All public franchises or privileges which the City is authorized to grant, and all renewals, extensions and amendments thereof, shall be granted only by ordinance. No such ordinance shall be adopted within less than thirty (30) days after application therefor has been filed with the City Council, nor until a full public hearing has been held thereon. Notice of all public hearings conducted hereunder shall be given at least fifteen (15) days prior to such hearing by publishing such notice at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the City. No exclusive franchises shall be granted, and no franchise shall be granted for a term longer than twenty (20) years. No such franchise shall be transferable directly or indirectly, except with the approval of the Council expressed by ordinance after a full public hearing.
All public franchises and privileges, whether or not provided for in the ordinance, shall be subject to the right of the Council to:
(a) 
Repeal the same for misuse or non-use, or for failure to comply therewith, or shorten the term thereof for failure to comply with the provisions of this Section (and regulations adopted in accordance with this Section) or with the provisions of the franchise ordinance;
(b) 
Require proper and adequate extension of plant and service and the maintenance thereof;
(c) 
Establish highest practical standards of service and quality of products and prevent unjust discrimination in service or rates;
(d) 
Make an independent audit and examination of accounts at any time, and require reports annually;
(e) 
Require continuous and uninterrupted service to the public in accordance with the terms of the franchise throughout the entire period thereof;
(f) 
Control and regulate the use of the City streets, alleys, bridges, and public places, and the space above and beneath them;
(g) 
Regulate rates, fares and charges, and make readjustments thereof from time to time if the same are not regulated by an applicable local, State or Federal agency; and
(h) 
Impose such other regulations from time to time as it may determine to be conductive to the safety, welfare and accommodation of the public.
Temporary permits for the operation of public services utilizing public streets, alleys, bridges, easements, rights-of-way and public places for a period not to exceed two (2) years may be granted by the Council by ordinance without public hearing. Such permit shall be subject to amendment, alteration or revocation at any time at the will of the Council, whether so provided in the ordinance or not. Any permit granted hereunder shall in no event be construed to be a franchise, or an extension or amendment of a franchise.
Any operation by a franchise holder, with the tacit permission of the City beyond the period for which the franchise was granted shall under no circumstance be construed as a renewal or extension of such franchise. Any such operation shall at most be regarded as a mere temporary permit subject, like other permits, to amendment, alteration or revocation at any time at the will of the Council.