Residents prepare for next week’s Buc-ee’s appeal hearing at packed Tri-Lakes meeting

PALMER LAKE, Colo. (KOAA) — A packed Palmer Ridge High School auditorium Wednesday night was filled with community members preparing for the next step in the ongoing fight over a proposed Buc-ee’s development along County Line Road.

• Watch News5's previous coverage of the proposed Buc-ee's below:

The community meeting, organized by Tri-Lakes Preservation, focused on helping residents prepare for an August 27 El Paso County Board of County Commissioners hearing.

At that hearing, commissioners will consider Buc-ee’s appeal asking the county to determine whether its proposed land use can be classified as a “convenience store.” The hearing does not determine whether Buc-ee’s can ultimately be constructed.

• Watch News5's coverage of the appeal below:

For residents attending Wednesday’s meeting, preparation was a major focus.

Martha Higgins, who has been involved in the opposition since the beginning, said organizers reminded residents to understand the rules and stay focused on the issue commissioners will consider.

• Watch News5's coverage of when the proposed Buc-ee's was first announced below:

“The big emphasis is just on a lot of it is the protocol, the decorum that we have to have with the (El Paso County) Board of County Commissioners,” said Higgins.

Higgins said residents are also being encouraged to keep emotion out of their comments and stick to the facts surrounding the land-use question.

Shawn Sawyer with Tri-Lakes Preservation said the group has been studying the county’s C-1 zoning rules and believes the proposed Buc-ee’s does not qualify as a convenience store.

But residents say their concerns extend beyond the classification issue.

Higgins pointed to the following:

• water usage
• lighting
• traffic
• wildlife
• impact on the surrounding area

“I love that I can see elk and hear elk in the morning,” said Higgins. “It just makes me sad to think about... that beautiful area … becoming Buc-ee’s.”

Herbert Pressler, who said he has been involved since the first community meeting in December, said traffic is one of his biggest concerns.

• Watch News5's coverage of that community below:

“For me, the two big issues are traffic and water,” said Pressler.

Pressler said he plans to attend the August 27 hearing and encouraged others to show up as well.

Sawyer said the goal is to keep the community engaged in the process.

“We're ready to fight for our precious natural resources, such as water,” said Sawyer. “We're ready to fight for the character of our community, and we're ready to fight for public safety.”

If commissioners deny the Buc-ee’s appeal, Sawyer said the applicant would have to pursue the project through what opponents consider the appropriate zoning process, which could provide additional opportunities for public participation.

The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners are scheduled to hear the appeal Thursday, August 27, at 9 a.m. For more information on the hearing, visit El Paso County's website.

The county told News5 commissioners are not doing interviews about the appeal because it is a quasi-judicial proceeding. County officials said commissioners need to remain impartial before the hearing.

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