Editor's Note: Prior ordinance history includes portions
of Ordinance No. 1986-5.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 1]
The Township hereby grants to Comcast Cablevision of Garden
State, L.P., renewal 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 Township,
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 Township of
a cable television and communications system.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 2]
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:
Shall mean Chapter 186 of the General Laws of New Jersey,
and subsequent amendments thereto, N.J.S.A. 48:5A-1 et seq.
Shall mean any service tier, which includes the retransmission
of local television broadcast signals as defined by the FCC
Shall mean the Board of Public Utilities, State of New Jersey.
Shall mean the grantee of rights under this Chapter and is
known as Comcast Cablevision of Garden State, L.P., Inc.
Shall mean the Federal Communications Commission.
Shall mean the Township of Tabernacle, County of Burlington,
State of New Jersey.
Shall mean the Office of Cable Television of the Board.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 3]
Public hearings conducted by the Township, concerning the renewal
of municipal consent herein granted to the Company were held after
proper public notice pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Act
and the regulations of the Board adopted pursuant thereto. Said hearings,
having been fully open to the public, and the Township, having received
at said public hearings all comments regarding the qualifications
of the Company to receive this renewal of municipal consent, the Township
hereby finds 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.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 4]
The nonexclusive municipal consent granted herein shall expire
15 years from the date of expiration of the previous Certificate of
Approval issued by the Board with an automatic renewal of 10 years
as provided by N.J.S.A. 48:5A-19 and 25, and N.J.A.C. 14:18-13.6.
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 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.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 5]
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 Township 2% of the gross revenues from all recurring charges
in the nature of subscription fees paid by subscribers for cable television
reception service in the Township or any higher amount permitted by
the Act or otherwise allowable by law, whichever is greater.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 6]
The consent granted under this Chapter to the renewal of the
franchise shall apply to the entirety of the Township and any property
subsequently annexed hereto.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 7]
The Company shall be required to proffer service along any public
right-of-way to any person's residence or business located in
the franchise territory and designated Primary Service Area (PSA)
at the tariffed rates for standard and nonstandard installations.
The Company shall utilize the Office of Cable Television's
Line Extension Policy (LEP). The minimum home per mile figure ("HPM")
is 28.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 8]
The Company has completed an upgrade of the cable television
distribution system serving the Township. The upgraded system is a
hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable system following a "fiber to the
node" architecture. The upgraded system provides improved picture
quality, enhanced signal reliability and increased channel capacity.
The upgrade has been completed following the Company's
engineering guidelines for hybrid fiber/coaxial ("HFC") plant design,
which meets or exceeds all applicable State and Federal regulations
as well as voluntary cable television industry standards and follows
commonly accepted industry practices.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 9]
In the event that the Company or its agents shall disturb any
pavement, street surfaces, sidewalks, driveways, or other surface
in the nature topography, the Company shall, at its sole expense,
restore and replace such places or things so disturbed in as good
a condition as existed prior to the commencement of said work.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 9]
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 municipality,
shall remove, re-lay or relocate its equipment, at the expense of
the Company.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 9]
The Company shall, upon request of the municipality at the Company's
expense, temporarily raise, lower, or remove its lines in order to
facilitate the moving of buildings or machinery or in other like circumstances.
Whenever the request is made by, for, or on behalf of private parties,
the cost will be borne by those same parties.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 9]
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 municipality 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 wires and cables.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 10]
In providing services 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 and shall be prepared to report on it to the community upon
written request of the Township Administrator or Clerk.
a.
The Company shall continue to comply fully with all applicable State
and Federal statutes and regulations regarding credits for outages,
the reporting of it to regulatory agencies and notification of it
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 it to customers.
c.
The Company shall use every effort to meet or exceed voluntary standards
for telephone accessibility developed by the National Cable Television
Association (NCTA).
d.
Nothing herein shall impair the right of any subscriber or the municipality
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 appropriate under law.
e.
The Company is permitted, but is not required to, charge a late fee
consistent with applicable State and Federal statutes and regulations.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 11]
The Office of Cable Television is hereby designated as the Complaint
Officer for the municipality 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 municipality shall have the right to request copies
of records and reports pertaining to complaints by Township customers
from the OCTV.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 12]
During the term of this franchise, and any renewal thereof,
the Company shall maintain a local business office or agent for the
purpose of receiving, investigating and resolving all complaints regarding
the quality of service, equipment malfunctions and similar matters.
Such local business office shall be open during normal business
hours and in no event less than 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday. The Company's employees, representatives or agents will
provide telephone response for such purposes as mentioned herein 24
hours per day.
The telephone number and address of the local office shall be
listed in applicable telephone directories and in correspondence from
the Company to the customer. The telephone number for the local office
shall utilize an exchange that is a nontoll call for Township residents.
Additionally, the Company shall make reasonable efforts to provide
additional payment options to Township customers that are economically
practicable, and technically feasible including, but not limited to:
online bill payment, electronic fund transfers (EFT's), automatic
credit card debiting, third-party payment locations and/or establishment
of drop box locations for the purpose of added customer convenience.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 13]
During the life of the franchise the Company shall give to the
municipality a 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.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 14]
The rates of the Company shall be subject to regulation as permitted
by Federal and State law.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 15]
a.
The Company shall continue to provide a dedicated educational access
channel. The educational access channel is currently maintained and
administered by the Lenape Regional High School District for the purpose
of cable casting noncommercial educational access programming in conformance
with the Company's published public access rules and all applicable
State and Federal statutes and regulations.
b.
The Company shall continue to provide system-wide leased or commercial
access channel opportunities on a channel maintained by the Company
for the purpose of cable casting commercial access programming in
conformance with the Company's guideline and applicable State
and Federal statutes and regulations.
c.
The Company shall take appropriate steps 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 channels
that the Company transmits.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 16]
a.
Within 12 months of receipt of a Renewal Certificate of Approval
("COA"), the Company shall begin to extend cable television service
to the following locations within the Township: Zimmerman Road beginning
at house 32 to 70 (3,953 feet), Chatsworth Road beginning at house
676 to 712, Butterworth Bog beginning at house 2 to 18 (1,910 feet),
Brace Lane beginning at house 127 to 178, Bozarthtown Road beginning
at house 1 to 80, houses 95 and 99 on Forked Neck Road, Malone Drive
beginning at house 1 to 12, Sohn Way beginning at house 1 to 20, Carranza
Road beginning at house 281 to 464 (23,715 total footage).
b.
Within 24 months of receipt of a Renewal Certificate of Approval
("COA"), the Company shall begin to extend cable television service
to the following locations within the Township: Gate Road beginning
at house 3 to 27, Chatsworth Road starting at house 727 to 789, Goose
Pond Road beginning at house 3 to 29 and Medford Lakes Road beginning
at house 454 to 470. (6,759 total footage).
c.
The Company shall provide preferred cable television service on one
outlet to each qualified existing and future municipal building including:
police, fire, first aid, emergency management, public library and
community centers in the Township at no cost or charge, provided the
facility is located within 200 feet of active cable distribution plant.
Installation of additional outlets shall be paid for on a materials
plus labor basis by the municipality. Monthly service charges shall
be waived on all additional outlets.
d.
The Company shall continue to provide preferred cable television
service on one outlet at no cost to each qualified existing and future
public and private, elementary, intermediate and secondary school
in the Township, provided the school is within 200 feet of active
cable distribution plant. The school may distribute the signal to
all classrooms within the school on the school's internal network
as long as that network meets or exceeds FCC standards for cumulative
leakage index ("CLI"). Should the schools request additional outlets
to be installed, such installation 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.
e.
The Company shall provide free basic Internet service, via high-speed
cable modem, to one nonnetworked personal computer in each qualified
existing and future school in the Township, public and private, elementary,
intermediate and secondary, at no charge, provided the school is within
200 feet of active cable distribution plant. The Internet service
shall be installed on a personal computer that is accessible to the
students and not for administrative use only.
f.
The Company shall provide free basic Internet access via high-speed
cable modem on one nonnetworked personal computer in each qualified
existing and future public library at no charge, provided the library
is within 200 feet of active cable distribution plant. The Internet
service shall be installed on a personal computer that is accessible
to library patrons and not for administrative use only.
g.
At such time as the Company begins offering discounted rates to senior
citizens and/or disabled persons served by any of the Company's
cable systems in New Jersey that do not currently offer such a discount,
the Company shall offer the same or an equivalent discount to eligible
customers in the Township. The discount shall be applied in accordance
with all applicable State statutes and regulations.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 17]
In the event that the Township determines that it is necessary
and feasible for it to contract with the Company for the purpose of
providing two-way or interconnection services, the Company shall be
required to apply to the BPU for approval to enter into and establish
the terms and conditions of such contract. All costs for such application
to the BPU shall be borne by the Township.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 18]
The Company shall be required to fully comply with all applicable
Federal and State statutes and regulations governing the implementation,
operation and testing of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
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 EAS
as contemplated herein.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 19]
The Company shall at all times maintain a comprehensive general
liability insurance policy with a single limit amount of one million
($1,000,000.00) dollars 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 three million ($3,000,000.00)
dollars.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 20]
All of the commitments and statements contained in the application
and any amendment thereto submitted in writing to the municipality
by the Company, except as modified herein, are binding upon the Company
as terms and conditions of this municipal consent. The application
and any other relevant writings submitted by the Company shall be
considered a part of this Chapter and made a part hereof by reference
as long as it does not conflict with State or Federal law. All ordinances
or parts of ordinances or other agreements between the Township and
the Company that are in conflict with the provisions of this agreement
are hereby declared invalid and superseded.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 21]
Should the Township grant a franchise 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.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 22]
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion
of this Chapter is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional
by any court or Federal or State agency of competent jurisdiction,
such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent
provision, and its validity or unconstitutionality shall not affect
the validity of the remaining portions of the Chapter.
[Ord. #2002-3, § 23]
This Chapter shall take effect immediately upon issuance of
a Renewal Certificate of Approval from the BPU.
