MEBANE, N.C. — A meeting that started at 6:00 p.m. Monday, ended at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday morning with Buc-ee's coming to North Carolina.
During those 8 hours, community members expressed both their opposition and support over bringing a Buc-ee's gas station to the City of Mebane.
Mebane City Council approved bringing of Buc-ee's to the area in a 5-0 vote. This will be the first Buc-ee's in the state of North Carolina.
More specifically, Mebane City Council approved the heavy manufacturing zoning as presented and found that the application is consistent with the objectives and policies for growth and development in the city's 2017 Comprehensive Land Development Plan Mebane by Design. Specifically, the request is for a property within the City’s G-1 Industrial Growth Area.
The Council also made a vote on a special use permit to allow for a travel plaza to be built on the property, with a frontage on I-40 and 85. Mebane City Council voted 5-0 here as well.
Beyond Mebane's City Council, hundreds of people on both sides were in attendance at this meeting.
Opponents said they are worried about traffic, environmental impacts and whether Buc-ee's could take away business from other locally owned gas stations in the area.
"I think it's just going to cause me to be waiting at stop lights more and more, more than I currently do, more than I want to," Mebane resident Edward Mazurek said.
"Why does anyone need 120 gas pumps? Seriously? There are already gas stations along this highway, (I-40) so not only would it put them out of business probably, but we need clean air, clean water," Orange County resident Lib Hutchby said.
This comes after one group submitted a petition to stop the Buc-ee's:
Supporters say the mega gas station will be good for the economy. Some supporters told WFMY News 2's Nixon Norman that Buc-ee's will attract visitors and locals alike, saying the gas station is a destination of its own.
"Something's gonna go in that spot, (where Buc-ee's will go) whether it be another warehouse or another trucking hub, something is going there so why not bring something that can benefit the citizens of this county," Mebane resident, Leslie Prince said.
"I know people that have children that have specifically asked to go to a Buc-ee's just to go there because they want to see what it's like," Mebane resident Lisa Nellis said.
No word on when construction may start or when Buc-ee's is set to be complete in Mebane.