Committee approves public hearing on drone-based parking study

The Grand Rapids Public Safety Committee voted to set a public hearing on a proposal from Mobile GR to use small unmanned aerial systems (drones) to collect overhead imagery for a downtown parking investment study.

Mobile GR Director Jessica Smith told the committee the department is asking the body to approve scheduling a public hearing so the city commission can hear community comment before any purchase or deployment. “Our purpose today, we are seeking that resolution from you all to set a public hearing on this particular technology use for data collection,” Smith said.

The request would initiate a multi-step process: the committee votes to set a public hearing; the city commission would accept public feedback; and, if the commission supports the project, the matter would next go to the fiscal committee for approval of the purchase funding before vendor work begins. Brandon Davis of the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability (OPA) summarized the surveillance policy that governs such acquisitions, identifying it as administrative policy 15-03.

Mobile GR said it contracted OHM and QuantiFly to gather on-street and surface-lot occupancy data using drones optimized for mapping. Transportation planner Max Dillivan described the method: drones would fly roughly 300–400 feet above ground and capture high-resolution still imagery at four time periods across 2–3 weeks. The imagery would be processed by the consultants into anonymized deliverables — ortho mosaics, heat maps, tables and charts — showing vehicle counts, occupancy and turnover. “We won't be collecting any identifiable features such as license plates, vehicle identification numbers, bumper stickers,” Dillivan said.

Committee members questioned data retention, privacy and flight operations. One commissioner asked why consultants would archive raw imagery after producing maps; Dillivan said archiving permits future year-to-year comparisons if Mobile GR repeats the study. The mayor and other members pressed for contractual requirements that imagery be captured only in a nadir (straight-down) orientation and for language requiring deletion if the city decides it is not needed beyond the analysis. “Maybe put some simple language in the contract that would say something like, we're not going to collect or capture any images that aren't pointed directly down,” the mayor said.

Members also asked about distinguishing these flights from law-enforcement drones and about managing airspace where tall buildings, helicopters or recreational drones operate. Dillivan and Smith said contracted pilots will be licensed and will follow FAA and other applicable rules, and staff will wear high-visibility vests and label project teams to make operations visible to the public. A commissioner suggested publishing schedules to 311 and using social media to inform neighborhoods in advance.

On cost, Smith said the data-collection portion of the project is about $35,000 and the broader parking investment strategy is approximately $180,000; she added that fiscal committee review is where cost approval occurs. The committee discussed tree canopy and other limits to aerial counts and noted that manual counts may still be needed in obstructed areas.

The committee conducted a procedural motion to set the public hearing and the elected members present approved it. The mayor moved to set the public hearing; a support was recorded and the chair called the vote. “All in favor say aye,” the mayor said; “Aye.” The chair declared the motion passed.

The next steps described by staff are: (1) schedule the public hearing so the city commission can receive public comment; (2) following community input, refer any purchasing decision to the fiscal committee; (3) if the fiscal committee approves funding, Mobile GR and its consultants would proceed with the three-week imagery campaign and deliver anonymized analysis to the city.

Committee members said they expect the public hearing to focus on privacy, retention and neighborhood notice; staff said those issues can be addressed in contract language and during the public comment period.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Set a public hearing on Mobile GR’s drone-based data-collection request (mover: Mayor; second: not specified). Vote: approved (elected members present recorded the motion as passed).