Richardson City Council will not pursue Amazon rezoning after drone complaints

The drone program launched in early December, and since the launch, residents who live near the Amazon facility have shared concerns about the noise, frequency and height of the drones that fly over their houses every day.

The city cannot regulate most of the issues brought up in the complaints, Magner said, as the drones are largely regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Some residents advocated for council to take action by rescinding the zoning change that allows the facility to operate deliveries.

“The council thoroughly reviewed the existing zoning as well as the legal considerations around pursuing a rezoning of the property,” Magner said. “[The council] found the zoning to be legal.”

Magner said the council determined that the legal risks of rezoning would be too consequential for that to be a “viable or prudent option.”

How we got here

Amazon introduced changes to its drone delivery program in February after complaints by Richardson residents.

The adjustments included increasing the minimum height of outbound flights to 225 feet and redirecting select outbound flights to route eastward over the commercial area before entering the Creek Hollow Estates neighborhood, both aimed at reducing drone noise in neighborhoods.

Amazon also reduced drone overflight of the greenway east of Woodcreek Church.

Sam Bailey, senior manager of economic development policy at Amazon, said there was “more work to do” when he introduced the changes at the March 9 council meeting.

Another thing

Scott Bratcher, the Home Owner’s Association president of the Woods of Spring Creek neighborhood, said the drones are still a “nightmare,” even after the flight adjustments. At the April 6 meeting, Bratcher said he and some of his neighbors are considering asking for a reduction in property tax value from the county.

“We really need to get this resolved because the noise is terrible,” Bratcher said.

What’s next

Magner said the council’s decision has been communicated to the residents who made complaints with the city. He encouraged residents to direct their attention to the FAA, who can regulate flight patterns, frequency and altitude, as well as federal elected officials.

Magner said he hopes the clarity around Amazon’s zoning rights will encourage the company to continue working with the city to introduce adjustments to the drone program.

“The council did their due diligence in evaluating their options and are doing what they believe is best for the city of Richardson and making sure that they’re taking steps to not expose us to unnecessary liability,” Magner said. “I still believe that we can continue to refine the strategies that [Amazon] puts in place to hopefully improve as much as possible.”