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Hazel Park residents press council for transparency as Amazon Prime Air prepares drone site
Summary
Residents urged more public notice and safeguards after Amazon announced a drone-delivery site in Hazel Park; council members who visited a site in Arizona said Amazon answered questions but city officials said regulation of airspace is federal and scheduled more public outreach.
Hazel Park ' Residents and council members clashed over transparency and local impacts after Amazon announced a drone-delivery operation tied to a facility in the city.
At public comment, Sahed Mortaza Rose told the council he was "disappointed in the lack of transparency from the city and council about this initiative" and asked who paid for council members' fact-finding travel and what findings were shared with the public. Sarah Pitchford said the "sudden endorsement of Amazon's drone delivery before a full process of community input feels out of alignment with the values that we say we hold," and listed concerns about surveillance, impacts on small businesses and access to meetings.
City Manager Ed Cloer said the planning commission approved construction permits and that he used his administrative authority to pause construction while the city gathered information. "The city of Hazel Park does not regulate the airspace over the city of Hazel Park. All airspace is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration," Cloer told the council, stressing the limits of local authority while the city seeks ways to limit adverse effects.
Several council members who toured an Amazon delivery site in Arizona described direct engagement with Amazon staff. Council Member Sullivan said the company answered many questions and agreed to additional community outreach; Council Member Washington and Council Member Londo reported similar briefings. Council members asked Amazon to schedule at least one meeting during nonwork hours to improve public participation.
Amazon has agreed to hold drop-in and virtual information sessions. Council members and staff said Amazon planned a drop-in meet-and-greet Thursday at the recreation center, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and that the company had been receptive to requests for additional sessions timed for residents' convenience. The city also said it will explore limited local measures modeled on a Romulus ordinance (for example, preferred times of operation and "deconfliction" with FAA flight-authority coordination), while acknowledging most regulatory authority rests at the federal level.
Next steps: Amazon will hold additional public meetings and virtual sessions; the city manager said he will seek model language with Romulus and report back to the council. The council did not vote on a ban or moratorium at the meeting.
