A Texas developer wants to bring jobs, tax revenues and more businesses to western Orange County, but some residents said they would prefer anything else but a Buc-ee’s Travel Center.
Back in August, Orange County staff received an application to rezone approximately 104 acres of county property located along the I-40 corridor at exit 161.
The proposed development, Efland Station, includes everything from a hotel and bank to sit-down restaurants and a Buc-ee’s Travel Center. As the focal point of the development, the Buc-ee’s Travel Center boasts 120 gas pumps, the “cleanest restrooms in America” and a 64,000 square foot retail center.
Orange County’s Planning Board reviewed this application at its November 4 meeting and unanimously voted to recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
At a BOCC public hearing on Tuesday, Orange County residents had the chance to submit public comment on Efland Station to the county commissioners. This was also the first time the board officially received a presentation on the project application from county staff and developers.
Out of the 111 residents who signed up to participate and provide their input at the hearing, the board voted to hear from the first 20 speakers.
Dr. Ann Talton, a longtime resident of Cedar Grove, was one of the first to speak. Talton said she is concerned about increased traffic congestion, environmental impact and loss of local revenue should this development be approved.
“The location of 240,000 gallons of fuel located in the Upper Eno River Watershed has the potential for devastating water pollution,” Talton said. “There’s plenty of gas stations currently available so Buc-ee’s will be taking business and jobs away from established, local businesses. There’s significant decrease in the future of Efland and Cedar Grove and Mebane to participate in how the region will be developed if this rezoning is approved.”
Throughout the public hearing, the most prominent concern from local residents was the impact a Buc-ee’s Travel Center could have on the environment.
Currently, two streams on the development site are in a protected watershed between two critical areas for wildlife habitat and water quality. 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 40-mile body of water running through both Orange and Durham county.
Patty O’Connor lives in Mebane about three miles from the proposed Buc-ee’s development. O’Connor said, despite the company saying they would adhere to the proper local, state, and federal regulations, she is concerned about how the Efland Station development would impact these preserved lands.
“Buc-ee’s is the wrong choice for Efland and Orange because it places known toxins atop a protected watershed and adjacent to a critical one,” O’Connor said. “It creates the unnecessary potential for irreparable damage to Seven Mile Creek and the Eno River. Damage to groundwater resulting from contaminated runoff, a leak or accidental spills could be catastrophic. Even small spills at the pump are dangerous as their effect is cumulative.”
The Eno River Association, a decades-old nonprofit dedicated to conserving the river, has detailed their opposition to the plans in a statement to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
Alongside these public comments, local attorney Beth Trahos shared a presentation of the development on behalf of Buc-ee’s and Efland Station developers. Trahos said while the project is in the Upper Eno Watershed, it’s not in the critical zone. Additionally, she said Buc-ee’s has a surplus of fuel safety measures in place to prevent potential mishaps.
“There is, of course associated with a Buc-ee’s, fuel storage on site,” Trahos said. “I would point out that Buc-ee’s has never had a reportable release and they are focused on keeping it that way. They have environmental engineering folks on staff. For their underground storage tanks, these are not the rusty mental tanks that you imagine, these are multi-layer, fiberglass, resin, double-walled construction.”
During these planning stages, Trahos said they have already made changes in response to previous community feedback. Some of these changes include limiting total square-footage of building area to 500,000 square feet as opposed to two million square feet as well as committing at least 40 acres of the development to open space – or 38 percent of the site.
Orange County Commissioners voted to recess the public hearing to reconvene on January 5 with a proposed additional meeting on January 12. Board deliberation will come at a later date in late January. Because Efland is an unincorporated community, the final decision on the proposed Efland Station will be left up to county leadership.
If approved, Efland Station will be constructed in two phases with Buc-ee’s being built first. Pending all government approvals, construction on Buc-ee’s will begin in 2022, with a scheduled opening between 12 and 18 months later.
For more information on the proposed Efland Station development, click here.
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