In-N-Out Burger proposal heading to Palm Springs Planning Commission ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

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*Designs submitted as part of the review process for a new In-N-Out restaurant near Smoke Tree Lane show substantial work would be done to the frontage road.*

The Palm Springs Planning Commission will consider a proposal Tuesday (July 8) for a new In-N-Out Burger restaurant at 1801 East Palm Canyon Drive, following months of city review and design modifications.

The California-based fast-food chain wants to build a 3,886-square-foot restaurant with drive-thru service on a 2.35-acre site that previously housed a Bank of America branch near Smoke Tree Lane. Plans call for 82 parking spaces, outdoor dining areas and new landscaping throughout the property.

The development would include a freestanding order canopy for the drive-thru and removal of an existing frontage road, which would be replaced with a landscaped pedestrian walkway.

City officials began reviewing the application several months ago, with a February meeting bringing together representatives from the Architectural Review Committee, Planning Commission, city staff and In-N-Out to discuss initial design concepts. That session addressed concerns about building design, colors, size, pedestrian access and potential traffic backup from drive-thru operations.

Staff analysis found the project meets zoning requirements but requires a special modification because the building would sit 102 feet from East Palm Canyon Drive, which is 23 feet closer than normally permitted. A traffic study concluded the restaurant would not create significant impacts at nearby intersections.

*A building that previously held a Bank of America branch was demolished to make room for the city’s first In-N-Out, which will be considered by the Palm Springs Planning Commission on Tuesday.*

Environmental review determined the project qualifies as infill development and is exempt from full analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). City staff notified neighborhood groups and completed site inspections before preparing their recommendation.

Approval would come with several conditions, including widening Smoke Tree Lane and installing a 12-foot sidewalk with landscaping to replace the frontage road. The main driveway would be redesigned to 80 feet wide with restrictions on left turns for traffic safety.

Additional requirements include screening landscaping or walls to block vehicle headlights from the drive-thru, architectural review of the order canopy, and compliance with dark-sky lighting standards and water-efficient landscaping guidelines.

The developer must also pay regional habitat conservation fees and follow established procedures if Native American remains are discovered during construction.