EATERY FILES SUIT OVER DRIVE : CHILI'S CLAIMS COSTCO SHUT PARKING LOT EXIT.

Byline: Terry Kanakri Daily News Staff Writer

Chili's Grill & Bar has filed a lawsuit against PriceCostco, claiming that the wholesale giant has closed a driveway that Chili's customers used to leave the property.

Chili's officials say its customers now must use an inconvenient detour through the parking lot of Costco's new Simi Valley warehouse to exit the property.

``We've attempted to amicably settle this matter with all parties,'' said Darryl Steadman, Chili's area director. ``However, we're unable to do so.''

Michele Hughes, a representative of PriceCostco's legal department, did not return telephone calls Tuesday.

Dick DeKalb, manager of Costco's 136,000-square-foot warehouse at 2660 Park Center Drive, which is scheduled to open at 8 a.m. today, declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying he has not seen it.

However, DeKalb said PriceCostco has had good relationships with Chili's in many other shopping areas.

``We've got several sites where we co-exist with Chili's, and we have a very good relationship,'' he said. ``There's no reason for that not to happen now.''

According to officials with Chili's, which leases its property, the dispute centers around the issue of customers' ability to leave the property.

Prior to Costco's construction, customers had an easy exit onto Cochran Street by turning left out of the restaurant's parking lot. Today, however, that driveway has been closed and a curb has been installed, forcing customers to drive onto Costco's property to Park Center Drive and then make two left turns to get back onto Cochran Street.

``In the interest of protecting our customers' safety, convenience, and safety for our staff and our business, we felt we had no option left but to file a suit,'' Steadman said.