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Mesquite approves two-year drone delivery staging area at Towne East Mall with site-plan, screening requirements
Summary
Council approved a two-year, nontransferable conditional use permit for Wing Aviation to operate a drone delivery "nest" at Towne East Mall, requiring an approved site plan, 8-foot screening, removal of inoperative equipment, and landscaping upgrades; vote was 5-2.
The Mesquite City Council voted 5-2 to grant Wing Aviation LLC a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate a drone delivery staging area at Towne East Mall, with a set of conditions and a required approved site plan before the CUP is issued.
Staff described the requested use as a roughly 3,000-square-foot fenced staging area (a "nest") that would include three clusters of six charging pads, visual landing markers, a 20-foot metal storage container, a battery-powered generator and support equipment. The company plans to partner with DoorDash to deliver prepackaged food and convenience items from mall vendors to nearby residences within an approximate six-mile radius. Adam Bailey, the city's planning director, noted that flight paths, operations and noise are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Wing representative Josh Bucci said the company's drones are light (about 12 pounds), designed with redundancy for safety, and that operations in other DFW locations have produced minimal noise complaints. Council members pressed the applicant and staff on insurance and liability, hours of operation (staff and applicant said flights would be limited to daylight at present), how the company would coordinate with the Mesquite Airport and how the operation could affect future redevelopment of the mall area.
Councilmembers who supported the CUP stressed the experimental nature of the site and the potential economic and traffic benefits of reduced vehicle trips. Dissenting members said they were concerned about the visual and pavement impacts of using the parking lot and the long-term effect on redevelopment of the Towne East corridor. The approved motion includes the P&Z-recommended stipulations: a two-year term; the CUP is nontransferable and limited to Wing Aviation; the staging area must be screened with an 8-foot fence (decorative metal or black-coated chain-link with mesh); any inoperative or unused equipment must be removed within 30 days; only battery-powered generators are allowed; and staff recommended that prior to CUP issuance an approved site plan meet engineering, building, and landscape standards similar to the Sears redevelopment project. The CUP passed 5-2.
Council directed staff to ensure the site plan and stipulations are satisfied before Wing begins operations.
