Residents urge county to require updated traffic, water and geotechnical studies before Buc‑ee’s proceeds

Residents and advocates pressed the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners on May 19 to require updated traffic, geotechnical and water studies and independent peer review before allowing further action on a proposed Buc‑ee’s travel center near County Line and I‑25.

Lynette Preseta told the board the 2022 Shannon & Wilson study classified Beacon Light/Lake Road as a rural connector based on roughly 400 vehicles per day and that current assumptions do not reflect the development now proposed. “The proposed Buc‑ee’s travel center … is projected to generate approximately 15 to 20,000 vehicles per day plus significant delivery and fuel truck traffic,” Preseta said, urging the county to require updated traffic‑impact studies consistent with Colorado Department of Transportation standards and a peer review process.

Preseta also cited geotechnical concerns from a January 2024 Terracon report she said shows groundwater at about 8½ feet at the location where a highway sign would be placed, warned about expansive soils and underground gas storage tanks and argued that private developer Buc‑ee’s should fund any arterial‑level road and interchange improvements rather than taxpayers. She said taxpayers have “already absorbed over $48,000,000 in infrastructure costs tied to the single private business,” listing $30,000,000 for a bridge and $18,000,000 for Beacon Lake Road as the amounts she referenced.

Other commenters raised related concerns. One speaker said Buc‑ee’s would “use over 37,000 gallons of water a day” and noted a petition to revoke well permits tied to the project, citing information from the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Nora Suenik presented nighttime satellite imagery and warned that large‑scale lighting associated with the development would be visible for miles and would threaten migratory wildlife and the area’s dark‑sky character. Arlene Kinder told the board the Palmer Divide location is especially hazardous in winter and argued the project does not conform to the local master plan.

No commissioner action or vote on the Buc‑ee’s proposals occurred during the meeting; the public comment period is not a decision forum. The chair reminded speakers that land‑use matters require testimony at noticed public hearings or written comments to plnweb@elpasoco.com to be part of the official record.

The record includes multiple specific requests from speakers: updated traffic counts and trip‑generation assumptions, CDOT‑consistent geotechnical borings and pavement design, independent peer review, and clarification of water‑use estimates and well permits. The county did not announce any new schedule or action on those requests at the meeting.