NO! Horrible location for a drive thru, can't believe they actually applied. They pulled out of a Walnut Creek proposal due to neighborhood outcry, and that location made far more sense than this one. Let's hope they do the right thing so the city can find a better tenant for that property. As long as they hold the lease to that location (which they do as of February) no one else can apply. They need to do the right thing and move on.
There are pros and cons to this proposal, but I see a few major show-stoppers that have to be considered. 1) frequent lane closure during peak hours, and 2) no authorized parking areas for their overflow. (And we could also discuss the influx of crime happening at these places, they have a high rate of car break ins. They know it, the cities who have them know it, Mt View is a hot bed for car break in, and Campbell will soon know it if this gets approved.)
That site is not large enough for their looooooong drive through lines, and as a result I fully expect it will overflow onto Hamilton Ave blocking a lane during peak hours. What can the city do then? Will we cone off a section of Hamilton just for their drive through overflow? (Coning off extra space is the common option many cities do). Or will police hangout there and tell people to find parking? That won't work if their lot is full. And with only 64 available spaces for both employees AND patrons, which is far less than many of their other locations (and many hard to get in and out of due to the drive through lane blocking them), that is not a lot. Which leads to the other big problem.... no free commercial zoned parking in the area. No garage parking. Nada.
The surrounding neighborhood is NOT prepared or capable of supporting their parking overflow. The nearby big box stores surrounding them have private parking lots, there is very little public parking, and what street parking is available is used for residential parking at the Franciscan apartments. (The black fencing around Kohls and BBB was put there to keep the Elephant Bar overflow out and the jaywalkers crossing 4 lanes to a minimum.) If (or when) the big box stores put up a "No In-N-Out parking allowed" sign, people will spill out to the streets obliterating the needed residential parking. Keep in mind that street parking makes up a huge amount of the parking needed at the Franciscan. I am sure this will lead them to apply for residential parking permits. And if they get it approved, what then? Where will the In-N-Out overflow parking go then?
Hamilton Exit is the MAIN entry point into most of Campbell. It is how we tell visitors to get to our revitalized downtown. To our festivals. To our many businesses on Winchester. To West Gate Mall. It will be a crucial exit when Santana West is built up as the Stevens Creek exit is far too inadequate for the increase in traffic there. (And the proposed new 280 off ramp dropping off onto Tisch Road hasn't even been approved). The Hamilton exit cannot flow if it regularly has a lane blocking traffic flow while other people circle the area to find authorized parking. I would LOVE to have an In-N-Out in Campbell, JUST NOT THERE.
Bottom line, unless In-N-Out can be fully self sustainable on that property with virtually no overflow, they WILL create gridlock on Hamilton, displace residents at the Franciscan, create tension with the big box stores, and upset travelers trying to get to the many other Campbell businesses.
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No thanks, we already have enough traffic at this intersection. Sorry In n out, campbell is not for you at the moment.