Chick-fil-A’s latest expansion plans have flown the coop. The fast-food giant recently suffered a setback on a proposed location in Santa Barbara County, California, over environmental concerns…
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On March 26, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted 3-2 against a proposed Chick-fil-A at the former IHOP location at 4765 Calle Real.
The commission has told Chick-fil-A to get its ducks in a row. They can then return on May 27 with a revised plan that addresses the environmental concerns.
“I think eventually I am going to vote for this project,” Commissioner John Parke admitted, per Santa Barbara News-Press. ” I am not going to vote for it today.”
The commission majority stated that Chick-fil-A must prove the drive-thru won’t have a greater environmental impact than operating without one.
Commissioners Park, Kate Ford, and Michael Cooney voted for further environmental review. Meanwhile, Commissioners Vincent Martinez and Roy Reed voted in favor of the project moving forward.
“I really want this restaurant to go through, but I want this to be a win-win,” Ford explained.
Chick-fil-A’s proposal to open a new restaurant at a former IHOP location on Calle Real has raised concerns about traffic and environmental impact. The proposed site is near other popular drive-thrus, like Starbucks and In-N-Out. These chains already cause long lines and traffic congestion on Calle Real. The main worry is that Chick-fil-A’s popularity will worsen these existing issues.
Chick-Fil-A’s Attorney Pushes Back: ‘Air Quality Will Actually Be Improved by This Restaurant’
Beth Collins, an attorney for Chick-fil-A, stated that the restaurant’s maximum queue would be 31 cars, all contained within the parking lot. She added that 85% of the time, the queue would have 19 or fewer cars.
“We are probably going to make the In-N-Out queue better because instead of staying in that big old line, they are probably going to come over to our site too,” Collins reasoned.
Chick-fil-A rivals the local popularity of In-N-Out and is a popular hangout for high school and college students. The proposal had garnered more than 425 letters of support before the meeting.
Collins noted the company’s “huge brand loyalty” and argued the new restaurant would actually reduce vehicle miles traveled. She explained that fewer people from the surrounding area would need to drive to the next closest location to eat. According to Collins, 78% of the customers at the nearby Santa Barbara restaurant live in the same area as the proposed new site. They would not have to travel as far if the new restaurant is approved.
“Air quality will actually be improved by this restaurant,” Collins speculated.
Looks like Chick-fil-A will have to do more than just “eat mor chikin” to get their new location approved… they’ll need to figure out where to park them.