Agenda - 02-16-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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25 1 Commissioner Fowler asked if all 10 EV charging stations will actually be functioning, 2 Stan Beard said he does not know, but there will be the infrastructure for 10 stations. He 3 said there are a lot of factors. He said Buc-ee's will accommodate fuel users, whether it is EV 4 or not. He said he does not know how many will be functioning on day 1. 5 Commissioner Fowler asked if Buc-ee's would be able to expand the EV sites. 6 Stan Beard said ideally it would be done into existing pump system. He said Buc-ee's is 7 ready to move with the market. He said EV is currently 1% of the market. He said Buc-ee's 8 wants customers in the store. 9 Commissioner Greene finds it strange that people would leave their cars parked at a 10 pump while shopping. She said her first main concern is traffic patterns. She said it was her 11 understanding that if the road is not realigned then there would not be a ground breaking, and 12 the Applicant would not need to come back before the BOCC for a new vote, as realignment 13 would be a condition of moving forward. She said her second main concern is Phase 2 plans, 14 and there is no guarantee or idea of what may come or when. She said residents have raised 15 concerns that other Buc-ee's have nothing around them, and she is skeptical of the promise that 16 development will just appear. She said her final main concern is the scale of the project. She 17 read from the Efland Mebane Small Area plan, regarding the geographic area and how 18 residents have long viewed the area as a gateway into Efland: "the character of the gateway is 19 an important factor in the perception of Efland as a rural village....the southeast portion of the 20 planning area also enjoys easy access to major transportation facilities including interstates 40 21 and 85, and the US 70 connector, because of this development potential for the area is high." 22 She said Buc-ee's is not interested in Efland, but rather desires to be near the highway. She 23 said the plan goes on to say, "both of these ideas can be accomplished if a development is 24 done in a context sensitive manner" and recommends a mixed use designation. She said the 25 County wants mixed use, and Buc-ee's is not this, but rather is a convenience store that is 26 bigger than a football field. She said this is not mixed use, and it is not a gateway to Efland. 27 She echoed the request to reduce the scale of the project, and said she would like to see a 28 contract on Phase 2 before Buc-ee's is built. She said, as it stands, this project does not meet 29 the Efland Mebane plan. 30 Beth Trahos said it is expected that NCDOT and the highways will approve the traffic 31 plan, but if it does not then the plan would have to be revisited. She said Ben Johnston Road is 32 a second issue that the Applicant is willing to make a condition of the plan. She said if NCDOT 33 does not approve this change, which she expects it will, then the Applicant would have to come 34 back before the BOCC. 35 Beth Trahos said the existing zoning allows for a 2 million square foot distribution center 36 as the entryway to Efland. She said Buc-ee's is proposing a travel center that will bring interest 37 for additional development. 38 Stan Beard said the scale of Buc-ee's brings travelers to stop, and when travelers stop 39 they become a prime target for another type of user, like a restaurant or hotel. He said some 40 residents have pointed out that many stores do not have anything around them. He said this is 41 true, as many Buc-ee's are built in the middle of nowhere, unlike Efland, which is in the middle 42 of a thriving metropolitan area. He said there will be hotels and retailers in thriving areas. He 43 said fast food will not be allowed in Efland Station. He said this area is a perfect location for a 44 community-based development. He said this is a far better option as a Gateway to Efland than 45 a distribution center. 46 Commissioner Greene said she is from Texas, and asked if there could be clarification of 47 about the Buc-ee's in Terrell, Texas. 48 Stan Beard said this location opened in 2017, and within two years there was hotels, fast 49 food, and a movie theater. He said Buc-ee's does not own that property, and most of the 50 development signed on after Buc-ee's started building, and all of it got developed after Buc-ee's 51 opened its doors. He said other Buc-ee's locations have hotels, outlets, etc. He said as Buc-