Residents urge ban or tighter rules for delivery robots and press for traffic fixes near Glenoaks

Several speakers raised safety concerns at the June 30 council meeting, asking the city to consider stricter controls on delivery robots and to address local traffic and parking issues.

Tony Pazuello told the council that proposed regulations—fleet sizes, speed restrictions, geofencing and ADA standards—look good on paper but fail in unpredictable real-world interactions with people, especially people using wheelchairs or walkers. “When the conflict is inevitable and the machines have venture capital backing ... I strongly and very strongly urge you to ban these robots before one of these videos becomes a tragedy in Glendale,” Pazuello said, citing incidents in other jurisdictions.

Resident Mike Mulhall urged traffic safety improvements at the Glenoaks Boulevard and Harvey Drive intersection after a recent three-car crash and other collisions at the same location. He also raised concerns about plans to convert parking near the Glendale Library into green space, saying that could reduce handicapped parking and deter library use by people with mobility limitations.

An anonymous phone caller later asked whether the city would permit Waymo robot taxis; Mayor Kassakhian responded that the city would need to set regulatory parameters—insurance, accessibility standards, permitting and possible disallowance depending on impacts—before authorizing such services.

Council did not adopt any immediate regulatory changes during the meeting; commenters requested the council consider stricter rules or bans and directed staff to evaluate traffic-safety measures.