Buc-ee’s has submitted development plans to El Paso County for a proposed travel plaza on Monument Hill, advancing the project while a lawsuit challenges the county’s decision that the business fits within existing zoning rules. The proposed site is west of Interstate 25 and south of County Line Road in northern El Paso County. The Texas-based chain has pursued permission to build there since at least 2024. The filing came nearly three weeks after Tri-Lakes Preservation, nearby property owners and a homeowners association, among others, sued in El Paso County District Court. They are asking a judge to review the county commissioners’ decision, made in late August, that Buc-ee’s qualifies as a “convenience store” or similar use under the county’s land development code. That classification allows the proposal to proceed through administrative approvals rather than a public rezoning process. The lawsuit contends the commissioners exceeded their authority and misapplied the code. Among the plaintiffs’ arguments is that the proposal should be considered a gas station because it would sell fuel, and that such a use is not permitted on the property under current rules. Buc-ee’s has argued that fuel sales are part of its broader convenience-retail business. The complaint also disputes whether the project meets the code’s requirements for a convenience store, including the claim that such a store must serve a local neighborhood. The plaintiffs further allege that county officials did not follow the procedures required before approving a use as similar to one permitted by the code. The court has not ruled on the claims. Buc-ee’s may continue seeking administrative approvals while the case proceeds. El Paso County will decide whether to continue considering or approving aspects of the project during the litigation. The plaintiffs could also ask the court for a stay to pause the process. Their lawyers estimate a ruling could take at least four months. Buc-ee’s stores are known for their large footprints and extensive fuel stations. Its Johnstown location, for comparison, has a 74,000-square-foot building and 116 fuel pumps.