Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, at its Aug. 13 meeting, approved a conditional liquor license agreement with Sheetz that will allow the sale of beer and wine at its Whitehall location.

Sheetz Inc. of Clayburg, the owners of the gas station and convenience store at 5001 MacArthur Road, agreed to the conditional agreement that addresses the township’s and residents’ concerns about loitering, safety, garbage and noise.

At the township’s April board meeting, Sheetz had asked for approval of a liquor license transfer from Homeslate Sports Bar & Grille in Slatington, but the request was turned down when commissioners voted 5-1 to deny the resolution. Also at that meeting, residents from a 55-and-up residential community located behind Sheetz crowded the room to oppose the transfer request.

Sheetz immediately appealed the township’s decision in Lehigh County court.

The approved agreement provides for covered trash receptacles so trash won’t blow around, signs that limit parking to 15 minutes to discourage loitering and an official store policy to monitor loitering.

Ellen Freeman, a lawyer for Sheetz, said the store will work with police to adjust its security cameras to capture what police recommended.

“We want to work with the police force to ensure consistency across the board,” she said.

Freeman said Sheetz would have no choice but to serve alcohol on the premises. At a previous meeting, she noted the company didn’t want to do that. On July 31, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board voted that establishments with a restaurant liquor license must allow for on-premises consumption, Freeman said. However, Sheetz will limit on-premises consumption to two servings, she said.

Freeman said seating for up to 30 patrons, which was required for the license, had already been added, and it could take several months until the store is actually selling beer and wine.

“My belief is that this is the best deal we can get,” Commissioner Joseph Marx Jr. said. “With these conditions, we have skin in the game, and it shows they are willing to be good neighbors.”

He said Sheetz also could have just waited for a liquor license to become available in the township and then the board would have no say. Commissioners were only able to vote on the liquor license because it was from outside the township. A liquor license that is transferred from within the municipality does not require approval from the board.

Board President Dennis Hower agreed with Marx, saying, “I do believe this is the best outcome, especially for residents who live there. By putting conditions in place, we can police it a little more than we could in the past.”

Resident Anna Smith spoke about continued problems with noise in the Sheetz parking lot and said she had been awakened in the middle of the night and sometimes can’t hear her television.

“We’re just trying to live our lives and sleep at night,” she said.

Sheetz manager Matthew Fenstermacher said he’d look at noise levels at the store, and Marx noted the township now has a noise ordinance in place that restricts noise between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.

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

Earlier this month, the PLCB approved a liquor license at the Sheetz store in Palmer Township that had been opposed by township officials and residents since 2017.

Marx said with the recent PLCB ruling against Palmer Township, he was concerned the same thing could happen in Whitehall.