Oak Creek council approves conditional use permit for Buc-ee’s travel center despite neighborhood opposition

The Oak Creek Common Council on May 20 approved a conditional use permit and related reconfiguration of parcels to allow a Buc-ee’s travel center and fueling plaza at properties along South 20th Street near Elm Road.

Council action came after more than two hours of public comment and a lengthy staff presentation that framed the proposal as a highway-oriented “tourist destination” in the B6 Interchange Regional Retail District. The applicant proposes a roughly 73,000-square-foot convenience and retail building with two canopy-covered fueling areas and, conceptually, about 120 fueling positions; the applicant estimated about 10,000 vehicles per day originating from the interstate, or roughly 70,500 vehicles per week.

Supporters and the applicant said the project must still meet state and federal requirements. Opponents, including a neighborhood group that has filed a court action, urged the council to pause and wait for WisDOT traffic decisions and additional studies before approving land-use actions.

Why it matters: The council’s approvals clear local zoning and lot-configuration hurdles for a large travel center that city staff and the applicant say will rely on state highway improvements and WisDOT sign-off for final access. Opponents say the development could stress local roads, generate emissions and runoff, and was advanced without adequate study or neighborhood outreach.

What the council approved: The council adopted a resolution granting a conditional use permit (CUP) that includes…