Cities are preparing to regulate the ground facilities behind expanding drone-delivery networks, even as the FAA retains authority over national-airspace operations, according to reporting by DRONELIFE.
Northglenn, Colorado, has not received an application for a drone hub, but city officials are considering a dedicated land-use ordinance after Wing and Walmart inquired about potentially expanding into the area. The City Council held a first reading on October 12 and is scheduled to consider a second reading on October 26.
If approved, the ordinance would require operators to obtain a one-year special-use permit. Hubs would be limited to industrially zoned areas, with staging areas capped at 10% of a lot or 10,000 square feet, whichever is less. Operations would be restricted to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and could not run outside the hours of the hub’s principal retail establishment.
The proposal also covers rooftop staging areas and would bar hubs within 200 feet of residential parcels, childcare facilities, schools and critical facilities such as police, fire and utility sites. Noise could not exceed 65 decibels at the property boundary, and operators would have to file an incident and emergency-response plan.
The rules are being considered ahead of a planned commercial expansion, not as a response to an existing Northglenn delivery operation. Wing and Walmart said on October 5 that they plan to bring service to the Denver and Seattle metropolitan areas in 2027. Wing said the expansion is intended to extend the partnership to nearly 20 major U.S. markets and more than 270 Walmart locations, with aircraft carrying up to five pounds and completing thousands of residential deliveries each day.
Salem’s City Council voted on October 12 to study zoning options and possible state legislation governing delivery hours, drop-off locations and noise. The city’s review is also anticipatory: officials are considering the issue before any future service arrives, including Amazon Prime Air’s expected operation from Portland in early 2027.