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Resident raises camper and privacy camera questions; council cites current ordinances and sheriff's guidance
Summary
A resident asked whether a camper and a neighbor's video camera violated city ordinances. Council determined the camper complied with current code and staff relayed sheriff's office guidance that cameras aimed at areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy may be illegal under Minnesota law.
During the public forum on July 6, a resident questioned whether a neighbor's camper and a private video camera violated city ordinances. The council reviewed the relevant sections of the municipal code and concluded the camper conforms to current ordinance language; no municipal code violations were found. The minutes note the City can only enforce ordinances as they are written.
Staff cited guidance from the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office regarding private video cameras, saying that "if a camera is located on private property and is pointed toward an area where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, it may be illegal under Minnesota law. However, if it is pointed toward an open front yard, public street, or park where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, it is legal." The council did not direct staff to draft ordinance changes during this meeting; it recorded that enforcement options are limited to existing code language.
