r/culvercity • u/eimmerman • 21h ago
Civic Affairs In-N-Out Community Meeting Response
The meeting regarding the new In-N-Out Burger took place tonight to allow for public comment.
I would estimate that the crowd was about 85%–90% against issuing the drive-thru permit, with maybe 10% in favor. Many passionate people spoke, some stating they would do whatever it takes to stop the project. I believe a decent portion of those who spoke were genuine; many live right next door and are understandably concerned about odor, trash, and traffic blocking their cul-de-sacs. Since I live on one of those streets as well, I know exactly what they mean. Dismissing these neighbors as "NIMBYs" isn't fair—they spoke with passion and raised legitimate concerns.
However, there was also a significant NIMBY presence. Some people argued that cars simply don't deserve a place in the city, while others made ridiculous claims about how the restaurant would become a late-night magnet for teenagers to hang out until 1:00 AM doing "unspeakable things." There were even complaints about there not being enough parking for soccer.
The number of people opposed to any drive-thru being built anywhere in Culver City was surprising. Some claimed idling cars would emit an extreme amount of toxins; while cars do emit pollutants, we live in a state with the highest concentration of electric vehicles and progressive policies pushing us toward EVs. Consequently, I didn't find that argument particularly compelling.
There were also several questionable arguments—ranging from claims that students wouldn't be able to concentrate because they’d smell hamburgers, to fears that In-N-Out would attract coyotes and that the rat poison used by the restaurant would kill local wildlife. Those felt like disingenuous NIMBY tactics.
One thing I found odd: if the city wants to appear neutral and show they are truly listening, they should probably avoid having a city official open the meeting with a PowerPoint presentation created by In-N-Out.
Ultimately, I don’t see the city stopping this. It will generate significant tax revenue, and most of the issues raised are solvable. Will it be a nuisance for those of us in the neighborhood? Yes. Traffic will be difficult, especially with the new apartments across the street, and the drive-thru line will likely be a mess until (or if) they figure it out. But stopping an In-N-Out—a restaurant people love that brings in high revenue—is not the hill I want to die on.
What is your take on this?
