(PORTLAND, Oreg.) — The Portland City Council is actively taking measures to restrict unmanned delivery drones, such as those used by Amazon.
A resolution to authorize the city attorney to notify the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) of the city's intent to consider a moratorium on commercial unmanned aircraft systems (drones) facilities in the future was passed during the meeting on Wednesday, October 15.
Photo Credit: YouTube / eGov PDX
According to portland.gov, council offices have received a high volume of constituent outreach related to the development of facilities necessary to support commercial unmanned aircraft systems in the last month.
For example, since September 28, messages to District 2 councilors regarding these facilities have represented the single most common topic received through ZenDesk. This legislation seeks to be responsive to this outreach.
Council anticipates significant community involvement in the decision process on whether or not to impose a moratorium, including outreach to councilors individually, written and oral testimony, and other forms of communication.
Councilor Sameer Kanal and Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney introduced the resolution.
Video Credit: Photo Credit: YouTube / eGov PDX
Micah Mescal, representing the Alliance of Oregon as Conservation Director, urged the council to support an immediate moratorium on drone facilities and develop a policy to limit negative impacts. He cited concerns about human health, safety, privacy, and growing research indicating that drones harm wildlife, especially native birds during migration and nesting.
He offered the Alliance's expertise to help inform city policy.
“We are ready to dig in during the moratorium alongside the city’s planning staff, its terrestrial wildlife biologist, its noise control officer, and community members to help inform the city’s own policy that incorporates the best practices and available science to protect our city’s wildlife and residents,” Mescal said.
Mescal also spoke about the experience gained from working with Oregon State Parks.
“Over the last two years, we’ve been engaging with Oregon State Parks to help inform and adopt strong drone regulations to protect native birds, wildlife, and people in Oregon State Parks. And we’re ready to bring those learnings and policy concepts to a city policy,” Mescal said.
All those who signed up for public testimony were in favor of the moratorium.
Alice Christine Walker, a resident of East Columbia, testified in her personal capacity to amplify neighborhood concerns, as her neighborhood association had not yet formally adopted a position. She expressed certainty that the District 2 councilors would support the request for a drone moratorium and respectfully asked other councilors to do the same.
Photo Credit: YouTube / eGov PDX
“I’m here to respectfully ask that the other district councilors support this as well and understand that you aren’t being asked to make a final decision today about the future of drones. You are simply being asked for time so that we can make an informed decision together as a city,” Walker said.
Jessica Marquez, a Kenton resident in District 2, stressed the 'critically urgent' nature of the issue, citing the rapid deterioration of livability in communities with Amazon drone deliveries. Marquez warned that drone operations would expand beyond one neighborhood or district and urged the council to be proactive.
“When you look at the reports of the immediate deterioration in livability in communities where Amazon has started drone deliveries, it is so deeply troubling. The current application to add drone operations in District 2 might feel distant from your district, but these drones have a delivery radius of 7.5 miles. And I understand Amazon is already looking at other properties around Portland to extend that radius. If Amazon wants done deliveries here, those operations won’t stay in one neighborhood or district,” Marquez said.
The council voted with 11 aye votes and 1 absent to consider a moratorium on building facilities for Amazon delivery drones. The resolution will provide the council with time to consider the issue further as the situation develops.
OpGov.news has reached out to Amazon for comment and will update this article with any developments.
If you would like to comment on this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org.
0
0
Comments