The Township hereby grants to Comcast renewal of its non-exclusive 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.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Verona 2-9-2026 by Ord. No. 2026-01.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Ch. A550, Cable Television Franchise, adopted 11-16-2009 by Ord. No. 13-09.
For the purpose of this Ordinance, 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 CFR 76.1. et seq., and the Cable Communications Policy Act, 47 U.S.C. § 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:
Is Chapter 186 of the General Laws of New Jersey, and subsequent amendments thereto, N.J.S.A. § 48:5A-1 et seq.
Is the Company's Application for Renewal of Municipal Consent.
Means any service tier, which includes the retransmission of local television broadcast signals as defined by the FCC.
Is the Board of Public Utilities, State of New Jersey.
Is the grantee of rights under this Ordinance and is known as Comcast of New Jersey II, LLC.
Is the Federal Communications Commission.
Is the Office of Cable Television of the Board.
Consists of the area of the Township currently served with existing plant as set forth in the map annexed to the Company's Application for Municipal Consent.
Is the Township of Verona, County of Essex, State of New Jersey.
A public hearing concerning the consent herein granted to the Company 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 the Company to receive this consent, and the representations of the Company 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.
A.
The non-exclusive Municipal Consent granted herein shall expire 12 years from the date of expiration of the previous Certificate of Approval issued by the Board.
B.
In the event that the Municipality shall find that the Company has not substantially complied with the material terms and conditions of this Ordinance, the Municipality shall have the right to petition the OCTV, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:5A-47, 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 non-compliance and an opportunity to cure same within 90 days of that notification.
Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Act, N.J.S.A. 48:5A-30d, the Company shall, during each year of operation under the consent granted herein, pay to the Municipality 3.5% of the gross revenues from all recurring charges in the nature of subscription fees paid by subscribers for cable television reception service in the Municipality or any higher amount permitted by the Act or otherwise allowable by law. The current franchise fee paid to the Township is 3.5%.
The consent granted under this Ordinance for the renewal of the franchise shall apply to the entirety of the Township and any property subsequently annexed hereto.
The Company shall be required to proffer service to any residence or business along any public right-of-way in the Primary Service Area, at no cost beyond standard and non-standard installation charges as set forth in the Company's Application. Any extension of plant beyond the Primary Service Area shall be governed by the Company's Line Extension Policy, as set forth in the Company's Application, with an HPM ("homes-per-mile") of 35 dwellings per linear mile from the nearest active trunk or feeder line.
A.
Restoration. In the event that the Company or its agents shall disturb any pavement, street surfaces, sidewalks, driveways, or other surface in the natural topography, the Company shall, at its sole expense, restore and replace such places or things so disturbed in as reasonably good a condition as existed prior to the commencement of said work. Permits are required for work through the Township of Verona Construction Code office; any associated fee will be waived.
B.
Relocation. If at any time during the period of this consent the Township 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, re-lay or relocate its equipment, at the expense of the Company.
C.
Removal or trimming of trees. 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 Township 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 wire and cables.
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.
A.
The Company shall continue to comply fully with all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations regarding credit for outages, the reporting of same to regulatory agencies and notification of same 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 same to customers.
The Office of Cable Television is hereby designated as the Complaint Officer for the Township pursuant to N.J.S.A. 48:5A-26b. All complaints shall be received and processed in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.5. The Township shall have the right to request copies of records and reports pertaining to complaints by Township customers from the OCTV.
During the term of this franchise, and any renewal thereof, the Company shall maintain a business office or agent in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14:18-5.1 for the purpose of receiving, investigating, and resolving all local complaints regarding the quality of service, equipment malfunctions, and similar matters.
During the life of the franchise the Company shall give to the Township 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.
The rates of the Company shall be subject to regulation as permitted by federal and state law.
A.
The Company shall continue to provide a dedicated local access channel maintained by the Company for the purpose of cablecasting non-commercial educational and government access programing.
B.
The Company shall continue to maintain the two existing fiber optic return lines located at Verona Public Library, 17 Gould St., and Verona Community Center, 880 Bloomfield Ave. The Company shall take any steps that are necessary 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 standard channels that the Company transmits.
C.
The Company does not relinquish its ownership of or ultimate right of control over a channel by designating it for E/G access use. An E/G access user - whether an educational or government user - acquires no property or other interest by virtue of the use of a channel so designated and may not rely on the continued use of a particular channel number, no matter how long the same channel may have been designated for such use.
D.
The Company shall not exercise editorial control over any educational or governmental access channel, except Company may refuse to transmit any educational or governmental access program or portion of any educational or governmental access program that contains obscenity, indecency, or nudity.
E.
Educational Access. "Educational access" shall mean noncommercial use by educational institutions such as public or private schools, but not "home schools," community colleges, and universities.
F.
Governmental Access. "Government access" shall mean noncommercial use by the Township for the purpose of showing the local government at work.
G.
Company Use of Fallow Time. Because blank or underutilized E/G channels are not in the public interest, in the event the Township or other qualified E/G access users elect not to fully program their E/G access channel, Company may program unused time on those channels subject to reclamation by the Township upon no less than 60 days' written notice.
H.
Indemnification. The Township shall indemnify Company for any liability, loss, or damage it may suffer due to violation of the intellectual property rights of third parties on the EG channel and from claims arising out of the rules for or administration of E/G access channel and its programming.
A.
Upon written request by the Township, the Company will provide Limited Basic or a similar tier of cable television service on one outlet at no cost to each qualified existing school in the Township, public and private, elementary, intermediate, and secondary, provided the school is within 200 feet of active cable distribution plant. Each additional outlet installed, if any, shall be paid for on a materials plus labor basis by the school requesting service.
B.
Upon written request by the Township, the Company will provide Limited Basic or a similar tier of cable television service at no cost on one outlet to each qualified existing police, fire, emergency management facility, public works and public library in the Township, provided the facility is located within 200 feet of active cable distribution plant. Each additional outlet installed, if any, shall be paid for on a materials plus labor basis by the Township.
D.
Within six months of the issuance of a Renewal Certificate of Approval by the BPU, the Company shall provide to the Township a one-time E/G Access Capital Grant in the amount of $75,000 to meet the identified E/G Access capital needs of the community.
E.
Company representatives shall appear at least once annually, upon written request of the Township, at a public meeting of the governing body, to discuss matters pertaining to the provision of cable services to residents of the Township and other related issues as the Township and company may deem appropriate.
F.
The Communications Act of 1934, as amended [47 U.S.C. § 543(b)], allows the Company to itemize and/or identify: 1) the amount on the subscriber bill assessed as a franchise fee and the identity of the governmental authority to which the fee is paid; 2) the amount on the bill assessed to satisfy any requirements imposed on the Company by the cable franchise to support public, education, and/or governmental access channels or the use of such channels; and 3) any grants or other fees on the bill or any tax, assessment, or charge of any kind imposed by any governmental authority on the transaction between the operator and the subscriber. The Company reserves its external cost, pass-through rights to the full extent permitted by law.
A.
The Company will comply with the Emergency Alert System ("EAS") rules in accordance with applicable state and federal statutes and regulations.
B.
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 Township is unable to make full use of the cable television system as contemplated herein.
The Company shall always maintain a comprehensive general liability insurance policy with a single limit amount of $1,000,000 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 $5,000,000.
All of the statements and commitments contained in the Application or annexed thereto and incorporated therein, and any amendment thereto, except as modified herein, are binding upon the Company as terms and conditions of this consent. The Application and other relevant writings submitted by the Company shall be annexed hereto and made a part hereof by reference provided same do not conflict with applicable state or federal law.
Should the Township grant municipal consent for 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 Ordinance subject to the provisions of N.J.A.C. 14:17-6.7.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance 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 Ordinance.
A.
The Company shall not be required to disclose information which it reasonably deems to be proprietary or confidential in nature. The Township agrees to treat any information disclosed by the Company as confidential and only to disclose it to those employees, representatives, and agents of the Township that have a need to know to enforce this Ordinance Agreement and who agree to maintain the confidentiality of all such information.
B.
The Company shall not be required to provide Customer information in violation of Section 631 of the Cable Act or any other applicable federal or state privacy law. For purposes of this section, the terms "proprietary or confidential" include, but are not limited to, information relating to the Cable System design, customer lists, marketing plans, financial information unrelated to the calculation of franchise fees or rates pursuant to FCC rules, or other information that is reasonably determined by the Company to be competitively sensitive. The Company may make proprietary or confidential information available for inspection but not copying or removal by the Township's representative. In the event that the Township has in its possession and receives a request under a state "sunshine," public records, or similar law for the disclosure of information the Company has designated as confidential, trade secret or proprietary, the Township shall notify the Company of such request and cooperate with Company in opposing such request.
The Company shall not be liable or responsible for, in whole or in part, any delay or failure to perform any of its obligations hereunder which may result from accidents, pandemics, floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes or other acts of God; war, acts of war (whether or not a declaration of war is made), civil disobedience; civil disturbance, sabotage or vandalism, customer tampering or interference, or act of public enemy; strikes, other labor or job actions or unavailability of materials or equipment; or other events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Company.
Nothing in this Franchise or in any prior agreement is or was intended to confer third-party beneficiary status on any member of the public to enforce the terms of such agreements or Franchise.
The Township, for its part, shall endeavor to exercise reasonable efforts to require developers and utility companies to provide the Company with at least 15 days' advance notice of an available open trench for the placement of necessary cable.
This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon issuance of a Renewal Certificate of Approval from the BPU.