[Adopted 3-11-2009 by Ord. No. 897]
This article is established for the following
purposes:
A.
To assist the Township in managing its public rights-of-way,
with respect to telecommunications services providers in accordance
with applicable law;
B.
To regulate the erection, construction, reconstruction,
installation, operation, maintenance, repair and removal of a telecommunications
system in, upon, along, across, above, over, under or in any manner
connected with the public rights-of-way of the Township, as now or
in the future may exist; and
C.
To provide the Township with appropriate compensation
for occupation and use of the Township's public rights-of-way for
a telecommunications system and for the cost of regulating providers
of telecommunications services consistent with this article and applicable
law.
A.
The Township Manager, or his designated representative,
shall serve as the single point of contact within the Township for
all persons regulated under this article.
B.
The Township Manager shall coordinate all contacts
with other Township departments as necessary to facilitate issuance
of any and all permits required by the Code of the Township of Springfield.
C.
The Township Manager shall coordinate the preparation
of all policies and forms as necessary for the implementation of this
article with the approval of the Township Board of Commissioners.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise,
the meaning of the terms used in this article shall be as follows:
The person who has applied for a right-of-way permit or a
construction permit.
The form prescribed by the Township, which the applicant
must complete in order to obtain a right-of-way or construction permit.
The building, erection, or installation in, on, over or under
a right-of-way. It does not include maintenance or repair of existing
aerial cables or equipment in a right-of-way or a single line extension
from equipment in the right-of-way.
The written authorization granted by the Township to an applicant
in order to perform construction in a right-of-way.
A condition that poses a clear and immediate danger to life
or health, or significant loss of property.
Any tangible property located or proposed to be located in
a right-of-way, including, but not be limited to, wires, lines, cables,
conduits, pipes, supporting structures or other facilities.
Work of a minor nature that will keep an existing condition
from failure or decline.
The person who has obtained a right-of-way permit.
Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or other business entity.
The process by which a right-of-way is returned to a state
that is as good or better as its condition before construction.
The surface and space in, on and above any real property
in which the Township has an interest in law or in equity, including,
but not limited to, any public street, boulevard, avenue, road, highway,
easement, freeway, alley, court or any other place, other than real
property owned in fee by the Township.
A written authorization granted by the Township to an applicant
for use of the rights-of-way in the Township for wires, lines, cables,
conduits, pipes, supporting structures and other facilities.
The transmission, between or among points specified by the
user, of information of the user's choosing, without change in form
or content of the information sent and received.
The offering of telecommunications for a fee directly to
the public, or to users who will make telecommunications available
directly to the public, regardless of the facilities used.
A system that offers telecommunications services.
All equipment that is located wholly or partially underneath
a right-of-way.
A.
No person shall enter upon or occupy any right-of-way
for the purpose of installing, constructing, maintaining or operating
a telecommunications system without first having obtained a right-of-way
permit. Any person maintaining or operating a telecommunications system
as of the effective date of this article shall also obtain a right-of-way
permit.
B.
Before a right-of-way permit is issued, the holder
of or applicant for a right-of-way permit shall have applied for any
and all regulatory approvals, permits or authorizations from the appropriate
federal and state authorities. Upon the request of the Township, the
applicant shall submit written evidence of its applications for or
receipt of all such approvals, permits or authorizations.
C.
Nothing in this article shall be construed as a waiver
of any other ordinances or regulations of the Township or the Township's
right to require prospective or current right-of-way permit holders
to secure and remit payment for any and all other required permits
or authorizations.
A.
A right-of-way permit shall only be granted after
an applicant has completed an application in the form that has been
prescribed by the Township, which form may be revised from time to
time. Upon request, an applicant shall be provided with a copy of
the then-current application for a right-of-way permit. The application
shall request information regarding the applicant's proposed or actual
physical use and occupation of the rights-of-way. The applicant shall
provide specific information regarding the equipment it proposes to
place or currently maintains in the rights-of-way. If the completed
application does not fully provide such requested information, the
Township may request such additional information as is necessary to
enable it to make a determination regarding the physical use and occupation
of the rights-of-way by the applicant. The application may request
less information from a permit holder applying for a renewal of a
right-of-way permit.
B.
Upon submission of a fully completed application to
the Township and the accompanying fee, the Township shall review the
application as follows. The Township shall grant or deny such applications
within 60 days of its receipt. If the Township denies the application,
it shall provide a written response to the applicant explaining the
basis for denial. If the Township fails to grant or reject such application
within the time period specified above, the application shall be deemed
approved. In each case, the Township shall review the application
to determine whether such use would have a detrimental effect on public
safety as it relates to the rights-of-way or would place an undue
physical burden on the rights-of-way.
C.
In considering an application, the Township may use
such outside experts as it deems necessary to assist in determining
whether the use proposed by the applicant would have a detrimental
effect on the right-of-way or the health, safety and/or welfare of
the residents of the Township. In the event the Township deems it
necessary to employ an outside expert or experts to advise the Township
with respect to a particular application, the reasonable costs of
such expert or experts shall be borne by the applicant.
A.
The right-of-way permit shall be issued for a period
of one year. permit holders shall apply for a renewal of a right-of-way
permit at least 60 days prior to its expiration. The Township may
suspend such right-of-way permit in the event any one or more of the
following has occurred:
(1)
The permit holder shall have caused damage to Township
property or the right-of-way without the prior consent of the Township
(except in the case of an emergency) and without completing proper
restoration.
(2)
The permit holder or the permit holder's equipment
in the right-of-way has had a detrimental effect on public safety
as it relates to the permit holder's use of the rights-of-way.
(3)
The permit holder failed to pay any of the fees required
under this article.
(4)
The permit holder failed to comply with construction standards in accordance with the provisions contained in § 92-35 of this article.
(5)
The permit holder failed to indemnify, hold harmless and insure the Township in accordance with the provisions contained in § 92-36 of this article.
(6)
The permit holder failed to procure and/or maintain a performance or construction bond for the benefit of the Township in accordance with the provisions contained in § 92-39 of this article.
(7)
The permit holder provided false, incomplete or misleading
information on the right-of-way or construction permit application.
B.
If the Township has reason to believe that one or
more of the above events has occurred, it shall notify the permit
holder in writing. The permit holder shall have 30 days to cure the
violation, unless the Township reasonably determines that the event
is an emergency, in which case the Township may impose a shorter time
period to cure the violation.
C.
If the permit holder fails to cure the violation within
the specified time period, the Township may immediately suspend the
right-of-way permit. A suspension shall be brought to the attention
of the Board of Commissioners at its next meeting at which time the
Board of Commissioners shall be permitted to uphold or withdraw the
suspension. The permit holder shall be provided an opportunity to
be heard at such meeting.
A.
Except in the case of an emergency, before commencing
any construction in the rights-of-way, a person shall apply for and
obtain a construction permit. A construction permit shall only be
granted after an applicant has completed an application in the form
that has been prescribed by the Township, which form may be revised
from time to time. Upon request, an applicant shall be provided with
a copy of the current application for a construction permit. Such
application shall request detailed plans of the proposed construction
activity. Such plans shall describe:
B.
Upon submission of all such information required in § 92-32A above, the Township shall review such information and either grant or deny a construction permit within 60 days. If the Township denies the construction permit application, the Township will provide a written response to the applicant explaining the basis of the denial. If the Township fails to grant or deny the construction permit within the time period specified above, the application shall be deemed granted. In each case, the Township shall review the application to determine whether such construction would have a detrimental impact on public safety as it relates to the rights-of-way. The Township may impose conditions on the construction permit regulating the times, locations, and manner of construction to preserve effective traffic flow, prevent hazardous road conditions and/or minimize noise impacts.
A.
Each new applicant for a right-of-way permit shall
include with its application an application fee in the amount to be
set by resolution of the Board of Commissioners. This fee is directly
related to the Township's costs in reviewing the application (excluding
expert costs) and managing the rights-of-way with respect to each
permit holder. Such costs in managing the rights-of-way include, but
are not limited to, costs of maintaining the rights-of-way; costs
of degradation of streets and right-of-way property; administrative
costs related to the rights-of-way; traffic control costs pertaining
to work in the rights-of-way; and inspection costs. This fee will
not be refunded in the event the application is denied. If the application
is granted, the application fee will apply to the full term of the
right-of-way permit of one year.
B.
Each existing permit holder applying for a renewal
of its right-of-way permit shall include with its application an annual
fee in the amount to be set by resolution of the Board of Commissioners.
This fee is directly related to the Township's costs in managing the
rights-of-way with respect to each permit holder. Such costs include,
but are not limited to, costs of maintaining the rights-of-way; costs
of degradation of streets and right-of-way property; administrative
costs related to the rights-of-way; traffic control costs related
to work in the rights-of-way; and inspection costs. This fee will
not be refunded in the event the application is denied. If the application
is granted, the application fee will apply to the full term of the
right-of-way permit of one year.
C.
Each applicant for a construction permit shall include
with its application an application fee in the amount to be set by
resolution of the Board of Commissioners. This fee is directly related
to the Township's costs in reviewing the application and determining
time, place and manner restrictions on the construction activity.
If the application for a construction permit is denied, this fee shall
not be refunded. If the application is granted, then the applicant
shall also pay, within 30 days of the presentation of a statement,
the Township's actual costs directly related to the applicant's construction
activity based on the hourly rate established by resolution of the
Board of Commissioners. Such actual costs include, but are not limited
to, costs of disruption and rerouting of traffic, inspection costs
and administrative costs.
D.
Extraordinary expenses. In addition to the fees set
forth above, a permit holder shall pay, within 30 days of the presentation
of a statement, any extraordinary or unusual expenses reasonably incurred
by the Township as a result of the permit holder's use of the rights-of-way,
provided that the Township notifies the permit holder of the expected
expenses prior to their being incurred and provides the permit holder
with an opportunity to mitigate such expenses. Examples of extraordinary
or unusual expenses include, but are not limited to, the cost of obtaining
and operating a backhoe, dump truck or other heavy equipment used
to repair the right-of-way, overtime or special pay for public safety
personnel and/or the cost of hazardous waste cleanup or other emergency
services. The statement of such expenses presented to the permit holder
shall be directly related to the Township's actual costs.
E.
In the event that payment of any of the fees identified
above is not made upon submission of the application or by the date
due, the applicant or permit holder shall pay a late payment penalty
of interest at 2% per month of the total amount past due. Such penalty
shall be in lieu of any other monetary penalty. Acceptance of payment
under this section shall not in any way limit or waive the Township's
right to suspend or terminate the permit according to the terms of
this article.
A.
The Township shall have the right to limit the placement
of new or additional equipment in the right-of-way if there is insufficient
space to reasonably accommodate all requests to occupy and use the
rights-of-way. The Township shall consider requests for occupying
and using the rights-of-way in the order of receipt of fully completed
applications for right-of-way permits. The Township shall strive,
to the extent possible, to accommodate all requests, but shall be
guided by the physical condition of the right-of-way and whether such
use would have a detrimental effect on public safety as it relates
to the right-of-way.
B.
The Township shall have the right to monitor the telecommunications
systems and the equipment related thereto located in the rights-of-way
in order to prevent interference between and among such telecommunications
systems and equipment.
C.
A permit holder shall allow the Township to make inspections
of any part of the permit holder's telecommunications system located
in the rights-of-way at any time upon three days' notice, or, in case
of an emergency, upon demand.
A.
Whenever a permit holder or any of its subcontractors shall disturb any pavement, sidewalk or other public property in order to perform any underground activities, the permit holder will fully comply by registering with Pennsylvania's "one call" system pursuant to 73 P.S. § 176 et seq. Such permit holder shall provide the Township with information showing planned locations and reference points for equipment to be installed. Each permit holder shall perform construction activity in a manner consistent and in compliance with the detailed plans it submitted to the Township pursuant to § 92-32 of this article and all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.
B.
Whenever a permit holder or any of its subcontractors
shall cause damage to the right-of-way or to Township property in
the right-of-way, the permit holder shall restore such right-of-way
or property within 30 days, weather permitting, of the occurrence
of the damage. In the event that the permit holder fails to restore
the right-of-way or Township property to its former condition, the
Township may repair such damage and assess all such costs of such
repair to the permit holder.
C.
The telecommunications system shall not endanger or
interfere with the safety of persons or property within the Township.
All operating, maintenance, construction and repair personnel shall
be thoroughly trained in the safe use of all equipment and in the
safe operation of vehicles. Such personnel shall follow all safety
procedures required by applicable federal, state and local laws and
regulations. The permit holder shall routinely inspect and maintain
all areas of the telecommunications system so that conditions that
could develop into safety hazards shall be corrected before they become
a hazard.
D.
Except in the case of an emergency, at least three
days prior to the commencement of any construction activity, the permit
holder shall notify nearby residents of such construction activity
in a manner that is satisfactory to the Township. The name of the
permit holder shall be clearly disclosed to such residents.
E.
All construction activity shall be performed in an
orderly and workmanlike manner, and in close coordination with public
utilities serving the Township following accepted industry construction
procedures and practices.
F.
All wires, cables and other equipment shall be installed,
where possible, parallel with electric and telephone lines, and multiple
cable configurations shall be arranged in parallel and bundles with
due respect for engineering considerations.
G.
All wires, cables and other equipment shall be installed
underground where required by Township ordinance or regulation consistent
with the same requirement being imposed on all other similarly situated
companies, including all public utilities.
A.
A permit holder shall, at its sole cost and expense,
indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Township, its elected and
appointed officials, employees and agents, at all times against any
and all claims for personal injury, including death and property damage
arising out of the permit holder's use or occupancy of the rights-of-way.
A permit holder shall defend any actions or proceedings against the
Township in which it is claimed that personal injury, including death,
or property damage was caused by the permit holder's use or occupancy
of the rights-of-way. The obligation to indemnify, hold harmless and
defend shall include, but not be limited to, the obligation to pay
judgments, injuries, liabilities, damages, reasonable attorneys' fees,
reasonable expert fees, court costs and all other costs of indemnification.
B.
A permit holder shall, at all times during the life
of a permit, carry itself and require all of its subcontractors to
carry liability, property damage, worker's disability, and vehicle
insurance issued to the permit holder by an insurance company licensed
to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in an amount and
form acceptable to the Township as set forth in the permit. A permit
holder shall name the Township as an additional insured on its liability
insurance policies for whom defense will be provided as to all such
coverages. All required insurance coverage shall provide for 30 days'
written notice to the Township in the event of material alteration
or cancellation of such coverage prior to the effective date of such
material alteration or cancellation. A permit holder shall provide
appropriate insurance certificates to the Township within 30 days
after the execution of a permit and annually with an application for
a renewal permit. Any certificate of insurance presented to the Township
shall verify that the applicant is insured against claims for personal
injury, including death, as well as claims for property damage arising
out of the applicant's use and occupancy of the rights-of-way.
A.
A permit holder shall annually provide the Township,
upon application for renewal of the permit, or upon request, a current
map of the locations of its existing equipment and facilities and
a summary of all additions and deletions of equipment and facilities
in the rights-of-way, unless no changes have occurred in the previous
year. If no changes have occurred in the previous year, the permit
holder shall so inform the Township in writing.
B.
A permit holder shall submit to the Township such
reasonable information directly related to the permit holder's use
and occupation of the rights-of-way as the Township may request. All
information provided to the Township shall be maintained by the Township
as proprietary and confidential if such information is designated
in good faith as such prior to the time it is provided to the Township.
A right-of-way permit may be transferred or
assigned provided that the transferee/assignee agrees in writing,
prior to the transfer or assignment, to comply with all of the obligations
and requirements contained in this article. The transferee/assignee
shall notify the Township in writing at least 30 days prior to the
transfer or assignment.
A.
All persons submitting a request for a construction
permit to construct or maintain a telecommunications system in accordance
herewith shall file with their request a bond solely for the protection
of the Township with a surety company or trust company as surety in
an amount determined by the Board of Commissioners. The bond shall
ensure the permit holder's faithful performance of its obligations
contained in this article. The bond shall be a continuing obligation
during the entire term of any right-of-way permit or construction
permit issued in accordance herewith.
B.
None of the provisions of this section nor any bond
accepted by the Township pursuant hereto, nor any damages recovered
by the Township thereunder, shall be construed to excuse the faithful
performance by or limit the liability of the permit holder under this
article or any permit issued in accordance herewith or for damages
either to the full amount of the bond or otherwise.
A.
In addition to all other rights and powers reserved
by the Township, the Township reserves the right to terminate a permit
and all rights and privileges of a permit holder for any of the following
reasons:
(1)
A permit holder fails, after 30 days' prior written
notice, to comply with any of the material provisions of the permit
or this article;
(2)
A permit holder attempts to or does practice any fraud
or deceit in its conduct or relations with the Township pursuant to
the permit;
(3)
The Township condemns all of the property of a permit
holder within the Township by the lawful exercise of eminent domain;
(4)
The permit holder abandons the Telecommunications
system.
B.
No termination shall be effective unless and until
the Board of Commissioners shall have adopted a resolution setting
forth the cause and reason for the termination and the effective date,
which resolution shall not be adopted without 30 days' prior notice
to the permit holder and an opportunity for the permit holder to be
heard and to present evidence before the Board of Commissioners on
the proposed resolution.
A.
Upon expiration or termination of the permit, if the
permit is not renewed, the permit holder shall, upon 60 days' prior
written notice to the permit holder, commence to remove its equipment
from the rights-of-way and shall restore said areas. If such removal
is not completed within six months of such notice, the Township may
deem any property not removed as abandoned and the Township may remove
it at the former permit holder's expense. In the event that the permit
holder installed and/or operated any underground conduit or pipe which
is six inches or more in diameter, the permit holder shall fill said
conduit or pipe with material in a manner satisfactory to the Township.
B.
During the term of the permit, if the permit holder
decides to abandon or no longer use all or part of its telecommunications
system, it shall provide the Township with written notice of its abandonment
at least 30 days prior to such decision, which notice shall describe
the equipment and its location.
C.
The Township may request the permit holder to declare
the permit holder's intention as to abandonment to all or part of
the Telecommunications system during the term of the permit. The permit
holder shall respond to such request within 60 days or such portions
of the telecommunications system shall be deemed abandoned.
D.
The Township shall have the right to require the permit
holder to commence to remove the abandoned telecommunications system
in part or in total upon 60 days' prior written notice to the permit
holder. If such removal is not completed within six months of such
notice, the Township may remove it at the permit holder's expense.
If the Township has reason to believe that the
permit holder has violated any of the terms of this article, it shall
notify the permit holder in writing of the nature of the violation
and the section of this article that it believes has been violated.
Except in the case of an emergency, the permit holder shall have 30
business days to cure the violation. If the nature of the violation
is such that it cannot be fully cured within such time period, the
Township may, in its reasonable judgment, extend the time period to
cure. If the violation has not been cured within the time period allowed,
it shall be subsequently punishable by a fine of up to $600 per day
until the violation is cured. Such fine shall be collected by civil
suit brought in the name of the Township before any District Justice
having jurisdiction in the Township and shall be paid over to the
Township Treasury. In the case of an emergency which is discovered
by the Township or reported to the Township, the Township shall notify
the permit holder via the permit holder's emergency telephone number.
In the event that the permit holder does not repair the emergency
within six hours, the Township may repair the emergency at the permit
holder's expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision hereof
shall prohibit the Township from exercising its right to enforce this
article through an action in equity in the Court of Common Pleas of
Montgomery County, in accordance with the Pennsylvania First Class
Township Code, Section 1501 and Section 1502, II.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 55101
et seq.
The Township, by granting any permit under this
article, does not waive, lessen, impair or surrender the lawful police
powers vested in the Township under applicable federal, state and
local laws pertaining to the regulation or use of the rights-of-way.
The provisions of this article shall be imposed
upon and enforced against all persons requiring a permit for the provision
of telecommunications services or construction of a telecommunications
system within the Township.
