Chevron Mililani pulls liquor application
By James Gonser
Advertiser Central Bureau
MILILANI MAUKA — In the face of community opposition, Chevron Stations Inc. yesterday asked the Honolulu Liquor Commission to withdraw its application for a beer and wine liquor license for its proposed Mililani Mauka gas station and convenience store, and the entire project may now be in jeopardy.
"In light of the concerns raised by the Mililani community, we respectfully asked to withdraw our application for a liquor license at that Mililani Mauka site," said Chevron spokesman Albert Chee.
Although Chee last week said that if Chevron did not get the liquor license it was not necessarily a "deal breaker," he could not say yesterday whether the $3 million project would move forward.
"I'm not in a position to answer that. It is not my decision," Chee said. "I don't have an answer if the project will continue without the liquor license."
Chevron's action came on the eve of a hearing before the Liquor Commission. An agenda item on the license to be discussed by the commission, set to meet at 4 p.m. today, has been removed.
In May, Chevron presented its preliminary plans for the gas station, convenience store and car wash on Meheula Parkway on Castle & Cooke property to the Mililani Mauka/Launanai Valley Neighborhood Board.
Chevron planned to use about a third of a 1.5-acre parcel located between the Castle & Cooke Homes sales office and the Mililani Mauka Recreation Center No. 5 on Meheula Parkway.
The neighborhood board subsequently voted not to support the project because members felt that the entry into the gas station would not be safe, the lighting would be too bright and noise levels would be too high for homes close to the facility.
"Residents don't like the site or them selling liquor," said board chairwoman Jeanette Nekota. "It's right off the exit to the freeway and we have already been having problems with noise in the area from people going to the rec center."
In addition, residents opposed to the liquor license submitted a petition with 150 signatures to the Liquor Commission last month. A motion to deny Chevron's application failed at a Sept. 20 hearing, and the commission deferred action until today's hearing.
Liquor Commission rules state that if more than 50 percent of the property owners within 500 feet of a store applying for a liquor license are opposed to the project, the license will automatically be denied.
Nekota said about 50 homes are within a 500-foot radius of the site, and almost all of those property owners have signed the petition, which may have forced Chevron to withdraw the request.
Nekota said she would have no problem with the entire project being scrapped.
"The board and the community does not even want this kind of development in the community," Nekota said. "That is what we have been trying to do with Castle & Cooke, work with them to put in a planned commercial site. Not just whoever jumps at the site first."
Tesoro Hawai'i operates a 24-hour gas station and convenience store on nearby Ukuwai Street and does not sell beer or wine.
Reach James Gonser at 988-1383 or jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com.
