After the developers for Efland Station withdrew their application earlier this month, Orange County residents and government officials are reflecting on how to better serve the Efland community moving forward.
Since the Efland Station application was submitted to Orange County staff in August of 2020, the project had come under scrutiny from residents, who shared concerns about the environmental impact and traffic changes to the Efland community off Interstate 40.
On February 5, the applicant chose to withdraw its application after months of community backlash and multiple public hearings with hours of aired grievances.
Hillsborough resident and community activist Del Ward expressed his relief following the withdrawal of the Buc-ee’s application.
As an active member of A Voice for Efland & Orange, a group of neighbors who came together in 2020 to oppose the rezoning petition submitted by Buc-ee’s, Ward helped organize multiple events advocating for county commissioners to dismiss the project.
“We want developers who understand why our community has protected and critically protected watersheds and are willing to work with us, our local government officials and community members under our existing Unified Development Ordinance and our Official Land Use plans,” Ward said. “Buc-ee’s didn’t fit the bill on any of those things.”
Two streams on the development site are in a protected watershed between two critical areas for wildlife habitat and water quality. Ward said the development of a gas station near or on the watershed means that runoff – or any gas leaks – could eventually pool into the Eno River.
“The reason that Buc-ee’s had such a backlash is because the community doesn’t need one of the world’s largest gas stations on a protected watershed that supplies over 7,000 residents with clean, drinking water,” Ward said. “That’s not anything anyone, anywhere needs.
While considering the rezoning application in January, county commissioners requested the development applicants to consider a few changes to their proposal. In addition to decreasing the amount of gas station pumps from 120, the board also requested Efland Station developers to decrease the size of the proposed 64,000 square foot retail center and include ten electric vehicle charging stations to the site. These suggested changes were left unaddressed by the developers.
“Orange County is not antidevelopment,” Ward said. “We are anti hurting our environment. We’re pro protecting people’s water, people’s quality of life and we’re pro good business. What we’re not for are companies that can’t even commit to 10 electric vehicle charging stations by opening day.”
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Renee Price said while parts of the community celebrated the applicant withdrawal, others were disappointed about the lost opportunity.
“I know for some people it was a sigh of relief to hear that it [Buc-ee’s] would not come,” Price said. “Then, at the same time, it has caused some unease with other people that were hoping for the jobs that would come from the general store portion of the project.”
The Efland Station development was expected to add more than $2 million dollars to the local tax base each year, with approximately $1 million of those local taxes generated by Buc-ee’s alone. According to its website, the gas station chain was also expected to bring up to 200 new jobs to the area.
Despite this project not panning out, Price said the board has not abandoned its responsibility to bring economic development to Orange County.
“This has really prompted us to look again and to really double down now and do something for Efland,” Price said. “We’ve had Efland-Mebane small area plans sitting on the shelf for over 10 years now. We have talked about it, we have studied it and it is time that we really do something in Efland – create that village, bring in economic development and bring the community back.”
The Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce released a statement following the applicants withdrawal.
“The withdrawal by Buc-ee’s Corporation of the Efland Station project, highlights an ongoing challenge for new businesses who wish to move into Orange County. Rather than being welcomed as an opportunity to bring game changing lifestyle improvement to the Efland community, the applicants were tasked with defending their plans to those who prefer that no development occur in the previously designated Economic Development Districts.”
The statement suggests that the community and chamber need to work together to create an acceptable “playbook” for developers to follow when considering a move to Northern Orange County.
“We should strongly consider the importance of correcting the socioeconomic disparity between Northern Orange and our neighboring towns south of I-40. We need to fully understand that the terrain is different here, both literally and figuratively and allow for the influence of our strong agricultural setting as an important factor.”
The Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce is currently looking for partners who are willing to commit their time towards defining a recruitment strategy for Northern Orange County – one that brings future applicants and developers who can be supported by the community. Those interested can contact CEO Kim Tesoro, kim@hillsboroughchamber.com.
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