Fort Wright will introduce an ordinance regulating drone delivery services when the City Council meets Sept. 2 at 6 p.m.

Ordinance 09-2026, listed for its first reading on the council's agenda, would establish local rules for drone deliveries in the city of about 6,000 residents. The effort traces back to March, when Walmart's regional government relations director contacted Fort Wright about expanding drone delivery into the area.

The council responded by passing a six-month moratorium on drone operations in April, approved 5-0 at a special meeting on April 15. City Administrator Jill Bailey told the Kenton County Planning Commission on Aug. 6 that Walmart had declined multiple invitations to attend a public city meeting, prompting the moratorium. That moratorium has been extended to Oct. 15.

The planning commission voted unanimously on Aug. 6 to approve a Fort Wright text amendment allowing Delivery Drone Stations as an accessory use in General Industrial zones, subject to conditional use approval. The GI zones sit along Madison Pike, north and south of I-275. Walmart's Fort Wright store is zoned Planned Unit Development, not GI, meaning the amendment would not currently permit a drone station at that site.

"This is not really about Walmart specifically," Bailey told the planning commission on Aug. 6. She noted the Cleveland Clinic has started prescription drone delivery, a pizza chain has discussed it, and Amazon is likely to enter the space.

Bailey, who is in her final month before retirement after a 31-year career, also told the commission that Walmart mentioned a five-mile delivery radius. That range would extend beyond Fort Wright into Fort Mitchell, Edgewood, Taylor Mill and Covington.

Ambulance bids, road plan and more

The Sept. 2 agenda also includes ambulance bid opening results. The city solicited sealed bids in July for a new ambulance after Fire Chief Steve Schewe received council approval in April. Specifications call for a heavier-duty chassis, four-wheel drive and a Dodge Ram platform, with a minimum two-year production timeline. Bids closed Aug. 13. The specific bid amounts have not been made public ahead of the meeting.

Council will also review the city's five-year road plan. City Engineer Marty Hellmann presented road condition data at a March 18 caucus meeting, flagging Mt. Vernon and Henry Clay near Covington as problem areas. At the city's typical $600,000 annual road budget, addressing Mt. Vernon alone would take seven years. Mayor Dave Hatter called that timeline unacceptable and floated increasing the annual budget to $1 million. Fort Wright maintains 97 centerline miles of city roads.

A resolution on the Law Enforcement Navigator Program is also on the agenda as unfinished business. The LEN program pairs social workers with police to follow up on calls involving substance use, mental health and food insecurity. It is funded by opioid settlement payments. The resolution was tabled in April after a delay in preparing the interlocal agreement. Police Chief Jonathan Colwell supported joining the program at an estimated cost of about $20,000 per year to the city, according to the March 18 caucus minutes.

The meeting is at Fort Wright City Hall, 409 Kyles Lane. Residents can speak during the citizen comments portion at the start of the session.