Resident David Morrow urges Larimer County to review utility pole-mounted devices

David Morrow, a Belleview resident, told the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners during public comment that contractors recently asked permission to "put a camera and a sensor" on poles inside his property and that similar small, solar-powered black boxes with two lens-like features have since been installed on utility poles around his home and through LaPorte.

"They told me they were for wildfire detection," Morrow said, adding he has tried without success to obtain technical specifications from the utility identified in the record as "XL." Morrow said crews drove onto a neighbor's property without permission while installing the devices and that at least a dozen now surround his lot.

Chair Jod Shai McN. told Morrow the county does maintain policies governing cameras and devices on poles and that staff would look into the matter. "We do have a policy about cameras going on certain things like telecommunication poles and things like that," the chair said. Commissioner Kristen Stevens encouraged Morrow to share additional details with staff and said commissioners could help connect him with utility contacts and local electric cooperatives.

The board said county staff (Tony Brooks was named in the record) has reached out to the utility and was also asking whether the devices are solar lighting or wildfire-detection sensors. Commissioners suggested Mr. Morrow contact the utility and the local electrical cooperative, and they invited him to provide further documentation by email so staff can follow up.