DONELSON, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Donelson Homeowners Association board is looking to install its own license plate readers (LPRs).

LPRs are cameras designed to capture and record vehicle license plates, and the Harborview neighborhood wants to have these cameras installed throughout the area.

Council members said they are tired of the crime and the city is not installing its own cameras.

Homeowners in the Harborview neighborhood shared their thoughts on the topic ahead of the HOA board meeting.

Harborview owner Augustine Chiper said, “What, another one spying on us.”

Chiper said it’s a controversial proposition.

Some homeowners say installing LPRs is an invasion of privacy a step too far, while others say they could help police crack down on neighborhood crime.

Harborview homeowner Molly Moore said she supports their installation, especially after a recent shooting in the neighborhood.

Moore said the recent shooting hit very close to home.

“The person was sitting in our yard when the shots were fired, so hearing that we’re going to take steps to deter bad things from happening in the neighborhood made my husband and I excited,” Moore said.

HOA board members held a virtual meeting Friday night to discuss how they pay for LPR cameras, tell homeowners they can opt out of cameras that read their plates and hear questions from those who object.

Moore said he went into the virtual meeting knowing what kind of mixed opinions would emerge.

“We knew that there were probably going to be discussions all over the place about privacy and the costs associated with it, all of those things,” Moore said.

HOA board members said funding for these LPRs would come from the regular monthly fees people have already paid and the monthly fees would not increase, but many said those funds could be used in other ways to improve the neighborhood.

“I think I can understand that to a certain extent, though, that information is not going to be released publicly, so as long as nobody’s doing anything wrong, nobody’s going to mine the data,” Moore said.

HOA board members said an online voting portal has been activated for people to vote for or against LPRs. That portal will come on Wednesday and a decision will be made.

If the LPRs are approved, they could be installed sometime in November.

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