Boerne City Council on Oct. 27 had an executive session discussion regarding agreement negotiations, followed by amendments that clarify store size, the number of jobs and compliance with city design standards.
Breaking it down
Assistant City Manager Kristy Stark said the updated agreement includes clarifications and updates to the original agreement that benefit the city.
“These additional updates—they strengthen the design standards, infrastructure commitments and the community benefits,” she said. “We want to express our appreciation to Buc-ee’s for the manner in which they have worked with us on this.”
Stark said items deleted from the agreement included the supplemental project, the credit toward city fees and the Texas Capital Fund Grant.
Items added to the agreement include:
- No more than a 54,000-square-foot building
- No more than 100 fueling stations
- Prohibition of 18-wheelers, other than those servicing the store
- Confirmed 200 jobs
- Nine acres of dedicated open space
- Reduction of the sign to 60 feet, contingent on Buc-ee’s Way naming and I-10 signage
- 8-foot security fence near the property line
- Enhanced landscaping and planting areas
- DarkSky-compliant lighting
- HVAC condensation recovery and irrigation system
City staff said the development is still vested under the 2019 development regulations, while the additional parking lot expansion discussed in September will be vested under the 2025 regulations.
What else?
One of the remaining requirements before Buc-ee’s can begin construction is the submission of a traffic impact analysis, which is undergoing review.
Director of Engineering and Mobility Jeff Carroll said city staff submitted additional comments to Buc-ee’s the week of Oct. 20 and are expecting a quick turnaround on those changes.
Carroll highlighted that the Texas Department of Transportation project to expand the frontage roads of I-10 near US 87 was done with the Buc-ee’s development in mind.
The bridge crossing over I-10 can have lane lines altered, increasing the number of lanes going toward the development.
Carroll said the eastbound frontage road will have a deceleration lane to help reduce traffic congestion.
What they’re saying
District 5 council member Joseph Macaluso said the City Council has worked over the years to change the way the city enters into development agreements, ensuring that future agreements will not face similar challenges due to updates to the Unified Development Code and other city processes.
“If this agreement had come forward today, all of these agreements would have been negotiated on the front end, when the city had leverage with the tax rebate request,” he said.
Mayor Frank Ritchie recognized city staff and council for the work going into updating the agreement and ensuring the development would fit Boerne.
“From the original agreement to where we are now, I think it is heads and tails in improvement for our community,” Ritchie said.
City Council said they will continue to tweak the agreement, and other changes are still in the process.
