Residents urge council to "honor the plan" amid conditional-use concerns; public and staff discuss FOIA and LPR exemptions

During floor discussion on March 3 resident Chuck Courier told the Woodstock City Council that fear among neighbors over a pending conditional-use application is "real and rational," saying residents lack the resources of business applicants and asking the council to "honor your plan" and put community priorities first.

The mayor and council acknowledged that planning decisions can be lengthy and noted the council is not bound by the Planning Commission’s recommendation. Courier said residents are using personal time and money to respond to the application and urged the council to prioritize long-term residential vision over short-term extraction.

Later in public comment a member of the public asked about Flock LPR (license-plate-reader) screenshots circulating on social media and whether FOIA rules permit release. City legal staff said exemptions are situational and explained there is a specific exemption for LPR data; they also said body-camera FOIA rules differ and that video already adjudicated as part of a conviction must be released under current law. Legal staff reported the particular screenshot circulating was likely shared by an officer with a crash victim (not evidence of a system hack), and council asked staff for a written assessment of applicable FOIA exemptions, an explanation of staff burden, and a public summary to be made available to interested residents.

The council directed staff to prepare written guidance addressing FOIA exemptions, the LPR exemption, and the anticipated staff burden of handling such requests; staff indicated the response will be case by case but that the city will prepare an explanatory summary.