Donelson HOA Board of Directors held meeting regarding installation of license plate reader cameras

DONELSON, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Donelson Homeowners Association Board of Directors is looking to install its own license plate readers (LPRs).

LPRs are cameras designed to capture and record license plates, and the Harborview neighborhood wants these cameras installed throughout the area.

Board members said they were fed up with crime and the city not installing its own cameras.

Homeowners in the Harborview neighborhood shared their thoughts on the issue ahead of the HOA board meeting.

“What, someone else is spying on us,” said Harborview homeowner Augustine Chiper. he said.

Chiper said it was a controversial proposal.

While some homeowners say installing LPRs is a step too far in terms of invasion of privacy, others say they can help police prevent crime in the neighborhood.

Harborview homeowner Molly Moore said she supports installing them, especially after a recent shooting in the neighborhood.

Moore said the latest attack took place very close to him.

“The person was standing in our front yard when the shots rang out, so it really excited my husband and I to hear that we were going to take action to prevent bad things from happening in the neighborhood,” Moore said.

HOA board members held a virtual meeting Friday night to discuss how they plan to pay for LPR cameras, tell homeowners they can opt out of cameras that read license plates and hear questions from opponents.

Moore said he attended the virtual meeting knowing what mixed views would emerge.

“I knew that discussions about issues like privacy and the cost involved would probably run rampant,” Moore said.

HOA board members said the funding for these LPRs would come from the regular monthly HOA fees people already pay, and the monthly fees would not increase, but many said those funds could be used in other ways to make the neighborhood better.

“But I think I can understand to some extent that this information is not going to be made public, so no one is going to pull the data unless anyone does something bad,” Moore said.

HOA board members said an online voting portal has been activated for people to vote for or against LPRs. This portal will close on Wednesday and a decision will be made.

If LPRs are approved, they could be installed in November.

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