 4,000. Toyota will build the Corolla there, while Mazda is expected to produce crossovers. Both companies reportedly want an incentive package of at least $1 billion to get the sought-after factory.

Toyota and Mazda have only said that a decision on where the factory will be built is expected next year.

In June 2016, Limestone County land was certified as a TVA Megasite and heralded at an event by the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce, the City of Huntsville and the Limestone County Commission.

Megasite certification was the end of a process that began in 2011. Local leaders said certification would allow a large industry to "plug and play," in the words of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.

"You can move an industry in here, you can start working and you can expect 2,000 to 4,000 jobs," Battle said at the time.

To become a megasite, a property must have at least 1,000 acres, undergo environmental reviews, have Interstate access, potential for rail service and utility capabilities.

According to the EDPA website, the slightly-rolling land is only three miles from I-565, six miles from I-65, and within 10 miles of the Tennessee River.

It is also 21 miles from Toyota's engine manufacturing plant in Huntsville. Earlier this year, Toyota announced a $106 million investment at the plant, creating 50 new jobs. It's the fifth upgrade of the Huntsville plant by Toyota since the 2001 groundbreaking.

North Carolina, which has labored for years to land an auto plant, created four megasites ready to accommodate a large project, hoping to entice Volvo, Mercedes and Hyundai over the years.

The state's likely tract in the Toyota-Mazda push is a 1,900-acre megasite in the middle of the state near Greensboro that has seen considerable activity over the past few months, according to reports, with helicopter flyovers. A combination of public and private entities have spent more than $32 million buying land at the site from private owners, according to local newspapers.