Former deli to In-N-Out?

After being vacant for years, the building that once housed Kaplan’s Deli may turn into an In-N-Out Burger. The iconic fast-food chain wants to take over the spot right off the 405 Freeway on Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, which was the last in a chain of Jewish delicatessens that went out of business in 2005, but the burger joint wants to change more at the location than the food offerings.

Preliminary planning department approvals allow the restaurant to put up a 65-foot sign on Harbor (about twice the height of the current sign) to lure in freeway traffic as well as a large sign on Gisler Avenue. The restaurant would have a long drive-through, whereas its predecessor was sit-down only. And food would be served until 1 a.m. on weeknights and 1:30 a.m. on weekends.

Questioning the impacts that some of those changes could have on the entrance to the city and the surrounding neighbors in the state streets and Mesa Verde, the Planning Commission called the plans up for a review.

The body will consider the issue at a public hearing scheduled for May 11, but a few have already weighed in.

The owners of the Vagabond Inn, through their lawyers, sent a letter to the city detailing 12 objections they have to the proposed plan, mostly dealing with traffic concerns.

Situated on the city’s main thoroughfare, adjacent to the entrances and exits to the area’s major freeway, the hotel complained that In-N-Out customers would clog the already heavily used roadways.

In-N-Out is asking for two entrances, one on Harbor and one on Gisler.

Mesa Verde resident Dennis Ashendorf echoed some of Vagabond’s concerns at the Planning Commission meeting Monday night. Although he likes the idea of having an In-N-Out nearby, Ashendorf looked to other local In-N-Out’s like the one on Bristol Street as examples of how the diner’s popularity can cause severe traffic problems.

Those other restaurants often have drive-through lines that spill into the streets during busy meal times.

“Cars are in the road blocking the road on Bristol, and I consider that minor compared to the stretch of Harbor Boulevard. That may be the wrong restaurant for that spot no matter how much I hate to say it,” he said.

Vagabond also objected to the hours of operation, saying the late crowd would disturb hotel guests.

Reporter ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.