In-N-Out application shows new access point planned for East Palm Canyon Drive ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

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*Part of the drive-thru of a proposed Palm Springs In-N-Out restaurant is seen in this schematic submitted to the city.*

Residents wondering how In-N-Out Burger plans to situate its proposed Palm Springs restaurant and drive-thru on a 2.3-acre lot at the Smoke Tree Village Shopping Center now have their answer, according to documents recently submitted to the city.

Plans to build the city’s first In-N-Out were first reported by The Post in January. The documents submitted to the city last week show the new restaurant is being planned for the southwest corner of East Palm Canyon Drive and Smoke Tree Lane and will feature multiple access points designed to manage traffic flow effectively.

One of those access points will bring a significant change to the existing configuration of a frontage road between East Palm Canyon Drive and the shopping center, where a Bank of America building used to stand. A site plan shows the frontage road will be closed to accommodate a walking path and that an access point will be built along East Palm Canyon Drive.

“Each access will accommodate at minimum a drive aisle width to allow for one entrance and one exit,” Development Manager Peter Kulmaticki stated in the project narrative for the 3,886-square-foot restaurant.

The strategic access plan includes not only entry and exit points from East Palm Canyon Drive but also internal drive aisles connecting to the shopping center.

The 2.34-acre site emphasizes efficient vehicle movement with no “dead-end” parking aisles. The design includes a two-into-one drive-thru lane with capacity for approximately 42 vehicles and on-site parking for 82 cars.

Kulmaticki stated that the company had designed the site “with an optimal site and drive through layout that encourages traffic circulation towards the interior of our proposed site” while providing “a delicious product unmatched in quality, well-paying jobs, and added revenue to the City of Palm Springs.”

The traffic management approach appeared to be a key consideration in the design, with multiple access points and internal circulation patterns intended to prevent congestion on surrounding streets.

The drive-thru lane’s capacity for 42 vehicles suggested the company anticipates significant drive-thru business at the location, while still providing ample parking for dine-in customers.

As currently designed, the restaurant would offer indoor seating for 74 guests and an outdoor patio accommodating 60 more, creating a total capacity of 134 diners.

Before submitting formal plans, In-N-Out representatives participated in a pre-application meeting with city staff and a subcommittee meeting with members from the Planning Commission and Architectural Review Committee.

“This meeting provided insight into the visions and goals for new developments within Palm Springs and recommendations tailored to our proposed development,” Kulmaticki noted.

Following feedback from those meetings, the company modified its plans to enhance several aspects of the project. Improvements included additional landscaping and shading near patio areas, refinement of the plant palette, and adjustments to the stone wainscot to complement the natural tones of the nearby Smoke Tree Shopping Center.

This site plan for a proposed In-N-Out restaurant in Palm Springs shows how the project might be situated on property that previously held a Bank of America building. A new access point would be constructed along East Palm Canyon Drive (seen at top left and a pathway would replace the existing frontage road.

The pedestrian path on the former frontage road was also added to the plans to improve connectivity throughout the site, making the location more accessible for those arriving on foot.

The building design features a contemporary modern style with exterior stucco, a flat roof, stone wainscot, parapet towers, and awnings. The structure would reach a maximum height of approximately 25 feet, with In-N-Out’s signature crossed palm trees at the intersection of Smoke Tree Lane and East Palm Canyon Drive.

The restaurant owners hope to operate the facility seven days a week, staying open until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Each In-N-Out location typically employs between 10 to 15 associates per shift across three daily shifts, which would bring approximately 30 to 45 jobs to the Palm Springs area.

The project narrative did not specify a timeline for construction or an anticipated opening date for the proposed restaurant.