[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Phillipsburg 7-19-2022 by Ord. No. O:2022-23:2012-17.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance superseded former Ch. A640, Cable Television Franchise, adopted 9-4-2012 by Ord. No. O:2012-17.
The Town hereby grants to Comcast of its nonexclusive municipal consent to place in, upon, across, above, over and under highways, streets, alleys, sidewalks, easements, public ways and public places in the municipality, poles, wires, cables, underground conduits, manholes and other television conductors, fixtures, apparatus and equipment as may be necessary for the construction, operation and maintenance in the Town of a cable television and communications system. This consent is subject to the terms and conditions of this chapter and upon the condition that the company accepts the provisions of this chapter and confirms that it shall comply with the commitments contained herein.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein. Such meaning or definition of terms is supplemental to those definitions of the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") rules and regulations, 47 C.F.R. Subsection 76.1 et seq., and the Cable Communications Policy Act, 47 U.S.C. Section 521 et seq., as amended, and the Cable Television Act, N.J.S.A. 48:5A-1 et seq., and shall in no way be construed to broaden, alter or conflict with the federal and state definitions:
ACT OR CABLE TELEVISION ACT
Chapter 186 of the General Laws of New Jersey, and subsequent amendments thereto, N.J.S.A. 48:5A-1, et seq.
APPLICATION
The company's application for municipal consent.
BOARD OR BPU
The Board of Public Utilities, State of New Jersey.
CABLE SERVICE
The one-way transmission to subscribers of (i) video programing or (ii) other programing service, and subscriber interaction, if required for the selection or use of such video programming or other programing service.
COMPANY
The grantee of rights under this chapter and is known as Comcast of Northwest New Jersey, LLC.
FCC
The Federal Communications Commission.
OFFICE OR OCTV
The Office of Cable Television of the Board.
PRIMARY SERVICE AREA OR PSA
Consists of the area of the municipality where the company shall provide service at standard and nonstandard installation rates, as set forth in the map annexed to the company's application for municipal consent and as agreed to by the parties.
[Amended 3-7-2023 by Ord. No. O:2023-03]
TOWN OR MUNICIPALITY
Town of Phillipsburg, County of Warren, State of New Jersey.
A public hearing concerning the consent herein granted to the company was held after proper public notice pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Act. Said hearing having been held and fully open to the public, and the municipality having received all comments regarding the qualifications of the company to receive this consent, and the representations of the company that the company possesses the necessary legal, technical, character, financial and other qualifications and that the company's operating and construction arrangements are adequate and feasible.
A. 
The nonexclusive municipal consent granted herein shall expire 10 years from the effective date.
B. 
In the event that the municipality shall find that the company has not substantially complied with the material terms and conditions of this chapter, the municipality shall have the right to petition the OCTV, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:5A-47, for appropriate action, including modification and/or termination of the certificate of approval; provided however, that the municipality shall first have given the company written notice of all alleged instances of noncompliance and an opportunity to cure same within 90 days of that notification.
Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Act, the company shall, during each year of operation under the consent granted herein, pay to the Town 2% of the gross revenues from all recurring charges in the nature of subscription fees paid by subscribers for cable service in the Town or any higher amount permitted by the Act or otherwise allowable by law, whichever is greater.
The consent granted under this chapter for the franchise shall apply to the entirety of the municipality and any property subsequently annexed hereto.
[Amended 3-7-2023 by Ord. No. O:2023-03]
The company shall be required to proffer service to any residence along any public right-of-way in the primary service area, as set forth in the company's application. Any extension of plant beyond the primary service area shall be governed by the company's line extension policy, as set forth in the company's application, with a HPM ("homes-per-mile") of 35 dwellings per linear mile from the nearest active trunk or feeder line.
A. 
Restoration. In the event that the company or its agents shall disturb any pavement, street surfaces, sidewalks, driveways, or other surface in the natural topography, the company shall, at its sole expense, restore and replace such places or things so disturbed in as reasonably good a condition as existed prior to the commencement of said work.
B. 
Relocation. If at any time during the period of this consent, the city shall alter or change the grade of any street, alley or other way or place the Company, upon reasonable notice by the city, shall remove, re-lay or relocate its equipment, at the expense of the company.
C. 
Removal or trimming of trees. During the exercise of its rights and privileges under this franchise, the company shall have the authority to trim trees upon and overhanging streets, alleys, sidewalks or other public places of the city so as to prevent the branches of such trees from coming in contact with the wires and cable of the company. Such trimming shall be only to the extent necessary to maintain proper clearance of the company's wire and cables.
In providing cable service to its customers, the company shall comply with N.J.A.C. 14:18-1, et seq. and all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations. The company shall strive to meet or exceed all voluntary company and industry standards in the delivery of customer service.
A. 
The company shall continue to comply fully with all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations regarding credit for outages, the reporting of same to regulatory agencies and notification of same to customers.
B. 
The company shall continue to fully comply with all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations regarding the availability of devices for the hearing impaired and the notification of same to customers.
C. 
Nothing herein shall impair the right of any subscriber or the Town to express any comment with respect to telephone accessibility to the Complaint Officer or impair the right of the Complaint Officer to take any action that is permitted under applicable law.
The Office of Cable Television is hereby designated as the Complaint Officer for the Town pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:5A-26(b). All complaints shall be received and processed in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.5. The Town shall have the right to request copies of records and reports pertaining to complaints by Town customers from the OCTV.
During the term of this franchise, and any renewal thereof, the Company shall maintain a business office or agent in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14:18-5.1 for the purpose of receiving, investigating and resolving local complaints regarding the quality of service, equipment malfunctions, and similar matters.
During the life of the franchise the company shall give to the municipality a performance bond in the amount of $25,000. Such bond shall be to insure the faithful performance of all undertakings of the company as represented in its application for municipal consent incorporated herein.
The rates of the company shall be subject to regulation as permitted by federal and state law.
[Amended 3-7-2023 by Ord. No. O:2023-03]
A. 
Subject to applicable law, the company will provide courtesy cable television service on one outlet, to the municipal building, fire department facility, first aid squad, library, community or senior center and public works facility, provided each facility is within 200 feet of active cable distribution plant. Each additional outlet installed, if any, shall be paid for on a materials plus labor basis by the Town. Monthly service charges shall be waived on all additional outlets except for equipment.
B. 
Subject to applicable law, the company will provide courtesy cable television service on one outlet, to each public and private school in the municipality, provided each facility is within 200 feet of active cable distribution plant. Each additional outlet installed, if any, shall be paid for on a materials plus labor basis by the school requesting service. Monthly service charges shall be waived on all additional outlets except for equipment.
C. 
The Communications Act of 1934, as amended [47 U.S.C. § 543(b)(4)], allows the company to itemize and/or identify the amount on the monthly bill assessed to satisfy any requirements imposed on the company by the cable franchise to support public, educational, and governmental channels, or the use of such channels or any other services required under the franchise. The company reserves its external cost, pass-through rights to the extent permitted by law.
[Amended 3-7-2023 by Ord. No. O:2023-03]
A. 
The company shall make available a system-wide public access channel maintained by the company. Qualified individuals and organizations may utilize public access for the purpose of cablecasting noncommercial access programming in conformance with the company's published public access rules.
B. 
The company shall provide a system-wide leased access channel maintained by the company for the purpose of cablecasting commercial leased access programming in conformance with the company's guideline and applicable state and federal statutes and regulations.
C. 
The company shall not exercise editorial control over any educational or governmental use PEG access channels, except company may refuse to transmit any educational or governmental access program or portion of an educational or governmental access program that contains obscenity, indecency, or nudity.
D. 
The company shall take any steps that are necessary to ensure that the signals originated on the access channels are carried without material degradation, and with a signal whose quality is equal to that of the other standard channels that the company transmits.
A. 
The company will comply with the Emergency Alert System ("EAS") rules in accordance with applicable state and federal statutes and regulations.
B. 
The company shall in no way be held liable for any injury suffered by the municipality or any other person, during an emergency, if for any reason the municipality is unable to make full use of the cable television system as contemplated herein.
The company shall at all times maintain a comprehensive general liability insurance policy with a single-limit amount of $1,000,000 covering liability for any death, personal injury, property damages or other liability arising out of its construction and operation of the cable television system, and an excess liability (or "umbrella") policy in the amount of $5,000,000.
All of the statements and commitments contained in the application or annexed thereto and incorporated therein, and any amendment thereto, except as modified herein, are binding upon the company as terms and conditions of this consent. The application and other relevant writings submitted by the company shall be annexed hereto and made a part hereof by reference provided same do not conflict with applicable state or federal law.
Should the municipality grant a franchise or other authorization to construct, operate and maintain a cable television system to any other person, corporation or entity on terms materially less burdensome or more favorable than the terms contained herein, the company may substitute such language that is more favorable or less burdensome for the comparable provision of this chapter subject to the provisions of N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.7.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or other portion of this chapter is, for any reason, declared invalid, in whole or in part, by any court, agency, commission, legislative body, or other authority of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct, and independent portion. Such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof, which other portions shall continue in full force and effect.
Nothing in this franchise or in any prior agreement is or was intended to confer third-party beneficiary status on any member of the public to enforce the terms of such agreements or franchise.
The municipality shall endeavor to exercise reasonable efforts to require developers and utility companies to provide the company with at least 15 days' advance notice of an available open trench for the placement of necessary cable.
[Added 3-7-2023 by Ord. No. O:2023-03]
The company shall be required to complete any proposed construction within the service area described in the application. The timetable as presented in the application incorporated herein has been determined to be reasonable by the municipality.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon issuance of a certificate of approval from the BPU.