Proposed Buc-ee's in Stafford faces opposition from neighbors
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. - Some neighbors are fighting a proposal to bring the popular, Texas-based, mega-gas station "Buc-ee’s" to Exit 140 on I-95 in Stafford County, Virginia.
A Conditional Use Permit request posted back in February outlines plans for a 74,000 square foot Buc-ee’s Travel Center with room for 120 gas pumps and a large store. Buc-ee’s stores are known for their in-house barbeque, baked goods, sweets, and clothing.
The business and its smiling-beaver mascot would be built by Austin Ridge Drive and Courthouse Road. The location has a Super Wawa across the street from the proposal site. A Sheetz gas station and store sits on the other side of I-95.
Those against the proposal say they were never made aware of the proposal and have serious zoning, traffic, and safety concerns.
"I’ve been to a Buc-ee’s before," Anne Bell told FOX 5 Tuesday morning. "I feel like it could offer a lot of jobs in the area, but it is – it does bring in a lot of traffic. Just when I stopped at one before, all of the cars were lined-up so my concern is: What is the entrance going to look like? What is the exit? How easy it going to be for people to get in and out – because my concern obviously is the traffic. I’m a teacher so I don’t want it to affect any of the people trying to get to school and things like that."
"I’m good with it," said Jessie Tipling. "We need to grow up in Stafford, so I think it would be good to have more businesses. It’s been nice adding all of the ones we’ve added around here."
Asked if she thought about any issues regarding traffic, Tipling laughed, saying, "Well, we’re on 95, that’s always an issue!"
"I think we’re responding by adding to 95," she added. "We have to. We’re not going to stop development. It’s happening in Stafford County. Fighting one business isn’t going to stop the amount of houses we have coming up everywhere. We currently don’t have the infrastructure to sustain education … we don’t have enough schools for the kids coming in!"
A Stafford County Board of Supervisors hearing is planned later in the day Tuesday. FOX 5 has been told Buc-ee’s is not on the agenda. However, we’re told those who oppose the plan still plan to speak on the matter and make sure county lawmakers know they are not happy.
The project status reads as "In Staff Review" on Staffordcountyva.gov’s website. Dates for a Planning Commission Public hearing and Board of Supervisors Public Hearing have not been announced yet.
This past January, Governor Glenn Youngkin celebrated a Buc-ee’s groundbreaking in Rockingham, Virginia earlier this year, noting it would bring some 200 jobs and bring significant investment to the area.