Stafford supervisors approve Buc-ee’s travel center off I-95

After five hours of public comment and debate that continued past midnight, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 early Wednesday morning to approve a rezoning and conditional-use permit for a Buc-ee’s travel center in the county.

The popular Texas-based chain plans to build a 74,000-square-foot store on a 38.68-acre site off Interstate 95 at Courthouse Road and Austin Ridge Drive. The proposal includes 120 fuel pumps, 24 electric vehicle charging spaces and 830 parking spaces. It is expected to create roughly 200 jobs and generate nearly $1.9 million in annual general fund revenue for the county.

Chairman Deuntay Diggs and Supervisors Crystal Vanuch, Darrell English, Kecia Evans and Tinesha Allen voted in favor of the project, while Supervisors Pamela Yeung and Maya Guy opposed the application. The planning commission had recommended approval in a 4-3 vote in March.

The project has drawn sustained opposition from nearby residents concerned about traffic and noise. Yeung, who made a failed motion to deny the application, said the development would primarily benefit I-95 drivers rather than the surrounding community. She added it would have a detrimental impact on surrounding properties and noted that the proposal was “much larger in size and scale” than other grocery stores or gas stations. She said she did not want the county to bear the cost of fixing transportation problems caused by Buc-ee’s.

“In my opinion, smaller retail buildings with less traffic impact are a more appropriate use of the property,” she said.

Allen countered that projects like Buc-ee’s provide critical revenue that helps the county avoid raising taxes or cutting services.

“When we’re already struggling to make do with the limited resources we’ve entrusted to our transportation team to try to get projects done, further limiting them would mean I would then have to raise your taxes to make up for that difference for projects that we’ve already committed to,” she said. “And I’m not prepared to do that when I see that there’s an alternative.”

Citizens commented on the matter for about 2 1/2 hours before the board’s vote. Critics expressed concerns about traffic congestion and Buc-ee’s lowering property values. One woman said potential homebuyers told her they were not interested in her house due to its proximity to the planned development. Another woman said she was initially excited about Buc-ee’s coming to Stafford, but later changed her mind after learning more about the proposed location. She described traffic backing up as much as half a mile during visits to other Buc-ee’s locations.

“I think you should decline this application, because — right store, wrong place,” she said.

Supporters pointed to jobs, tax revenue and enthusiasm for the brand.

Dressed in a Buc-ee’s beaver costume, Shamgar Connors ate Buc-ee’s menu items — including nuggets and popcorn — during his allotted time at the podium to “taste-test” the food to determine whether the company should locate in Stafford.

“I mean, how can we not bring this here,” he said as he chewed food at the podium. “Listen, guys, I might have to get on my knees and beg. I need Buc-ee’s here now. I had to order this online. I can’t wait two days to get it shipped to me ever again. I need this now.”

Buc-ee’s declined to comment on when construction might begin or when the location is expected to open.

Buc-ee’s opened its first Virginia location in Rockingham County in June 2025. Another is planned for New Kent County and is expected to open in December 2031, four years later than originally projected.

Founded in 1982, Buc-ee’s has 54 locations across Texas, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The travel centers are known for their clean restrooms and food offerings, including brisket and Beaver Nuggets.