Some Stafford County, Virginia, residents are protesting a possible Buc-ee’s.
By Abigail Rosenthal,Culture EditorMay 24, 2024
Despite Buc-ee’s growing popularity across the country, not everyone is eager for the beaver to come to town. Plans to build a Buc-ee’s in Stafford County, Virginia, inspired picketers to protest outside of a public safety center on Wednesday, FOX 5 reports. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has supported a potential Buc-ee’s, was in the county that day to sign an unrelated bill. Signs proclaimed, “Our children deserve better. Say NO to more traffic! Say NO to Buc-ee’s!” and similar messages.
“We’re not against development, but we don’t think Buc-ee’s is the right type of development to come into our area,” protestor Darla Stencavage said. “Per Buc-ee’s numbers, they’re saying 20,000 cars per day into the area that’s usually in the top five worst traffic areas in the nation.” FOX 5 noted only a few protestors showed up, and Youngkin encouraged Stafford residents to research Buc-ee’s possible impact.
“Buc-ee’s is an extraordinary company, and if anybody looks into how they’re responsible for their community and provide extraordinary jobs where people have careers that last careers. They’re a great addition to a community,” Youngkin told FOX 5. “They are also one of the most cherished additions to a community, so I would just ask folks to spend time getting to know them.”
Plans for the Stafford Buc-ee’s were first announced in February when the Texas-based travel stop applied for a conditional use permit for more than 35 acres off Interstate 95. However, it didn’t take long for locals to decry the 120-pump gas station’s potential presence. The Fredericksburg Free Press reports a Change.org petition against the Buc-ee’s and a Facebook group have cropped up for residents to share information.
At a Stafford Board of Supervisors meeting earlier this month, detractors noted the increased traffic could inconvenience or even pose a danger to locals. One man even took issue with Buc-ee’s famous billboards.
“‘Plop, plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is.’ ‘It’s potty time.’ ‘You can hold it.’ ‘Potty like a rock star.’ ‘Let us plan your next potty.’ ‘Stopping the pee dance since 1982,'” nearby resident Sean Mathews said. “These are all billboards that you’ll find on your way to Buc-ee’s. To me, it sounds like Buc-ee’s wants to turn Stafford into one big toilet.” The Stafford location would be the third Buc-ee’s location in Virginia.