MEBANE, N.C. — After an hours-long hearing about a potential Buc-ee's coming to North Carolina, a planning committee has rejected it.
The city of Mebane's Planning Board met on Monday and voted against rezoning 32-acres for a Buc-ee's location in Alamance County in a 6-3 vote. However, it will still be reviewed by the city council.
Buc-ee's is known for its many gas pumps, an array of merchandise, and a variety of food including beef jerky, briskets, and fudge.
In Alamance county they want the convenience store to have 120 gas pumps, 600 parking spaces and will employ 200 people
"The project tonight has been through a seven-month process with our technical review committee made of DOT, Public works, the fire department, the police department all of our staff, and the assistant city manager to make sure the plans for the ordinances are being met," City of Mebane Mayor Ed Hooks explained.
The revised plan presented to the planning board Monday included traffic improvements like widening the I-40 exit ramp and bridge as well as dual turning lanes surrounding the facility.
Buc-ee's wants to open a location off I-40/85 and Trollingwood-Hawfields Road.
After hearing about planned traffic improvements some residents spoke out in support for the development.
"We believe that Buc-ees will provide hundreds of jobs to the youth and other people in Mebane," said one resident at the planning board meeting.
"It's for the traveler," another speaker said during public comment. "There is traffic coming and going but you won't find a better or more well-respected place to go to."
Most of those who packed the meeting were against building the 75,000 square foot facility.
"What do we know happens when a big business from outside comes into town?" said concerned resident Theresa Jenson. "The small locally owned and family owned business go under they cant compete."
Sara Stitsinger said she live a mile away from the proposed Buc-ees.
"I'm concerned about it and very opposed to it. I think it's going to be bad for our quality of life as well as a larger community," Stitsinger said. "The noise, the traffic, its pretty much everything."
The next public hearings about the plan will be in January where the city council will vote.
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