Despite being denied by Whitehall Township commissioners last month, the quest for a liquor license at the Sheetz in Whitehall may not be over.

Sheetz, the gas station and convenience store at 5001 MacArthur Road, had requested approval of a liquor license transfer from Homeslate Sports Bar & Grill in Slatington, at the township’s April 8 board meeting. However, the request was turned down when commissioners voted 5-1 to deny the resolution for the liquor license transfer.

At a public hearing during that meeting, more than a dozen residents from a 55-and-up residential community located behind Sheetz crowded the meeting room to oppose the transfer request.

Now Sheetz is appealing the township’s decision in Lehigh County court, and the board is doubling down by voting May 13 on a resolution confirming its denial of the license transfer.

At the May 6 workshop meeting, Sheetz district manager Jeremiah Hoffman tried to address residents’ concerns about noise and loitering at the store.

Mayor Michael Harakal Jr. had reported that township police had responded to 51 calls at Sheetz in the past year.

Hoffman countered that most of those calls were for speeding and drag racing.

“I don’t see how we’re responsible for resolving those issues,” Hoffman said.

However, he said the company was willing to work with police on those problems.

He also noted that so far in 2019, police had responded to only one noise call and one loitering call at Sheetz.

Hoffman said he hadn’t attended April’s board meeting because he hadn’t expected opposition to the license transfer.

“This process is normally smooth,” he said. “I run five other locations that serve beer and wine and have had zero issues.”

He said in response to residents’ concerns, Sheetz plans to put in more exterior lighting and will not allow people to congregate after 10 p.m. He said the company also moved the employee parking lot, so patrons can’t park in the area closest to the residential community, and had cleaned up trash.

“We are trying to be good neighbors,” he said.

The board was able to vote on the liquor license because it would be transferred from outside the township. A liquor license that is transferred from within the municipality does not require approval from the board.

At the April 8 meeting, Ellen Freeman, a lawyer for Sheetz, said 150 Sheetz locations out of 400 in Pennsylvania already have liquor licenses. She said the plan for the local Sheetz would include adding seating for up to 30 patrons near the entrance, expanding the store slightly. She said under the plan, beer would be available for takeout in six- and 12-packs in a walk-in cooler. Wine also would be available. Patrons would be limited to 12 beers and four bottles of wine. She said no alcohol consumption would be allowed on the premises.

She said, although Sheetz is open 24 hours, alcohol would only be available 7 a.m.-1:45 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m.-1:45 a.m. Sundays.

Vice President Philip Ginder said the commissioners couldn’t comment on the issue because of pending legal action.

The board also heard a resolution requesting a liquor license transfer to J&C Crab Juicy Seafood in Whitehall from Susie’s Shady Nook in Slatington.

J&C Crab Juicy Seafood is a restaurant chain that is set to open later this year in Whitehall Square shopping center at 2180 MacArthur Road, next to CiCi’s Pizza.

The next board meeting is 7 p.m. May 13.