[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Freehold 4-28-2009 by Ord. No. O-09-12.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Telecommunications licensing — See Ch. 319.
Use of Township roads by communications company — See Ch. A410.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former
Chapter A411, Cable Television Franchise, adopted by Ord. No. O-95-25
(§ 7-11 of the Revised General Ordinances).
For the purpose of this ordinance, the terms defined above shall
have the meanings there indicated, and the following additional terms
shall have the following meanings:
That statute of the State of New Jersey relating to cable
television, known as the "Cable Television Act," N.J.S.A. 48:5A-1
et seq.
Cablevision's application for renewal of municipal consent,
which application is on file in the Township Clerk's office and
is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof, except
as modified, changed, limited or altered by this ordinance.
The Board of Public Utilities of the State of New Jersey
or its successor agency.
Cablevision of Monmouth, Inc. ("Cablevision"), the grantee
of rights under this ordinance.
The Federal Communications Commission.
That federal statute relating to cable communications commonly
known as the "Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984," 47 U.S.C.
§ 521 et seq., and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, or
as those statutes may be amended.
Those federal regulations relating to cable television services,
47 CFR 76.1 et seq. (and, to the extent applicable, any other federal
rules and regulations relating to cable television, including but
not limited to those described in 47 CFR 76.3), or as such regulations
may be amended.
The installation of drop cable to a customer's premises
where the distance from the point of entry into the building being
served is less than 150 feet from the active cable television system
plant.
The State of New Jersey.
Those regulations of the State of New Jersey Board of Public
Utilities relating to cable television, N.J.A.C. 14:17-1.1 et seq.
and N.J.A.C. 14:18-1 et seq., or as such regulations may be amended.
The governing body of the Township of Freehold, in the County
of Monmouth, and the State of New Jersey.
A public hearing concerning the consent herein granted to Cablevision
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 Cablevision to receive this consent, the Township hereby finds
Cablevision possesses the necessary legal, technical, character, financial
and other qualifications to support municipal consent and that Cablevision's
operating and construction arrangements are adequate and feasible.
The Township hereby grants to Cablevision its nonexclusive consent
to place in, upon, along, across, above, over, and under its highways,
streets, alleys, sidewalks, public ways, and public places in the
municipality poles, wires, cables, and fixtures necessary for the
maintenance and operation in the Township of a cable television system
and for the provision of any communication service over such system
as may be authorized by federal or state regulatory agencies. Operation
and construction, pursuant to said consent, is conditioned upon prior
approval of the Board of Public Utilities.
This consent granted herein shall be nonexclusive and shall
be for a term of 10 years from the date of issuance of a certificate
of approval by the Board.
If Cablevision seeks successive consent, it shall, prior to
the expiration of this consent, apply for a municipal consent and
certificate of approval in accordance with N.J.S.A. 48:5A-16 and applicable
state and federal rules and regulations. The company shall also petition
the Board for approval authorizing continued operation during the
period following expiration of the consent granted herein and until
such a time that a decision is made by the Township and the Board
relative to the renewal of said consent.
The consent granted under this ordinance to Cablevision shall
apply to the entirety of the Township and any property hereafter annexed.
Cablevision shall be required to proffer video programming service
along any public right-of-way to a residentially zoned area without
the application of line extension policy at tariffed rates for standard
and nonstandard installation.
Cablevision shall extend service along any public right-of-way
outside its service area to those residences within the franchise
territory which are located in areas that have a residential density
of 25 homes per mile or greater, or areas with less than 25 homes
per mile where residents agree to share the costs of such extension
in accordance with the line extension formula as provided by the company
in its application for municipal consent.
Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Cable Television
Act, Cablevision shall pay to the Township, as an annual franchise
fee, a sum equal to 2% of the actual gross revenues received from
all recurring charges in the nature of subscription fees paid by subscribers
for its cable television reception services in the Township. In the
event applicable law hereinafter permits a larger franchise fee to
be collected but does not fix the amount thereof, the Township and
Cablevision shall negotiate in good faith with respect to the amount
thereof.
A.
Cablevision shall, upon written request, provide, free of charge,
one standard installation and monthly cable television reception service
to all state or locally accredited public schools and all municipal
public libraries, as well as municipal buildings located within the
Township and used for governmental purposes, as listed in Exhibit
A attached.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Township offices.
B.
Upon written request from the municipality, Cablevision shall provide,
without charge, basic cable modem service to state and local accredited
elementary and secondary schools and municipal public libraries in
the municipality as follows: one standard installation per school
or library campus, one cable modem per installation, and cable modem
service for the term of this agreement for each installation, subject
to the terms, conditions and use policies of the provider of the cable
modem service as those policies may exist from time to time.
C.
Upon written request from the municipality, Cablevision shall provide,
without charge, basic cable modem service to the Township Municipal
Building: one standard installation, one cable modem, and cable modem
service for the term of this agreement, subject to the terms, conditions
and use policies of the provider of the cable modem service as those
policies may exist from time to time.
Cablevision shall perform construction and installation of its
plant and facilities in accordance with applicable state and federal
law. The company shall be subject to the following additional construction
requirements with respect to the installation of its plant and facilities
in the Township:
A.
In the event that the company or its agents shall disturb any pavement,
street surfaces, sidewalks, driveways or other surfaces, the company
shall, at its sole expense, restore and replace such disturbances
in as good a condition as existed prior to the commencement of said
work.
B.
If, at any time during the period of this consent, the municipality
shall alter or change the grade of any street, alley or other way
or place, the company, upon reasonable notice by the Township, shall
remove or relocate its equipment, at its own expense.
C.
Upon request of a person holding a building or moving permit issued
by the Township, the company shall temporarily move or remove appropriate
parts of its facilities so as to permit the moving or erection of
buildings or the performance of other work. The expense of any such
temporary removal or relocation shall be paid in advance to the company
by the person requesting the same. In such cases, the company shall
be given not less than 14 days' prior written notice in order
to arrange for the changes required.
D.
During the exercise of its rights and privileges under this consent,
the company shall have the authority to trim trees upon and overhanging
streets, alleys, sidewalks and public places of the Township so as
to prevent the branches of such trees from coming in contact with
the wires, cables, conduits and fixtures of the company. Such trimming
shall be only to the extent necessary to maintain proper clearance
for the company's facilities.
Cablevision shall comply with the technical and customer service
standards established for the cable industry under applicable federal
and state laws, rules and regulations.
Cablevision shall establish and maintain, during the entire
term of this consent, a local area business office or agent for the
purpose of receiving, investigating and resolving complaints regarding
the quality of service, equipment malfunctions and similar matters.
Said office shall be open daily during normal business hours, and
in no event less than 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,
with the exception of holidays.
The Office of Cable Television is hereby designated as the complaint
officer for the Township pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 48:5A-26.
All complaints shall be reviewed and processed in accordance with
N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.5.
Cablevision agrees to maintain and keep in force and effect,
at its sole cost, at all times during the term of this consent, sufficient
liability insurance naming the Township as an additional insured and
insuring against loss by any such claim, suit, judgment, execution
or demand in the minimum amounts of $500,000 for bodily injury or
death to one person and $1,000,000 for bodily injury or death resulting
from any one accident or occurrence stemming from or arising out of
the company's exercise of its rights hereunder.
Cablevision shall obtain and maintain, at its sole cost and
expense, during the entire term of this agreement, a bond to the municipality
in the amount of $25,000. Such bond shall be to insure the faithful
performance of its obligations as provided in this franchise.
A.
The rates of the company for cable television services shall be subject
to regulation to the extent permitted by federal and state law.
B.
Cablevision shall implement a senior citizen discount in the amount
of 10% off the monthly rate of the broadcast basic level of cable
television reception service to any person 62 years of age or older
who subscribes to the company's cable television service, subject
to the following:
(1)
Such discount shall only be available to eligible senior citizens
who do not share the subscription with more than one person in the
same household who is less than 62 years of age;
(2)
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 48:5A-11.2, subscribers seeking
eligibility for the discount must meet the income and residence requirements
of the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled Program
pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4D-21;
(3)
The senior discount herein relates only to the broadcast basic
level of cable television service and shall not apply to any additional
service, features, or equipment offered by the company, including
any premium channel services and pay-per-view services; and
(4)
Senior citizens who subscribe to a level of cable television
service beyond expanded basic service, including any premium or per-channel
a-la-carte service, shall not be eligible for the discount.
Cablevision shall be required to have the capability to override
the audio portion of the system in order to permit the broadcasting
of emergency messages by the Township pursuant to state and federal
requirements. The company shall in no way be held liable for any injury
suffered by the Township 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 Township shall
utilize the state-approved procedures for such emergency uses.
A.
In the event that the service of another multichannel video program
provider not subject to the Township's regulatory authority within
the Township creates a significant competitive disadvantage to Cablevision,
the company shall have the right to request from the Township lawful
amendments to its franchise that relieve it of burdens which create
the unfair competitive situation. Should the company seek such amendments
to its franchise, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith appropriate
changes to the franchise in order to relieve the company of such competitive
disadvantages. If the parties can reach an agreement on such terms,
the Township agrees to support the company's petition to the
Board for modification of the consent in accordance with N.J.S.A.
48:5A-47 and N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.7.
B.
If the parties are unable to reach an agreement on appropriate amendments
to the franchise, the Township acknowledges that the company shall
have the right to petition the Board directly for such amendments
in accordance with N.J.S.A. 48:5A-47 and N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.7; provided,
however, that the Township shall be under no obligation to support
Cablevision's request for such relief from the Board.
C.
In any subsequent municipal consent, the Township shall require,
at a minimum, the same terms and conditions of any other provider
of multichannel video programming subject to the Township's regulatory
authority as those contained in the instant consent. In the event
such subsequent consent does not contain the same terms and conditions
as the instant consent, the Township agrees to support the company's
petition to the Board for modification of the consent in accordance
with N.J.S.A. 48:5A-47 and N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.7 to relieve the company
of competitive disadvantages identified in the company's petition.
Upon expiration, termination or revocation of this ordinance,
Cablevision, at its sole cost and expense, and upon direction of the
Board, shall remove the cables and appurtenant devices constructed
or maintained in connection with the services authorized herein, unless
Cablevision, its affiliated entities or assignees should, within six
months after such expiration, termination or revocation, obtain certification
from the FCC to operate an open video system or any other federal
or state certification to provide telecommunications.
A.
Cablevision shall continue to make available noncommercial public,
educational and governmental (PEG) access as described in the application
for municipal consent.
B.
The Township agrees that Cablevision shall retain the right to use
the PEG access channel, or portion thereof, for non-PEG access programming
during times when the Township is not utilizing the channel for purposes
of providing PEG access programming. In the event that the company
uses said PEG access channel for the presentation of such other programming,
the PEG programming shall remain the priority use, and the company's
rights with respect to using the channel for non-PEG programming shall
be subordinate to the Township's provision of PEG access programming
on such channel.
C.
Cablevision shall continue to provide and maintain the access return
line at One Municipal Plaza for use by the Township in the production
of noncommercial educational and governmental access programming on
the cable system. Based on need, Cablevision shall provide the Township
with one additional channel for PEG access purposes upon 120 days'
advance written notice from the Township. The need for providing the
additional channel shall be conditioned upon usage according to the
following formula: anytime the existing designated PEG access channel
is in continuous use with the cable-casting of locally produced programming
(excluding programming of solely character-generated messages or programming
that is repetitive) during at least 50% of the time between 10:00
a.m. and 10:00 p.m. during any consecutive ten-week period, the Township
shall have the right to request that an additional channel be designated
for PEG access; provided, however, that if the usage ratio of the
additional designated channel should at any time fall below 15% (based
on the usage formula herein), use of the additional designated channel
shall revert back to Cablevision.
D.
In consideration for the rights granted in this ordinance, the company
shall provide the Township with an initial grant in the amount of
$12,000. Such amount shall be paid to the Township within 60 days
following the receipt of a certified copy of the adoption of this
consent ordinance and its acceptance by the company, or within 30
days of the grant of the certificate from the Board, whichever comes
first. In addition, beginning in the second year of the municipal
consent and annually thereafter through the ten-year term of the franchise,
Cablevision shall, upon written request, pay a grant to the Township
in the amount of $3,000 in each of the following years of the term
of the ordinance (the "annual grant"). The annual grant may be used
by the Township for any cable- and/or other telecommunications-related
purpose as the Township, in its discretion, may deem appropriate.
Cablevision shall not be obligated to make any additional payments
beyond year 10 of the franchise. The annual grant shall be payable
to the Township within 60 days from receipt of the Township's
written request. Notwithstanding the foregoing, should Cablevision
apply for a system-wide certification or otherwise convert its municipal
consent to a system-wide certification in accordance with applicable
law, it shall be relieved of any payments due and owing after the
date of such conversion or award of a system-wide franchise.
E.
All PEG access support provided by Cablevision shall be for the exclusive
use of the company's customers in the municipality.
All of the commitments contained in the application and any
amendment thereto submitted in writing to the Township by the company,
except as modified herein, are binding upon Cablevision as terms and
conditions of this consent. The application and any other written
amendments thereto submitted by Cablevision in connection with this
consent are incorporated in this ordinance by reference and made a
part hereof, except as specifically modified, changed, limited, or
altered by this ordinance, or to the extent that they conflict with
state or federal law.
This consent shall be construed in a manner consistent with
all applicable federal, state and local laws.
