Photo: JHVEPhoto / iStock Editorial / Getty Images
Port Charlotte, FL - Plans for a massive Buc-ee’s convenience store and gas station in Port Charlotte are drawing mixed reactions as the project moves toward a key vote by Charlotte County commissioners.
While some residents welcome the idea of the popular Texas-based chain coming to the area, others say the proposed location is the wrong fit for the quiet Harbour Heights neighborhood.
If approved, the development would be built off Interstate 75. But residents living nearby are pushing back, citing flood risks and environmental concerns.
“It just doesn’t belong there,” Rebecca Scholl, who lives in the area, told NBC 2 News.
“It’s inside a flood zone and high-risk coastal hazard area. We already saw what flooding did last year.”
Critics are particularly worried about potential damage to the nearby wetlands, which residents claim support local marine life.
“This proposed Buc-ee’s would be built right next to what we call ‘the bayou,’” said Edie Driest.
“It’s a nursery for smalltooth sawfish and other species.”
While opposition is vocal, the project still has strong support from fans of Buc-ee’s, who hope the development will bring jobs and growth.
However, planning officials stress that the idea is still under review.
“Until they break ground, it’s just a proposal,” said zoning official Shaun Cullinan.
The proposal will face its next major hurdle on Tuesday, when county officials meet to evaluate its future.