The Anna City Council voted unanimously Jan. 14, 2025, to amend planned-development ordinance No. 648-2014 (PD 24-5) to allow a commercial drone-delivery hub at the Walmart on Buddy Hayes Boulevard.

The hub proposed by Walmart and operator Zipline would include nine double-dock charging towers and two single-dock loading kiosks adjacent to the store’s pharmacy entrance, staff said. Zipline representatives said the aircraft climb to about 300 feet for transit, fly at roughly 70 mph, and carry payloads up to about 8 lb. Connor Wilkinson, Zipline’s DFW representative, told the council that measurements taken near docks show noise levels under typical conversational volume and that “zips are quieter than most common neighborhood sounds.”

City planning staff recommended the PD amendment with added landscaping and an 8-foot ornamental screen to obscure the equipment area from Buddy Hayes and Brock Morton boulevards. The council’s discussion focused on whether the city should adopt local restrictions on hours of operation, privacy and special locations (for example hospitals or schools) before permitting drone operations. Several council members said they wanted a local unmanned-aircraft policy available as a framework for future requests.

During the public hearing, Walmart’s Steve Grama said the company sees drone delivery as a customer convenience, noting rapid deliveries for urgent household and health items. Walmart staff said deliveries would follow store and pharmacy rules; Walmart staff also said the company’s current plan is for operations similar to its online pickup and delivery hours. A Zipline representative said typical service windows run from early morning until late evening; Walmart told council its online-delivery operation generally would operate roughly 6 a.m.–10 p.m.

Council members tested technical details with Zipline representatives, asking how the aircraft would avoid other low-altitude users such as helicopters, crop-dusting aircraft and hot-air balloons. A Zipline controller and its FlightIQ autonomy suite, the company said, use onboard sensors and an FAA-approved remote-identification protocol; Zipline said it coordinates with FAA and local airspace users and monitors flights from remote controllers.

Council member debate included praise for the technology’s potential to reduce local vehicle trips and help residents with urgent needs, balanced against requests for local policies addressing hours and sensitive sites. Councilman Lee Carver moved to table the item briefly for staff to consider policy language; the council returned from a closed legal discussion and then approved the PD amendment unanimously.

The ordinance authorizes the drone hub as an accessory use under the Walmart PD; the applicant must still submit a site plan, obtain building and operational permits and meet the screening and landscape standards adopted as part of the PD amendment.

If built, the hub would be the first Zipline–Walmart commercial drone site in the city. City staff said they will return with any permit-level conditions and continue community outreach, including school STEM engagement described by Zipline.

ENDING: The council asked staff to prepare draft local guidance on unmanned aircraft for future cases; the city will post permit documents and site plans on its website when submitted.