An In-N-Out burger joint could be opening in Eureka in the future, an executive with the company said today.

“We do hope to open a restaurant in Eureka in the future,” said Carl Arena, the vice president of development for the company. “That said, it is still very early in the development application process so design elements such as building layouts, site circulation and access are still evolving.”

Arena said that making sure community concerns are met is tantamount to the company.

“Being a good neighbor is very important to us at In-N-Out, both at our current locations as well as at prospective restaurant sites,” he said. “Throughout the planning process our intent is be sure that any concerns are satisfied, and to make any necessary adjustments in the hope that our business is nothing but a positive presence in the community.”

According to the city’s Public Works Director Brian Gerving, it’s too early in the process and Eureka does not have any planning documents available.

“We do not have a submittal yet,” Gerving said.

Arena did not provide any timeline for opening the restaurant but noted construction alone can take several months.

“Once we begin construction on a new location, it usually takes us 4 to 5 months to build a restaurant and open for business,” he said. “However, there is still quite a bit of work to be done before we can even set a time to begin construction.”

In the past, rumors have swirled over the potential arrival of one of Californian’s favorite burger spots.

In 2012, amid renovation of the old Arctic Circle building, there was a significant amount of talk of In-N-Out’s impending arrival. At the time, the Times-Standard reported Rob Wall-Eureka Community Development Director at the time-had said the rumor became so rampant that he even received a call from a Humboldt County planner and a Caltrans official asking about the development.

The rumors were quashed with a comment from an executive.

“We just became aware of the rumors about In-N-Out Burger coming to Eureka and, unfortunately, they are not true,” Vice President Carl Van Fleet wrote in an e-mail to the Times-Standard in January 2012.

In-N-Out began in California in 1948 and claims to be the first drive-through hamburger stand. In 2015, it celebrated the opening of its 300th store.

Ruth Schneider can be reached at 707-441-0520.