PALMER LAKE, Colo. — A second Buc-ee's location is in the works in Colorado.
The Texas-based travel store and gas station chain is in the early stages of acquiring the land for a location in El Paso County, between Denver and Colorado Springs.
Palmer Lake Mayor Glant Havenar said last month that Buc-ee's had inquired about annexing land for a potential store at Interstate 25 and County Line Road, between Larkspur and Monument.
Members of Buc-ee's development team held a public comment meeting at Palmer Lake Elementary School on Tuesday night. More than 300 residents attended the meeting, many opposed to the idea of Buc-ee's building in the town.
At Tuesday's meeting, Buc-ee's representatives said the property has been zoned as a commercial property since 1955, and that there had been an intended plan for that space to be used for something like a rest stop. The latter statement was met by jeers and boos from the audience, according to KRDO.
In their presentation, Buc-ee's developers showcased the different foods and services that Buc-ees provides, as well as the job opportunities with positions that start at $20 dollars per hour.
Palmer Lake residents voiced concerns over traffic impacts, weather along the interstate, light pollution, property values, and impacts from wildlife migration in the area.
According to KRDO, Buc-ee's developers said they would follow all regulations required by the Colorado Department of Transportation to accommodate the traffic changes that would be necessary at an intersection for entry and exit, including making improvements to a bridge that goes over I-25, which some people expressed wouldn't be able to handle the amount of drivers. A Buc-ee's representative said that they would pay for a new bridge over the interstate and have built new bridges at other locations as well.
Other residents at Tuesday's meeting asked about winter weather impacts, within what is a unique meteorology corridor around Monument Hill, including accidents like in last week's storm. A developer said that at other Buc-ees locations where adverse weather is present, they haven't seen major traffic disruptions.
The property will have to be annexed before Buc-ee's will move ahead with the project.
Havenar said per state statute, an annexation hearing is afforded to anyone who asks for one. Palmer Lake Board of Trustees will hold the eligibility hearing on Thursday, Dec. 12.
Havenar said the hearing is not to annex the land, but is to determine if the owner is eligible to move forward in the process. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn more, ask questions and make comments.
"If the owner is determined at the eligibility hearing on December 12 to be eligible for annexation, they would likely hold a series of community meetings where residents are urged to ask questions and learn more about the development," Havenar said last month. "This process could be followed by an eventual annexation hearing, which is also open for public input."
"At this stage, we cannot comment on the project, whether we believe it meets eligibility, or share any thoughts or opinions on its viability and merits. Commenting or issuing opinions would break our oath to quasi-judicial standing and neutrality, and we would be barred from voting on the development in any form."
"I want to learn as much as possible about the development and be able to vote on it, so I will only share this: I will gather the facts and information and hear from local residents to determine the best course of action when I am called upon to vote," Havenar said. "Until that day, I do not have enough information and am thus prohibited from breaking my oath."
Buc-ee's opened its first Colorado location, at Interstate 25 and County Road 48 in Johnstown, north of the Denver metro area, in March. The 74,000-square-foot travel center has 116 fueling positions and 12 EV charging stations.
The Colorado location signaled the first move outside of the South for Buc-ee's. Between Alabama, Florida and Georgia, Buc-ee's has more than 50 locations, with more than 40 in Texas alone.
Since beginning its expansion in 2019, Buc-ee’s has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Known for its award-winning clean bathrooms, all Buc-ee's operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The stores serve Buc-ee’s favorites including Beaver nuggets, Texas barbeque, fudge, kolaches, jerky and pastries.
