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Solvang staff to finalize draft video-surveillance policy after council feedback
Summary
Council directed staff to revise the draft video-surveillance policy to add a prohibition on marketing uses, clarify access controls, retain video for one year, disable audio by default, and return the updated policy as a consent item for final adoption.
City staff asked the Solvang City Council on Aug. 11 to review a draft video-surveillance policy tied to a proposed pilot of fixed-position cameras. The council provided direction to refine the draft and asked staff to return the policy for council approval as a consent item.
Staff said the pilot would include seven fixed-position, AI-enabled cameras installed and serviced through XIT Solutions with Verkada software, and that the $150,000 figure presented includes hardware and a one-year software license. Staff recommended retention of recorded video for up to 365 days in line with government-code expectations and recommended that audio capture be disabled by default and prohibited for routine use.
The draft policy presented core elements: authorized uses (public-safety monitoring, evidence collection, emergency response, cultural-preservation uses), prohibited uses (discriminatory targeting, personal use, and other non-city purposes), role-based access controls, signage at camera locations, a complaint process, audit logs and annual audits of policy compliance. Staff recommended limiting active monitoring to defined circumstances and keeping routine deployment in a passive mode where footage is reviewed only for specific incidents or in response to public-safety requests.
Council direction and changes asked for during the meeting included: (1) explicitly prohibit use of footage for marketing or promotional purposes; (2) remove or clarify references that might unintentionally permit audio capture and instead keep audio disabled; (3) confirm that storage and license fees are included in the one-time pilot cost for the stated period; (4) add clearer role-based access language and chain-of-custody steps for evidence requests; and (5) return a redlined policy with those changes for final approval as a consent item.
Public comment included a request to balance privacy protections with the need to preserve evidence for criminal investigations and a suggestion to ensure the policy does not bar lawful evidence use by investigators.
Next steps: Staff will update the draft policy to include the council’s requested changes and return it for formal adoption on a future consent calendar. Implementation will include public signage at camera locations, legal review and an annual audit process.
