MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council on Tuesday annexed the land that could give the beaver a new home near the I-71/Ohio 39 interchange.
But there are still a couple of doors that need unlocked before a sprawling Buc-ee’s Travel Center could be built on the new city land.
The next step comes May 26 when the city Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on a company request for a conditional use permit on the land. That approval is needed since there would be underground fuel tanks at the 35-acre site.
Local lawmakers are then scheduled to vote June 2 on the development plan the company and city administration have worked out that would help pay the way for the massive road and other infrastructure project the new center would require.
The development could mean more than 200 new, full-time jobs in the city at a retail site that would encompass more than 70,000 square feet, a development officials have said would result in additional revenue in terms of income, sales and property taxes that would benefit the city, county and townships.
‘Definitely a big step’ in the process
After council’s unanimous vote to annex 110 acres of land and zone it B-2 general business district, Mayor Jodie Perry called Tuesday’s result “definitely a big step” in the process that became public on March 9.
“It is a must in the process. Without annexation and without the zoning, the project wouldn’t be able to go forward,” Perry said.
The mayor said there are “very minor things” to be finalized in the development agreement.
“Their lawyer was on vacation (last week). I believe we’ll talk this week. They were very minor things, but when you’re doing a project of this size, we just felt it was better to wait,” she said.
“They will be here on June 2. We’ll do a committee meeting like we were originally planning. (Company officials) will talk a little bit more about the project and you’ll have a chance to hear from Buc-ee’s themselves, which I think will be helpful to everybody,” the mayor said.
“I know (company officials) haven’t been on site in public (meetings), but we’ve talked to them a lot during this process. When we’ve raised questions, when residents have raised questions, they have been responsive. They are trying to work with people as much as possible.”
As in other public meetings, several residents who live near the development spoke against the annexation project, including during a public hearing on the annexation request Tuesday evening.
“I certainly understand people’s concerns. It’s hard in this process because I do understand from the residents’ standpoint. (But) this is a very substantial project and it’s right by the interchange. We’re not talking miles off of I-71 and so I think it’s as close to a win-win-win as we’re going to get,” Perry said.
“I’m excited for Buc-ee’s to come (June 2) and talk to you all so that you don’t have to just take my word for it.”
A project that’s been months in the planning
Perry has said the company approached local officials about the project in the summer of 2025. The land acquisition approved Tuesday is a “Type 2” annexation, which leaves the land in the respective townships.
“The townships will still get the property taxes. Obviously, the county will get the sales tax, which should be pretty significant. And then, from the city’s perspective, those payroll taxes will come to Mansfield,” Perry has said.
The local travel center would feature more than 100 gas pumps and unique offerings that have made the Texas-based company a favorite since it was founded 44 years ago.
Along with its famous beaver mascot, Buc-ee’s has competitive wages and benefits for its workers, according to published reports. The company opened its first Ohio location on April 6 in Huber Heights, near Dayton.
The project has included cooperative efforts among the city of Mansfield, Richland County officials and trustees in Madison and Mifflin Township.
The new travel center would generate millions of new dollars in annual local payroll, officials said.
“The numbers they generate … they sound a lot more like a manufacturer than a retail store,” the mayor has said.
Perry said the Buc-ee’s Travel Center would likely spur additional development at the interchange.
“I think this will be a catalyst project. When you see Buc-ee’s Travel Centers, they’re very rarely alone at an interchange. If they are, they usually are just getting started.
“So, we do anticipate … there is nothing else planned at the moment … but we do anticipate that as this gets going, others will start to look at that interchange because the amount of cars that they bring in in a year is just incredible,” Perry said.
‘We’re this far (north). What’s a little farther?’ Buc-ee’s founder asked
Richland Source covered the opening of the Huber Heights store in April and spoke with company founder Arch “Beaver” Aplin III after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Aplin earned a bachelor’s degree in construction science at Texas A&M in 1980 and opened his first Buc-ee’s in Lake Jackson, Texas, in 1982.
Aplin said then he was optimistic Mansfield would be the next location in the Buckeye State.
“There are plans that we’re trying to work through to accomplish that. So there’s still some details to be done, but I’m optimistic that we’ll get everything worked out and I’d love to have another store here in Ohio,” Aplin said.
He said the undeveloped I-71/Ohio 39 interchange is the kind of place he likes to locate Buc-ee’s Travel Centers.
“I actually love places where there’s not a lot of development. It kind of lets us be a beacon on the highway, if you will,” Aplin said.
“Sometimes we end up where there is a lot of development, but I never shy away from a location that doesn’t have a lot of development, either. And then development usually, if history repeats itself, it will come once we get there,” he said.
The Texan, who founded his chain in his home state, said he didn’t worry about straying too far from the Lonestar State. A Mansfield location would be the most northern location among the more than 60 Buc-ee’s stores.
“Yeah, we’re this far (north). What’s a little farther? Absolutely,” he said with a laugh.
‘This threatens the sustainability of our farming operation’
Five residents (pictured above) spoke during the public hearing on the annexation, including Nick Stadelman of 1566 Lucas Road, whose farm would abut the proposed center.
“Overall, the cumulative effects of reduced access, environmental impacts and increased operational challenges will decrease the long-term productivity and value of our land for agricultural use,” said Stadelman, who has spoken at previous public meetings.
“This threatens the sustainability of our farming operation,” he told lawmakers, citing a list of concerns, including travel time, higher fuel costs, more labor hours and “delays during critical planting and harvesting windows.”
He told council an online petition opposing the project had garnered 1,800 signatures.
Stadelman also cited potential pollution impacts on crops and livestock, including “increased light pollution from 24/7, high-intensity LED lighting (that) can interrupt crop growth cycles and attract agricultural pests.”
His mother, Gwen Stadelman, following him to the microphone and asked that the planned development not impact the end of the lane her son uses to access the road.
“We realize you want to build Buc-ee’s. We understand that, but it seems like to me we’re giving all these extravagances to Buc-ee’s and we’re forgetting about the citizens that actually are here currently paying taxes,” said Stadelman, who has also spoken in the past against the proposal.
“I would think we would just give him a little benefit of the doubt and leave him be,” she said. “It’s going to interrupt and disrupt and cost him a lot of extra money for Buc-ee’s to be built.
“But I think that we could at least give him a small consideration and have Buc-ee’s be a good neighbor and leave the end of his driveway where it is,” she said.
Laura Morris of 1577 Lucas Road also returned to the meeting to voice opposition.
“It is personal for our whole neighborhood because it does affect the reason we live in Richland County and why we chose to live where we live.
“As of right now, we have a little oasis of peace and quiet. We just see (the planned development) as being disruptive to our style of living and part of the reason why people move to stay in or select this part of Richland County,” Morris said.
“I know that myself and many of our neighbors are just trying to preserve our way of life along with our good neighbors and the farmers that surround us as well.”
Leonard Bernard of 409 Old Stone Court in Mansfield also spoke against the project.
“I was going to observe today. I’ve been gone from my city for a while now. When I came back, I did not like what I seen. You’re messing with the mystique of Mansfield. The farmlands are like a staple of who we are. Just think about it,” he said.
Rick Christ of 1588 Lucas Road repeated his request for more information about the development plans.
“I asked for some drawings … design criteria from the proposal looking at the site. That sort of didn’t happen.
“Before everything gets passed, I’d like to see some data engineering and planning and proposal work,” Christ said.
