Iowa City City Council Bans Traffic Cameras, Drones

Likely temporary

Rather than allow residents of Iowa City, Iowa to decide whether to impose a permanent ban on red light cameras, speed cameras and drones, the city council unanimously decided Tuesday to exercise the option of directly adopting the proposed initiative with some modification. This marks the first time that a city council with a strong pro-camera majority has repealed an automated ticketing ordinance in response to a public petition.

Four of the council members spoke in favor of cameras Tuesday, and only one was strongly against them (another, Michelle Payne, only opposed the staff's attempt at justifying camera use). These supporters made it clear they considered adopting the initiative as a temporary moratorium rather than a permanent ban.