Traffic Camera Opponents Can Sign Iowa City Petition

By Gregg Hennigan, Reporter

A traffic camera at 1st Avenue NE and 10th Street NE in Cedar Rapids is surrounded by snow on Sunday, December 19, 2010. Some drivers are concerned about receiving tickets from the automated cameras during snowstorms if they slide into or through a red light at an intersection in slippery conditions. (Matt Nelson/SourceMedia Group News)

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Mar 5, 2013 at 6:54 PM CDT

Story Updated: Mar 5, 2013 at 6:54 PM CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa – People will have a chance March 9 to sign a petition against the use of red-light cameras and other traffic surveillance devices in Iowa City.

A local citizen’s group trying to outlaw traffic-enforcement cameras, license-plate readers and drones in Iowa City will hold its first signature drive event from 2-5 p.m. at I.C. Pit Stop, 300 Kirkwood Ave.

Iowa City residents Aleksey Gurtovoy and Martha Hampel are leading an effort to try to force the City Council to either repeal the city ordinance allowing traffic-enforcement cameras or to put the matter to a public vote. No cameras are up yet.

Opponents need the signatures of at least 2,500 registered Iowa City voters by early April as part of the petition process.

But even with a successful petition, the City Council may not have to act. The City Attorney’s Office has said city law requires another year to pass before the ordinance can be revisited, although Gurtovoy and Hampel have argued otherwise.

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