FORT PIERCE — Many Hometown News readers have been asking us the same question: When will the beaver arrive in Fort Pierce? For those anticipating brisket on the board, fresh fudge and Beaver Nuggets, the wait will be a bit longer.
But a definitive answer may be getting closer, as St. Lucie County has approved the final minor site plan for a Buc-ee’s travel center near Interstate 95 and Indrio Road and completed its review of the site development permit.
The recent update came during the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners’ regular meeting Sept. 15, when Benjamin Balcer, director of the county’s Planning and Development Services Department, outlined the project’s progress.
The proposed travel center would occupy approximately 36 acres at the southeast corner of Indrio Road and I-95.
The approved site plan calls for a 75,245-square-foot retail store, 120 vehicle fueling spaces, fuel storage tanks, electric vehicle charging stations, parking, drainage improvements, pedestrian connections, landscaping and a large sign facing the interstate.
The plans also identify three outparcels along Koblegard Road for future commercial development.
During the meeting, a commissioner asked whether Buc-ee’s had signed off on the project.
Balcer confirmed that the planned unit development order had been recorded and said the county had completed its review of the site development permit.
The project is awaiting submission of a road improvement agreement and a required bond from Buc-ee’s before the permitting process can advance further, Balcer said.
In a subsequent conversation with Hometown News, Balcer emphasized that the project is essentially done with the planning phase and is moving into permitting.
However, county officials cannot yet say when construction will begin. The building permit has not been approved, and the timing will depend on the remaining permitting requirements and how long Buc-ee’s takes to complete construction, Balcer said.
Given the extent of the improvements planned for the site, Balcer said a 2028 opening is a realistic expectation. Buc-ee’s uses its own contractors to build its travel centers around the country.
The St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners approved the project’s preliminary site plan in September 2024, following the rezoning of the property to Planned Retail Workplace.
Although the project has cleared significant planning milestones, its construction schedule remains uncertain. Until the necessary permits are secured and construction begins, the opening date remains subject to change.
Until then, Fort Pierce travelers will have to hold it a little longer for Buc-ee’s famously spotless restrooms.