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El Paso County upholds Buc-ee’s zoning request, clearing way for administrative approval
Colorado Springs Gazette • • nation
Key Points:
- El Paso County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve Buc-ee’s zoning appeal, allowing the Texas travel center chain to build on land zoned C-1 commercial at County Line Road and Interstate 25.
- The main issue was whether Buc-ee’s fits the C-1 zoning, which permits convenience stores but not gas stations or truck stops; commissioners ruled Buc-ee’s qualifies as a convenience store.
- The approval ends public input on the project, with future plan reviews handled administratively based on technical compliance with traffic, lighting, landscaping, and parking requirements.
- The hearing was highly contested, with over 160 speakers mostly opposing Buc-ee’s, arguing it primarily serves interstate travelers and operates more like a gas station than a convenience store.
- Commissioners in favor emphasized the land’s long-standing commercial zoning and the compatibility of Buc-ee’s with other traveler-oriented uses, while opposition expressed frustration over the decision.
