The Mansfield Planning Commission will meet Tuesday to consider zoning proposals for around 110 acres the city plans to annex. Part of this area, near the I-71 and State Route 39 interchange, is being considered for a Buc-ee’s Travel Center.
The chain currently has only one operating location in Ohio, in Huber Heights, which is near Dayton.
The area’s current zoning designation isn’t recognized by the city.
The travel center for the gas station and retail store is expected to require about 35 acres. Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry told WOSU that she’s heard overwhelming support for the center, but there are some who live close by that are still hesitant.
“Where folks have some heartburn -- and it certainly is understandable -- are the folks that live closest to the proposed site,” Perry said. “They have been good neighbors from a business standpoint so far and we're trying to do it in a way that is fair to everyone.”
Perry said there have been conversations with adjacent land owners and representatives from Buc-ee’s to come to agreements on maintaining privacy while next to a busy center.
The center is also expected to create more than 200 full-time positions.
“Buc-ee's actually presents a really unique opportunity from a retail standpoint,” Perry said. “Their economic impact goes far beyond what you normally see in retail. So from a job standpoint, very good.”
Perry also said while the city has not announced any incentives for the center, the council is not considering any tax abatements. She said incentives may be considered in regards to public infrastructure surrounding the project.
If successfully rezoned, Buc-ee’s will still need to receive additional permits from the city before construction can begin.
