Buc-ee’s proposal for 2nd Colorado shop close to Palmer Lake sparks group pushback, lawsuit

Colorado’s first Buc-ee’s — a Texas-based comfort shop and gasoline station chain recognized for its barbeque, store-brand snacks and satisfied beaver emblem — was once greeted in March with fanfare and lengthy traces in Johnstown on Interstate 25 about 50 miles north of Denver.

A suggestion to construct the state’s 2nd Buc-ee’s alongside I-25 close to Palmer Lake, south of Denver in El Paso County, has brought on a distinct response. The request for the city to annex about 36 acres on the freeway’s interchange with County Line Street has sparked a lawsuit via Integrity Issues, a nonprofit watchdog staff founded in Colorado Springs, a decision for the lawyer normal to get entangled and an arranged media blitz opposing the transfer via a gaggle of citizens within the the city and neighboring communities.

The citizens adverse to the Buc-ee’s concern about how it could affect the encompassing house, from visitors congestion to straining the city’s infrastructure. Critics The Submit have spoken to additionally say the city hasn’t been clear all the way through the method.

The city, then again, has publicly driven again and mentioned it has adopted correct process.

At a gathering on Dec. 12, the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees voted 4-1 to approve Buc-ee’s eligibility to annex land for its proposed location in El Paso County. Whilst the verdict doesn’t verify the advance, it paves the best way for Buc-ee’s to use for annexation.

“To me, it sort of feels adore it most effective is sensible to transport ahead as a way to acquire all the knowledge this is had to make a correct, skilled choice in regards to the annexation,” mentioned Palmer Lake Board trustee Shana Ball at that assembly.

“We will be able to’t get any more knowledge with out approving this primary step.”

Mayor Glant Havenar and Trustee Jessica Farr weren’t found in final month’s assembly.

The outcry main as much as that assembly had grown so loud that police have been checking IDs and most effective permitting Palmer Lake citizens inside the city corridor.

A part of a information liberate the city put out the day of the assembly mentioned, “Whilst the Board is open to feedback from any member of the general public associated with this factor, since this is a proposed annexation to the The town of Palmer Lake, the Board is especially taken with and desires so that you could readily distinguish feedback via Palmer Lake electors, Palmer Lake companies, and Palmer Lake belongings homeowners.”

Trina Shook, a Monument house resident since 2003 and a trade proprietor in Palmer Lake, opposes construction the Buc-ee’s within the proposed location.

She went to the Dec. 12 the city corridor assembly and was once requested for her ID, and ended up a number of the staff of other folks no longer allowed within.

“There have been more than likely a just right 50 folks that have been status outdoor,” she mentioned. “After they weren’t allowed to head in, a number of other folks, particularly the aged other folks, walked away. They weren’t satisfied.”

Shook mentioned she stood outdoor within the chilly with others for over an hour, taking note of the assembly on a speaker, sooner than she was once allowed within.

“After I went within, there have been empty seats. There was once quite a lot of status room,” she mentioned.

The best way the assembly was once carried out left some citizens feeling that the board’s choice to transport ahead with the annexation was once rushed, resulting in a grievance being filed with the place of work of Colorado Lawyer Common Phil Weiser.

The Submit reached out to the lawyer normal’s place of work and a spokesperson mentioned, “It is a native executive topic and I like to recommend that you simply touch native officers.”

In conversations with a number of citizens, social media posts and paperwork reviewed via The Submit, the listing of issues in regards to the annexation come with the prospective environmental and natural world affect, visitors congestion alongside roads like Beacon Lite Street and Monument Hill, Buc-ee’s water utilization, insufficient infrastructure, the lack of a small mountain the city really feel, pressure on first-responder sources, kid protection and rising tensions with neighboring cities.

“Numerous other folks in reality which are by contrast love Buc-ee’s,” Palmer Lake resident Dailee Fagnant mentioned. “I talked to a large number of other folks and so they’re like, ‘We would really like to peer a Buc-ee’s nearer to our space, however that is simply the flawed house.’ ”

At the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 10, the mayor and board of trustees launched a observation addressing the pushback. “The Board’s elementary hobby was once to behavior a secure, open, and non-intimidating listening to, in compliance with the acceptable regulations and laws.”

The observation additional learn “plenty of feedback were gained via the city after the December twelfth eligibility listening to and the ones were shared with the applicant, together with a connection with a grievance perhaps being filed with the Colorado Lawyer Common. The city has no longer gained a duplicate of this type of grievance, however the board of trustees met with the city lawyer in govt consultation on Jan. 9 to observe up on those problems and to verify persevered compliance with the acceptable regulations and laws.”

Integrity Issues issued a information liberate pushing again on the mayor’s and board’s reaction declaring it was once “a valiant try to paint over procedural flaws with wide assurances, alternatively it fails to handle the detailed criminal issues defined in our Dec. 30, 2024, letter.”