Oak Creek Plan Commission approves first Wisconsin Buc-ee’s

OAK CREEK, Wis (CBS 58) -- The Oak Creek Plan Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday, Sept. 23 to approve the final site plans for a 73,000 square foot Buc-ee’s.

The Buc-ee’s will be near the Elm Rd exit off I-94 and have 120 gas pumps.

Mary Ellen Malcolm lives about a mile from the location and has been in Oak Creek for over 40 years.

“We’re not going to be the same neighborhood,” Malcolm said. “I’m just asking for them to push pause and to slow it down.”

Malcolm has concerns beyond the pump, including traffic, noise, light pollution, water pollution, health effects and the impact on other gas stations and stores in the city.

“There will be people cutting through to make short cuts, there will be more noise pollution then what we have, there will be constant light at night, we’ll hear car doors slamming and shutting, we’ll smell gasoline fumes, and the city may look back and say this was not a good decision.”

Buc-ee’s Director of Real Estate Stan Beard was in town for the meeting on Tuesday night and says he hopes ground can be broken this year with the hopes of opening the travel center in 2027.

Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz spoke at the meeting and said this will make the city better and Buc-ee’s a good corporate partner.

“Once we get settled in and everybody settles in around us, I’m telling you there’s not many people in the 36 locations where we are and the many more to come, that as the mayor said, wouldn’t tell you they’d like another one,” Beard said.