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20 <br /> Planning Director's Recommendation: The Planning Director recommends approval of the: <br /> 1. Statement of Consistency indicating the zoning atlas amendment(s) are reasonable <br /> and in the public interest as contained in Attachment 4. <br /> 2. Ordinance amending the Zoning Atlas, as well as imposing development conditions, <br /> for the identified parcels as contained in Attachment 5. <br /> Michael Harvey, Current Planning Supervisor, reviewed the Abstract packet, including <br /> attachments. He said summaries were sent to BOCC email addresses during the day on <br /> January 19, 2021. He said if this application is denied or withdrawn, a similar petition cannot be <br /> considered for a year. He said property owners could not apply for a new site plan that <br /> proposes similar development that would requires changes to the zoning plan. <br /> Chair Price said an alternate statement of consistency recommending denial was also <br /> emailed to Commissioners earlier in the day. <br /> Beth Trahos said she is an Attorney with Nelson Mullins who is representing Buc-ee's. <br /> She said she looks forward to hearing from the Commissioners, and reminded BOCC that Buc- <br /> ee's is not a typical gas station. She said it is more like a general store with Buc-ee's being to <br /> Sheetz, like Wegman's is to Piggly Wiggly. She said no drive thru restaurants will be permitted <br /> on site. She said the travel center will create interest in Efland, and will attract other business. <br /> She said the proposal complies with the comprehensive plan. She said the project is adjacent <br /> to the highway, with 120,000 cars a day, and is already a noisy, well lit area. She said Efland <br /> Station will provide full time jobs with pay at $15 per hour and vacation and benefits. She said <br /> all positions, save two management roles, will be hired locally. She said Orange County has <br /> $15/hour as a living wage, and some of Orange County's employees make the same amount. <br /> She said Efland Station will bring tax revenue, and invest in infrastructure, road improvements <br /> that would be required even without Efland Station. She said a water tower will provide capacity <br /> for broadband. She said Buc-ee's is not asking for any tax incentives. She said Chapel Hill <br /> gave $4 million in incentives to Wegman's, which will create similar jobs to Buc-ee's. She said <br /> Wegman's jobs starts at $10 an hour, but somehow Buc-ee's jobs have been maligned. She <br /> said Buc-ee's will bring environmental stewardship, and will not enter any local water supplies. <br /> She said this area has been identified as appropriate for more intense uses. She said Efland <br /> Station offers enhanced storm water nutrient removal, and noted the existing cattle farm has <br /> more nutrient export than Efland Station/Buc-ee's will have. She said the phosphorous levels <br /> will also be lower than the current cattle farm. She said Efland Station will exceed the required <br /> open space. She said the current zoning allows for a much larger building area than Buc-ee's <br /> will use. <br /> Beth Trahos said an environmental assessment was completed, and new ones will be <br /> done with each site plan, as required by conditions. She said gas tanks and pipes are <br /> monitored, and should a leak occur, an alarm will sound and emails are sent to the local store <br /> as well as Texas headquarters. She said monitoring wells are also placed in the fuel tank pits, <br /> as a redundant monitoring measure. She said denying this project will not reduce <br /> environmental risks, as the current cow farm already exceeds State and County requirements <br /> for phosphorous exports. She said an existing gas station, with older technology, already exists <br /> in this area, and 125,000 mostly gas-powered vehicles drive through this area each day. She <br /> said Buc-ee's has committed to 10 EV charging stations, and will increase that number, as the <br /> market demands it. She said Buc-ee's is fuel agnostic, and will change with the times. <br /> Beth Trahos said she was disappointed that the review process by the Commission for <br /> the Environment (CfE) did not acknowledge these facts about the project. She said the <br /> Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation (DEAPR) has reviewed the <br /> project, and its only comment was to suggest a conservation easement in the open space area, <br /> which may be best managed by the County, rather than the property owner. She said the CfE <br />