Campbell: Proposed In-N-Out loses in 3-2 vote

You won’t be able to get those animal-style fries in town after all.

On Tuesday night, before a crowd of 150 concerned community members, the Campbell City Council voted 3 to 2 against the In-N-Out restaurant project proposed for 499 E. Hamilton Avenue. The address is the former location of a dine-in Elephant Bar restaurant that closed in October 2016.

“It was a full room and as you can imagine, there was a lot of passion on both sides,” says Al Bito, Campbell’s deputy city manager.

The concern was over traffic, of course, at an intersection lined with popular retailers Fry’s Electronics, Home Depot, Kohl’s and Bed Bath & Beyond, and on- and off-ramps to Highway 17.One of those ramps is adjacent to the Fry’s entrance on Salmar Avenue.

Back in May, the intersection was rated “D-minus” in a city-sponsored survey for its level of service. The traffic impact study revealed that the grade could drop to an “F” — a “total breakdown,” with congested conditions and excessive delays — if In-N-Out moved in.

“After hearing quite a bit, the council members talked about the pros and cons and ultimately voted against granting additional use permits,” Bito says. “Unfortunately, that’s pretty much the end of the road for In-N-Out.”

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