Dental Implants Near Palmer Lake, CO

Buc-ee’s, the super-sized Texas chain of travel stores, has temporarily withdrawn its application to annex land for a new location into the small town of Palmer Lake.

“We encountered a technical issue with the original application. To ensure compliance, we will be submitting a new application soon,” said Stan Beard, Buc-ee’s director of real estate and development, in a statement Friday.

Initial application would have brought the roughly 30-acre parcel near Interstate 25 and the El Paso County-Douglas County line into Palmer Lake via a “flagpole” annexation of a thin line of land connected to the town about 3 miles away.

The plan for Colorado’s second Buc-ee’s location produced major uproar in the small town and in Monument, its larger neighbor to the south. Some residents raised concerns about traffic, water availability and the preservation of the historic community in public meetings on the project.

After the Palmer Lake board of trustees determined the project’s legal eligibility in December, the next steps were submission of impact reports. The town committed to contracting three of its own reports analyzing the fiscal, traffic and water impacts of the project.

The first report on traffic was released last month and concluded that the travel center would produce minimal impacts to nearby roads.

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Integrity Matters, a political watchdog group which has been involved in the opposition to Buc-ee’s since the plan was announced late last year, claimed the withdrawal vindicated its legal complaints against Palmer Lake.

“Had that all been kosher, they would have forged ahead,” said Integrity Matters co-founder Dana Duggan.

The group, along with other nonprofits, filed a lawsuit in El Paso County District Court in January with the town over its handling of a December board of trustees meeting in which the Buc-ee’s annexation request was determined to meet legal requirements for eligibility.

The suit claimed a long list of grievances, including that the annexation application was deemed eligible despite not meeting state requirements. It also claims the town violated the constitutional rights of the public in attendance at the crowded meeting.

The Palmer Lake trustees pushed back on allegations in a public statement posted to the town’s website on the same day the lawsuit was filed.

“As a result of the process followed in considering whether the property is eligible to be annexed, the Town believes it provided a full and fair hearing and is not aware of any violations of open meeting or other laws or regulations,” the statement read.

A meeting date to vote yes or no on the annexation itself, a decision at the discretion of the board of trustees, has not yet been set.

Buc-ee’s representatives have not yet provided a date when the annexation would be back under consideration for the town or how the application would change in the intervening time.

The Texas-based travel center chain cited a "technical issue" in its decision to pull its application for annexation.

PALMER LAKE, Colo. — A Texas-based travel center chain has hit the brakes on a plan to expand its presence in Colorado, for now.

Palmer Lake Mayor Glant Havenar told our partners at KRDO that Buc-ee's withdrew its annexation request for the proposed development in northern El Paso County about a week ago. Representatives for Buc-ee's cited a "technical issue" and said they are still "very interested and exploring all potential options for the location," KRDO reports.

In December, the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees determined that the land proposed for the new location at Interstate 25 and County Line Road was eligible for annexation, despite objections from locals.

More than 300 Palmer Lake residents attended a December meeting hosted by members of the Buc-ee's development team, many of them opposed to the idea of Buc-ee's building in their town.

Residents voiced concerns over traffic impacts, weather along Interstate 25, light pollution, property values and impacts from wildlife mitigation in the area.

According to KRDO, Buc-ee's developers said they would follow all regulations required by the Colorado Department of Transportation to accommodate the traffic changes that would be necessary at an intersection for entry and exit, including making improvements to a bridge that goes over I-25, which some people expressed wouldn't be able to handle the number of drivers. A Buc-ee's representative said that they would pay for a new bridge over the interstate and have new bridges built at other locations as well.

Credit: KRDO

Buc-ee's opened its first Colorado location, at Interstate 25 and County Road 48 in Johnstown, north of the Denver metro area, in March 2024. The 74,000-square-foot travel center has 116 fueling positions and 12 EV charging stations.

The Colorado location signaled the first move outside of the south for Buc-ee's. Since beginning its expansion in 2019, Buc-ee’s has opened travel centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri.

Alexander Kirk contributed to this article.

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Anyone who has been to a Buc-ee's knows that the Texas travel center tends to draw crowds. But at least for a controversial proposed location in Colorado, locals may be able to rest easy.

A new traffic study for a proposed Buc-ee's in Palmer Lake, Colorado, says that delays and queues are minor, and proposed roadway improvements will be enough to maintain "acceptable traffic operations" through 2045. The study by Stolfus & Associates, which was released late last month amid protests against the proposed Buc-ee's, is an independent look at traffic impacts. In addition to this study, Buc-ee's hired Kimley Horn to conduct their own.

"Since only 3 percent of the site trips are expected to originate from the Palmer Lake downtown, the traffic impacts west of the site are not expected to be significant," the independent study reads. "The most noticeable traffic impacts will be between I-25 and the site accesses."

One of the major conclusions of the study said that if the Buc-ee's is built, all the intersections will "operate acceptably" within the years 2028 and 2045 with the roadway improvements proposed. Still, the study recommended developers review a southbound turn lane during the Saturday midday period, saying the Kimley Horn study notably did not evaluate that peak hour.

Buc-ee's interest in expanding to Palmer Lake, which would mark the travel center's second Colorado location, has had residents up in arms. In January, several Colorado residents and nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit against Palmer Lake in an attempt to halt plans to annex land for Buc-ee's. That was followed by a bus driving around the area with a banner advertising the website StopBucees.com, which petitions a stop to "unreasonable and excessive commercial development" in the rural area.

While the results of the study might lower some concerns, residents' protests stretch beyond traffic jams. The Stop Buc-ee's website also points to the impact increased emissions would have on the air, how local businesses will fare in competition against Buc-ee's, and a shift away from dark skies and open space in the town of less than 3,000 people.

For now, Palmer Lake officials have determined that the site is eligible for annexation. But the decision on whether to actually approve the site for annexation is still to come. If Buc-ee's can push ahead with its proposal, the study recommends a few things, including providing access that would allow drivers to more easily access a nearby church without having to make a U-turn and implementing intersection and roadway improvements.

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Andrea Guzman covers Texas brands at Chron, which includes everything from H-E-B and Blue Bell to local businesses in Houston. Her work has appeared in the Texas Observer, Mother Jones, and Fortune. As an El Pasoan, she loves a nice mountain view and hiking. Her go-to order at Whataburger is a Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich.

The owners of Alpine Essentials and Dead Flowers react to recreational marijuana sales starting in Colorado Springs this week.

Posted 5:10 AM, Apr 15, 2025

PALMER LAKE — With the sales of recreational marijuana starting Tuesday at some Colorado Springs stores, Palmer Lake cannabis shop owners say they aren't worried about the new competition.

Marijuana sales and tax revenue were booming in Colorado during the pandemic. According to a report prepared by the Joint Budget Committee staff in November, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 the state collected about $248.2 million from special sales tax on retail marijuana, an excise tax on wholesale transfers of retail marijuana meant to support education, and the State's regular sales tax, which applies to medical marijuana and some non-marijuana products. The amount in FY23-24 was down 41.5 percent since FY 20-21, the peak of the pandemic when the state collected about $424 million.

The report points to several factors for the decline in sales and tax revenue when it comes to marijuana including:

-The sale of intoxicating hemp (TCH-infused drinks and edibles)-Increasing competition (24 states now allow the sale of recreational marijuana)-Excess supply-"Additional variables perhaps not yet fully understood"

One of the owners of Alpine Essentials in Palmer Lake explained they have been in business for a decade, originally the only recreational marijuana cultivation business in El Paso County, at the time the State saw a rise in marijuana sales and tax revenue.

"You know, flower prices skyrocketed, it was a great time to be a cultivator," Melissa Woodward of Alpine Essentials explained. "The years that followed were also very interesting, because then prices plummeted. I think everyone kind of saw this as a gold rush."

Woodward explains that the marijuana business is like any other agriculture business.

"It's a great crop to be in, but at the end of the day, it really is agriculture," Woodward added. "You can have crop loss, you can have pests, and when everyone suddenly wants to grow this, crop prices are going to come down. So like in any industry, there is going to be give and take with that."

Woodward's business started selling recreational marijuana on April 1, 2023, after voters approved the sale of retail marijuana in the town just north of Monument. Voters approved an additional 5% sales tax on recreational marijuana sales in Palmer Lake.

If you walk a few minutes east of Woodward's business, you'll find Dead Flowers, the second marijuana shop in Palmer Lake. The vibes in each store appear to be polar opposites. Alpine Essentials is brightly lit, with buds on display similar to how an Apple Store displays its phones. As you walk into Dead Flowers, you're greeted by rock memorabilia decorating the walls, leading to a dimly lit display with art covering the walls. The name "Dead Flowers" was inspired by the title of a Rolling Stones song. The owner, Dino Salvatori, believes the tax revenue from recreational marijuana has been huge for the Town of Palmer Lake.

"Palmer Lake, as you know, does not have a grocery store, doesn't have a gas station," Salvatori said. "It's got very little sources of income, very little revenue sources. So I think... I know... going recreational two years ago has been substantial."

Both Salvatori and Woodward welcome the competition now that stores in Colorado Springs can start selling recreational cannabis. As of Tuesday morning, 29 businesses in Colorado Springs had "active" licenses to sell recreational marijuana. Salvatori believes about 70 percent of his customers are from outside of El Paso County, given the few options in Douglas County and their location on the north side of the county. Salvitori believes his business stands out as being unique, with rock legends painted on the walls surrounding his merchandise.

"We're gonna lose some business," Salvatori added. "But if you look around my place, I don't really have any competition. There's other people that do what we do, but we have it pretty good."

While visiting Dead Flowers on Monday in the afternoon, there was a constant flow of customers in and out. They were greeted by a man sitting behind a desk with a painting of the Rolling Stones logo surrounding him, the iconic red lips and tongue. At Alpine Essentials, the store was full of people after 2 p.m. Woodward said they aren't afraid of new competition.

"I think competition is healthy," Woodward said with a smile. "I think really, I'm just going to rely on our laurels. And we have so many loyal customers, our customer service is really what it's going to come down to."

News5 reached out to the Palmer Lake Town Administrator to see if any town officials had comment about recreational marijuana sales starting in Colorado Springs. Dawn Collins, the town administrator and clerk, cited state law explaining they can't share specific revenue information because the town has fewer than three stores. The same goes for Manitou Springs, the tax revenue tied to marijuana stores are included in the general sales tax category due to privacy laws.

Some city council members in Manitou Springs did share concerns over the possibility of lost tax revenue in a November regular meeting where the budget was discussed. One council member wanted staff to prepare estimates on what could be lost, but it still isn't clear what, if any impact there will be. In Manitou Springs there is a 15 percent state special sales tax, 10 percent city special tax, and 6.13 percent sales tax on retail marijuana.

Both Alpine Essentials and Dead Flowers have been bringing more than just tax revenue to the community of Palmer Lake. Both businesses say they will be supporting the Festival on the Fourth, July 4th at Centennial Park and Palmer Lake. The event is expected to bring in up to 8,000 people and was canceled in 2024. Alpine Essentials recently supported the Palmer Lake Art Group and their comedy show. Dead Flowers has also scheduled a car show for outside their shop on June 1, proceeds from the event which includes a BBQ will benefit the fire department.

Bill Conkling, the founder and CEO of Maggie's Farm, which has locations in Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Manitou Springs, also welcomes the competition. In a phone call with News5 Conkling believes their customer service and prices will keep people coming through their doors despite more options in Colorado Springs. Conkling sent the following statement to News5:

WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE WILL MOVE FORWARD -As one of Colorado’s standing original founders and owner of the first and longest running Clean Green Certified Organic farm (mirroring USDA Organic) Maggie’s Farm was founded and grew only from hard work and dedication to our customer. Not from outside investment. We refused to sell out for profit but instead stayed the course to provide access of recreational cannabis for all. We never supported opposition of cannabis access anywhere, including Colorado Springs. Instead, we were one of the few who went the other direction and always supported access as well as federal legalization out of the gate, before it was cool to do so among medical operators 15 years ago. Maggie’s Farm has always embraced competition, as this encourages us to continually elevate our standards. We have always been committed to quality and sustainability, and we strive to do what is right, rather than what is easy.

WHAT’S NEW ?We wouldn’t be here without the support of Colorado Springs, and for us it’s an opportunity to extend what we’ve built for the past 15 years. One shift you will see from us is the offering of a stand-out product to other business partners throughout the Colorado Springs community. Clean Green Certified “Pure Blaze” pre-rolls, offered at a great price. Pure Blaze is a best seller state-wide because it offers everything most people want. A top-shelf quality organic pre-roll with high-terpene values, natural flavor and effects and a consistent smooth smoking experience sold at a great price. It is not a flashy gimmick, but a product with great integrity and with remarkable recent blind-test results among best sellers state-wide.

WHAT SETS US APART FROM LARGE MSO’S?Maggie’s has always been a locally owned and operated family business. We grow our own organic flower, we control quality from seed to sale, and we’ve been part of the Southern Colorado community since the beginning. We’re not a Wall Street cannabis company. We’re your neighbor, and we wouldn’t be here without you. Together we’ve grown to trust one another and that matters. We’re not new to this and we’re excited to grow with Colorado Springs.

Statewide, the marijuana business has been a billion-dollar industry for a decade. A breakdown of sales totals in Colorado statewide can be viewed below:

Sales started January 2014.

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On Monday night, Pueblo City Council was supposed to vote on a no sit or lie ordinance that would make it illegal to sit or lie down on a sidewalk in some areas of Pueblo, including in the downtown business area. That vote has been pushed to the next city council meeting on April 28.

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The town of Palmer Lake has retained an elections consultant after receiving notice of recall petitions for three current trustees — Shana Ball, Dennis Stern and Kevin Dreher.

The petitions, filed on March 6, were found insufficient by the town due to paperwork issues on March 10. If the petitions are resubmitted and approved, the recall campaign will have 60 days to gather the required amount of qualified signatures.

At a meeting last week, the trustees decided to retain GovPro Consulting, LLC, in anticipation of further action on the petitions. The contract includes an amount not to exceed $8,000 for each possible election.

"This is going to cost the taxpayers significant amounts of money," Glant Havenar, Palmer Lake's mayor, said at the meeting.

Havenar estimated a cost to the town of $20,000 per election. She said that in addition to the recall, the town also received word of a possible referendum request which is under legal review.

The petitions allege the three trustees "failed to provide fair, balanced, and well-informed leadership" over their decision to approve the eligibility of an annexation request from Texas-based travel store Buc-ee's in a meeting late last year.

The annexation request for the super-sized chain was temporarily withdrawn last week due to what Stan Beard, Buc-ee's director of real estate and development, called a "technical issue."

A date for the resubmittal of the annexation request has not yet been announced.

Similar to a lawsuit from area political groups against the town in January, the petitions allege the three trustees approved the eligibility despite deficiencies and violated open meeting laws during the vote.

Buc-ee's lawsuit filed against town of Palmer Lake over annexation plan

The three Palmer Lake residents listed as petitioners did not respond to a request for comment.

Stern said he denied any wrongdoing in the preliminary Buc-ee's decision.

"A vocal minority can sure cause a lot of noise," he said.

Havenar and trustee Jessica Farr were not present at the annexation eligibility vote, and trustee Sam Padgett voted against. Nick Ehrhardt, the other "yes" vote out of four, was not included among the filed recall petitions.