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Planning commission forwards PD amendment for Red Bud Blvd site tied to Walmart–Zipline proposal
Summary
The Plan and Zoning Commission on March 23 voted 7-0 to forward a planned-district amendment for 2041 Red Bud Boulevard to allow detached accessory structures; applicants including Walmart and Zipline presented the project as a drone delivery hub and said other approvals will follow.
The City of McKinney Plan and Zoning Commission on March 23 unanimously recommended approval and forwarded to City Council a planned-district (PD) amendment for property at 2041 Red Bud Boulevard. The commission’s vote was 7-0; City Council will consider the item on April 15, 2025.
City staff told commissioners the item had been previously heard and recommended again for approval after an earlier City Council meeting failed to reach quorum. Applicant Ryan Trimble, representing Walmart, and Stephanie Cook of Zipline told the commission the project is part of a retail partner’s effort to deliver small items by autonomous aircraft. Cook outlined operational experience in other North Texas locations and said early test deliveries — including a pilot program in Mesquite — had completed portions of p2 (parcel-to-person) service.
Zipline representatives said delivery operations would begin with a radius smaller than their 10-mile capability, likely about two miles at launch, and that the delivery payload is limited to roughly eight pounds. Cook described sound levels for the delivery drones in the range of about 53–60 decibels at customer drop points and said the system uses a two‑stage approach (a larger aircraft flying higher and a smaller droid descending to the delivery point) to minimize community impacts. She also said the device’s on-the-ground delivery is ‘‘touchless’’ and that staff have coordinated or plan to coordinate with police and fire departments ahead of launches in other cities.
No members of the public registered to speak on the item at the hearing. Commissioner Woodard moved to close the public hearing and approve the item per staff recommendation; Commissioner Hammock seconded and the motion passed 7-0. The item will go to City Council for final action on April 15, 2025. The project still requires subsequent permits, Federal Aviation Administration approvals where applicable, and any city-level operating or site permits prior to deliveries.
