Meridian council directs staff to prepare findings denying In N Out drive-thru at Costco corner after hours of testimony

The Meridian City Council on Sept. 9 moved to deny an In N Out Burger conditional-use permit for a 2.2-acre site at the Costco-anchored shopping center on North 10 Mile Road, directing staff to draft written findings supporting the denial. The vote followed a de novo hearing that drew more than 190 written comments and more than two hours of public testimony from nearby residents and business representatives.

In N Outsenior development manager Cassie Reese told the council the company had revised plans to reduce late-night impacts and to add mitigation: the store would close at midnight instead of 1:30 a.m., limit delivery hours to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., add denser landscaping on the western boundary and new pedestrian connections, and commit to a tailored grand-opening traffic-control plan. "We do a traffic plan that's tailored to that site," Reese said, adding that In N Out has done similar…