Local

Orange Co. tells subdivisions to take surveillance cameras off public property

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County leaders have a bone to pick with more than a dozen subdivisions that have surveillance cameras that watch over the residents.
 
The county claims the cameras are illegally placed on public property. County officials want the homeowners associations to move them.
 
If they don't comply the county may take matters into their own hands and do it themselves.
 
The Orange County Public Works Department sent letters to more than a dozen homeowners associations demanding the cameras be moved off public property and on to private property.
 
"Well, I think we have ours that way in our subdivision. I mean, I don't know, I think we have bigger fish to fry, right?  It does seem like a petty issue," said Ian Popeson, who lives in the Dr. Phillips area.
 
Some residents said they don't have a problem with the cameras on public property, but they don't want them trained on the residents of the subdivisions.
 
"As long as it's watching the people coming into the place and not across the street or down the block or something," said resident J.P. Bouliane
 
Last year some association leaders received a letter that said: "Orange County prohibits the installation of surveillance cameras in the public right-of-way."
It went on to say, "This notice is issued for the removal of the surveillance camera from the public right-of-way and placed on your property."
 
According to the county, the communities were in violation of county rules because they didn't ask for permission or got proper permits for the cameras.
 
Channel 9's Ryan Hughes has learned that some of those neighborhoods have moved their cameras on to private property.
 
The Board of County Commissioners will discuss the issue next week and decide what to do with the communities still in violation.