Boerne council approves amended Buc-ees agreement with caps on fueling positions and new design, utility conditions

Boerne City Council voted 4-0 on Oct. 22 to approve an amended economic development agreement with Buc-ees Limited that places new limits and conditions on a long‑planned travel center along Interstate 10.

City staff and council members described the package as a negotiated compromise that keeps the project viable while adding conditions intended to reduce off‑site impacts. The amendment sets a maximum store size of 54,000 square feet; caps fueling capacity at 100 fueling stations (the council and staff clarified this refers to 100 vehicle fueling positions, commonly described as roughly 50 pump islands); requires at least 26 electric‑vehicle charging stations; lowers the proposed freestanding sign to 60 feet (contingent on a Buc‑ees Way naming agreement with TxDOT); and requires an 8‑foot security fence along the rear property line and expanded open space behind the site.

Why it matters: the Buc-ees project has been contentious in Boerne for years. Residents and neighborhood representatives raised concerns about traffic, dark‑sky impacts, neighborhood buffering, water use and long‑term public safety; council members said the amendment secures concessions the original 2016 agreement did not provide.

What the amendment includes - Fueling and charging: maximum of 100 fueling stations (described in council discussion as 100 vehicle fueling positions) and at least 26 EV chargers. Council members emphasized the…