The Township of Lower Frederick finds that the development
of cable television and communications systems has the potential of having
great benefit and impact upon the people of Lower Frederick Township. Because
of the complex and rapidly changing technology associated with cable television,
the Township further finds that the public convenience, safety and general
welfare can best be served by establishing regulatory powers which should
be vested in the Township or such persons as the Township shall designate.
It is the intent of this chapter and subsequent amendments to provide for
and specify the means to attain the best possible public interest and public
purpose in these matters and any franchise issued pursuant to this chapter
shall be deemed to include this finding as an integral part thereof.
Further, it is recognized that cable communications systems
have the capacity to provide not only entertainment and information services
to the Township's residents, but can provide a variety of broadband, interactive
communications services to institutions and individuals.
The system should be capable of accommodating both the
present and reasonably foreseeable future communications needs of the Township
and its residents and be upgraded to correspond to the present state of the
Act.
The system shall be constructed and maintained during
the franchise term so that new components may be integrated to the maximum
extent possible with existing facilities.