Bellflower : Alcohol Permit Withheld

The City Council has rejected a request by Atlantic Richfield Co. to permit a proposed mini-market and self-service gasoline station to sell beer and wine.

In a 4-1 vote on Tuesday, the council upheld its Planning Commission’s recommendation to deny the alcohol permit for the proposed facility at Alondra Boulevard and Woodruff Avenue in Bellflower.

Arco was appealing the commission’s decision to the council.

The commission on Jan. 20 approved the company’s application for a conditional use permit for an AM-PM Mini Market and gas station but denied the request for off-premise beer and wine sales.

Already there are nine liquor businesses in the immediate area of the proposed store and 11 within a one-half mile radius, according to a report to the council by the commission.

Using a California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control ratio to define over-concentration, the report stated that only eight of those nine licensed locations should have been permitted.

Charles P. Parker III, real estate representative for Arco, told the council that the number of liquor licenses in the area would not increase because Arco had offered to buy the license of one of the markets that was going out of business.

Parker told the council that the company had a similar convenience store in the city at Woodruff Avenue and Artesia Boulevard “for close to two years. It’s a safe and clean family-oriented store. We have been a good neighbor.”

Parker also told the council that the company was willing to spend $1.1 million to purchase the property and build the store. The half-acre of property is now occupied by a K & R Petroleum gas station and Thermal Arts Inc.

It was unclear after the council’s ruling what Arco’s plans are, said Lee Whittenberg, city director of planning. Parker declined to discuss Arco’s response.