Chapter 5.20 CABLE SYSTEM REGULATIONS

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms, phrases and their derivations have the meanings given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future tense, words in the singular number include the plural number and words in the plural number include the singular number.

(1) “Applicant” means any person or entity that applies for an initial franchise.

(2) “Cable Act” means the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 as amended by the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and as any of them may be amended.

(3) “Cable operator” means any person or group of persons, including a franchisee, who provide(s) cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system or who otherwise control(s) or is (are) responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of such a cable system.

(4) “Cable service” means the one-way transmission to customers of video programming or other programming service, and customer interaction, if any, which is required for the selection or use of such video programming or other programming service.

(5) “Cable system” means any facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception and control equipment, that is designed to provide cable service which includes video programming and which is provided to multiple customers within a community, but such term does not include:

(a) A facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of one or more television broadcast stations;

(b) A facility that serves customers without using any public right-of-way;

(c) A facility of a common carrier which is subject, in whole or in part, to the provisions of Title II of the Federal Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), except that such facility shall be considered a cable system (other than for purposes of Section 621(c) (47 U.S.C. 541(c))) to the extent such facility is used in the transmission of video programming directly to customers, unless the extent of such use is solely to provide interactive on-demand services;

(d) An open video system that complies with federal statutes and regulations; or

(e) Any facilities of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility systems.

(6) “Customer” means any person who or which elects to subscribe to, for any purpose, cable service provided by a franchisee by means of or in connection with the cable system and whose premises are physically wired and lawfully activated to receive cable service from the franchisee’s cable system.

(7) “Customer service representative” or “CSR” shall mean any person employed by the cable operator to assist or provide service to customers, whether by answering public telephone lines, answering customers’ questions or performing other customer service-related tasks.

(8) “Customer service standards” means those customer service standards set forth herein and as hereafter amended that are applicable to cable operators.

(9) “FCC” means the Federal Communications Commission.

(10) “Franchise” means an agreement that authorizes a person or entity to construct, operate, maintain or reconstruct a cable system. Upon the written acceptance by a franchisee, the agreement constitutes a contract between the town and franchisee.

(11) “Franchise area” means the area within the jurisdictional boundaries of the town to be served by a franchisee as specified in the franchise.

(12) “Franchisee” means the person, firm, corporation or entity to whom or which a franchise, as hereinabove defined, is granted by the town council under this chapter and the lawful successor, transferee or assignee of said person, firm, corporation or entity.

(13) “Normal business hours” shall mean those hours during which most similar businesses in the town are open to serve customers. In all cases, “normal business hours” must include some evening hours at least one night per week and/or some weekend hours.

(14) “Normal operating conditions” shall mean those service conditions that are within the control of the cable operator. Those conditions that are not within the control of the cable operator include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, civil disturbances, power outages, telephone network outages and severe or unusual weather conditions. Those conditions that are ordinarily within the control of the cable operator include, but are not limited to, special promotions, pay-per-view events, rate increases, regular peak or seasonal demand periods and maintenance or upgrade of the cable system.

(15) “Right-of-way” or “rights-of-way” means all of the following which have been dedicated to the public or are hereafter dedicated to the public and maintained under public authority or by others and are located within the town: streets, roadways, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, bridges, sidewalks, easements and similar public property and areas.

(16) “Service interruption” shall mean the loss of picture or sound on one or more cable channels.

(17) “Town” means the town of Hunts Point, a municipal corporation of the state of Washington, and all of the area within its boundaries, as such may change from time to time.

(18) “Town council” means the Hunts Point town council, or its successor, the governing body of the town. [Ord. 454 § 3, 2006]

5.20.030 Franchise grant.

It is unlawful to engage in or commence construction, operation or maintenance of a cable system in the town without a franchise issued under this chapter. The town council may, by ordinance, issue a nonexclusive franchise to construct, operate and maintain a cable system within all or any portion of the town to any person or entity, whether operating under an existing franchise or not, who applies for authority to furnish cable service which complies with the terms and conditions of this chapter; and provided, that such person or entity also agrees to comply with all of the provisions of the franchise. However, this shall not be deemed to require the grant of a franchise to any particular person or entity. The town council may restrict the number of franchisees should it determine such a restriction would be in the public interest. [Ord. 454 § 4, 2006]

5.20.040 Franchise purposes.

A franchise granted by the town under the provisions of this chapter shall:

(1) Permit the franchisee to engage in the business of operating a cable system and providing cable service within the town;

(2) Permit the franchisee to erect, install, construct, repair, reconstruct, replace and retain wires, cables, related electronic equipment, conduits and other property in connection with the operation of the cable system in, on, over, under, upon, along and across rights-of-way within the town; and

(3) Set forth the obligations of the franchisee under the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 5, 2006]

5.20.050 Nonexclusive franchise.

Any franchise granted pursuant to this chapter shall be nonexclusive and shall not preclude the town from granting additional franchises or permits. [Ord. 454 § 6, 2006]

5.20.060 Application.

(1) An applicant seeking a franchise shall submit to the town administrator a written application in a format provided by the town, accompanied by an application fee in the amount of $20,000 to cover costs associated with processing the application, including, without limitation, costs of administrative review, financial, legal and technical evaluation of the applicant, the costs of consultants, notice and publication requirements, and document preparation expenses. In the event such costs exceed the application fee, the applicant shall pay the difference to the town within 30 days following receipt of an itemized statement of such costs. Conversely, if such costs are less than the application fee, the town shall refund the difference to the applicant.

(2) A cable system franchise application for an initial franchise shall contain, at a minimum:

(a) A statement as to the proposed franchise and information relating to the characteristics and location of the proposed cable system;

(b) A resume of prior history of the applicant, including the expertise of the applicant in the cable system field;

(c) Information demonstrating the applicant’s legal, technical, and financial ability to construct and operate the proposed cable system;

(d) A list of the partners, general and limited, of the applicant, if a partnership; members, if a limited liability company; or the percentage of stock owned or controlled by each stockholder having a five percent or greater interest, if a corporation;

(e) A list of officers, directors and key employees of the applicant, together with a description of the background and experience of all such persons;

(f) The names and addresses of any parent entity or subsidiary of the applicant or any other business entity owning or controlling the applicant in whole or in part, or owned or controlled in whole or in part by the applicant;

(g) A proposed construction and service schedule; and

(h) Any other reasonable information that the town may request.

The town shall be allowed the opportunity to ask relevant follow-up questions and obtain further information from whatever source. A refusal by an applicant to cooperate or provide requested information is sufficient grounds for the town to deny an application.

(3) Upon receipt of an application for an initial franchise and after obtaining any additional requested information, the town shall schedule a hearing to receive public comment.

(4) Within 60 days after the close of the public hearing, the town council shall decide whether to grant a franchise and on what conditions. The town council’s decision shall be based upon the application, any additional information submitted by the applicant or obtained by the town from any source, and from public comments. [Ord. 454 § 7, 2006]

5.20.070 Duration.

The term of any franchise, and all rights, privileges, obligations and restrictions pertaining thereto, shall be specified in the franchise. The effective date of any franchise shall be as specified in the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 8, 2006]

5.20.080 Franchise territory.

The franchise territory shall include all areas within the town or a lesser area as specified in the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 9, 2006]

5.20.090 Police powers.

In accepting any franchise, the franchisee acknowledges that its rights are subject to the police powers of the town to adopt and enforce general ordinances necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the public, and it agrees to comply with all applicable laws enacted by the town pursuant to such power. [Ord. 454 § 10, 2006]

5.20.100 Use of rights-of-way.

For the purposes of operating and maintaining a cable system in the town, a franchisee may place and maintain within the rights-of-way such property and equipment as are necessary and appurtenant to the operation of the cable system. Prior to construction or alteration of the cable system in the rights-of-way, the franchisee shall procure all necessary permits, pay all applicable fees in connection therewith, and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, resolutions and ordinances, including, but not limited to, land use and zoning requirements. [Ord. 454 § 11, 2006]

5.20.110 Pole or conduit agreements.

No franchise shall relieve a franchisee of any of its obligations involved in obtaining pole or conduit agreements from any department of the town, any utility company, or from others maintaining facilities in the rights-of-way. [Ord. 454 § 12, 2006]

5.20.120 Franchise fees.

The franchisee shall pay the town franchise fees in accordance with the terms of the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 13, 2006]

5.20.130 Taxes.

Nothing in this chapter shall limit the franchisee’s obligation to pay applicable local, state, and federal taxes. [Ord. 454 § 14, 2006]

5.20.140 Customer service standards.

(1) Policy. A cable operator shall make in good faith reasonable attempts to resolve customer inquiries and complaints without delay and without involvement of the town. Where a customer complaint is not addressed by the cable operator to the customer’s satisfaction, the town may intervene.

These standards are intended to be of general application. A cable operator is free to exceed these standards for the benefit of its customers. However, the cable operator shall be relieved of obligations hereunder if it is unable to perform due to a force majeure event affecting a significant portion of the franchise area.

(2) Customer Service.

(a) Courtesy. All employees of the cable operator shall be courteous, knowledgeable, helpful, and shall provide effective and satisfactory service in all contacts with customers.

(b) Availability and Accessibility – In Person. The cable operator shall maintain, at a minimum, one customer service center located in the east side of King County, Washington. This customer service location shall at all times allow customers to make payments, return equipment, or obtain assistance from knowledgeable staff. The customer service center shall be open Monday through Saturday, excluding legal holidays, with sufficient hours necessary to meet customer demand. The foregoing requirement will be met if the cable operator provides at least (i) one full-service customer service center, as described above, or (ii) two co-location customer service locations conveniently located on the east side, staffed to meet all customer needs with on-site customer service representatives offering the following services to customers: payments (including the ability to provide change and transaction receipts), equipment exchange, processing of change of service requests and response to customer inquiries and requests. If, however, a customer service location is required to relocate, the cable operator shall be allowed a reasonable period of time to establish a new location.

(c) Availability and Accessibility – On the Telephone. A CSR will be available to respond to customer inquiries during normal business hours. The cable operator shall maintain local or toll-free telephone access lines that shall be available during normal business hours for service/repair requests and billing inquiries.

The cable operator shall retain sufficient CSRs and telephone lines to ensure that, during normal operating conditions, telephone calls to service/repair and billing inquiry lines are answered within 30 seconds or less, and that any transfers are made within 30 seconds. This standard shall be met no less than 90 percent of the time, measured on a quarterly basis under normal operating conditions. Under normal operating conditions, the total number of calls receiving busy signals shall not exceed three percent of the total telephone calls.

The cable operator shall not be required to acquire equipment or perform surveys to measure compliance with any of the telephone answering standards above unless requested by the town based on a historical record of customer complaints indicating a clear failure to comply.

(3) Responsiveness.

(a) The cable operator shall complete all standard installations within seven business days after an order has been placed, unless otherwise requested by the customer. “Standard” installations shall include those that are located within 125 aerial feet of the cable operator’s distribution system. This standard must be met 95 percent of the time under normal operating conditions as measured on a quarterly basis. If the customer requests a nonstandard installation or the cable operator determines that a nonstandard installation is required, the cable operator shall provide the customer in advance with a total installation cost estimate and an estimated date of completion.

(b) Under normal operating conditions, and subject to permit availability (if such is required), all temporary cable drops on public property or in the town’s rights-of-way shall be converted to a permanent drop within no more than three calendar weeks from the initial installation or at a time mutually agreed upon between the cable operator and the town.

(c) Customers requesting installation of cable service or repair service to an existing installation may choose any available four-hour block of time for the appointment during normal business hours.

(d) The cable operator shall be deemed to have responded to a request for service under the provisions of this subsection when a technician arrives within the agreed-upon time. If the customer is absent when the technician arrives, the technician shall leave written notification of timely arrival. A record that notice was provided shall be kept by the cable operator.

(e) If a cable operator representative fails to keep an installation or service appointment for any reason, the cable operator shall contact the customer before the end of the scheduled appointment and reschedule the appointment at a time convenient for the customer.

(f) The cable operator shall respond to a customer’s letter in writing within one week of receipt of the letter. The cable operator shall respond to a customer’s inquiry, complaint, general question or comment made by telephone or e-mail within 48 hours.

(g) Any difficulties that cannot be resolved by the CSR shall be referred to the appropriate supervisor who shall use his/her best efforts to contact the customer within eight hours of initial contact and resolve the problem within a mutually agreeable timeframe.

(4) Repairs and Outages.

(a) The cable operator shall render efficient service, make repairs promptly, and interrupt service only for good cause and for the shortest time possible. Scheduled interruptions that the cable operator anticipates will last more than four hours shall occur during periods of minimum use of the system as reasonably determined by the cable operator.

(b) If a customer calls to report poor signal quality or interruptions attributable to the cable operator’s equipment, the cable operator shall begin working on the problem no later than the next day following the customer’s call; provided, that the customer is available or at such later time as is convenient to the customer. If an appointment is necessary, the customer may choose a four-hour block of time during normal business hours or such other time that is convenient for the customer.

(c) Upon discovery of an outage affecting three or more customers, the cable operator shall initiate its outage repair process within two hours, under normal operating conditions.

(d) A cable operator shall initiate repairs to customer-reported service interruptions, for any cause beyond the control of the cable operator, within 24 hours after the conditions beyond its control have been corrected.

(e) Under normal operating conditions, if after 24 hours service is not restored to a customer, a cable operator shall, upon a customer’s request, provide a refund or credit or other compensation of equal or greater value.

(f) The cable operator will track and record all outages and service interruptions that occur within the franchise area.

(g) The cable operator shall endeavor to notify the town on the next business day of any outage of at least one continuous hour that affects 100 or more of its customers.

(5) Bills, Credits, Refunds and Deposits.

(a) The cable operator shall provide the customer with a clear and concise bill on a monthly basis.

(b) If a customer requests disconnection of any or all services, billing for affected services shall end on the same day as the request, or on the future date for which the disconnect is ordered. However, the customer may continue to be billed for equipment until returned to the cable operator. The cable operator shall issue a credit or refund to a customer within 30 business days after the close of the billing cycle following the return of the equipment and request for disconnection. If a customer was required to provide a deposit, that deposit must be returned with any interest accrued on the deposit.

(6) Treatment of Property.

(a) Removal or trimming of trees and shrubs in the right-of-way by the cable operator shall be subject to the regulations of the town.

(b) The cable operator shall repair any damage or restore any property to as good a condition as before the work causing such damage or disturbance was initiated. The cable operator shall repair, replace or compensate all property owners for damages resulting from the cable operator’s installation, construction, service, or repair activities.

(c) Except in the case of an emergency involving public safety or service interruption to a large number of customers, the cable operator shall give reasonable notice to property owners or legal tenants prior to entering upon private premises, and the notice shall specify the work to be performed; provided, that in the case of planned construction operations, such notice shall be delivered or provided at least 24 hours prior to entry. All work done in the right-of-way shall be subject to time requirements of the permit.

(d) Nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing access or entry to private property, or any other property, where such right to access or entry is not otherwise provided by law.

(e) For the installation of pedestals or other major construction or installation projects, the cable operator shall notify by mail or door hanger the adjacent property owners/legal tenants in advance of the right-of-way work. In the case of an emergency, the cable operator shall attempt to contact the property owner or legal tenant in person, and in the event personal contact is not made, the cable operator shall leave a door hanger notice.

(f) The cable operator shall clean all areas surrounding any work site of debris caused by the cable operator’s activities and ensure that all cable materials are disposed of properly.

(7) Services for Customers with Disabilities.

(a) For any customer with a disability, the cable operator shall at no charge deliver and pick up converters at the customer’s home. In the case of malfunctioning equipment, the cable operator’s service technician shall provide and install substitute equipment, ensure that it is working properly and recover the defective equipment for the cable operator at that time.

(b) The cable operator shall provide TDD/TYY service with trained operators who can provide every type of assistance for any hearing-impaired customer at no charge.

(d) Any customer with a disability may request the remote control unit or special services described above by providing the cable operator with a letter from the customer’s physician stating the need, any other official certification of disability or by making the request to the cable operator’s installer or service technician, where the need for the special equipment or services can be visually confirmed.

(8) Customer Information.

(a) The cable operator shall provide to customers an accurate, comprehensive service agreement and customer installation packet for use in establishing customer service. The installation packet shall also be provided during any reconnection or cable service upgrade requiring a home visit by the cable operator (excluding reconnections to the same customer within 12 months). Upon installation and annually thereafter or at any time the customer requests, the cable operator shall provide the following information, in clear, concise written form:

(i) Products and services offered by the cable operator, including channel positions of programming carried on the cable system.

(ii) The cable operator’s complete range of service options and the prices for those services and conditions of subscription to programming and other services.

(iii) Installation and service maintenance policies, including the customer’s and cable operator’s responsibilities for equipment.

(iv) Billing and complaint procedures for investigation and resolution of customer service complaints, including the address and telephone number of the cable operator’s office(s), the cable operator’s policies on deposits, credit balances and returned check charges.

(v) Policies concerning protection of customer privacy.

(vi) The availability of a parental control/lock out device and the procedures for channel blocking.

(vii) Days, hours of operation, and customer service location(s).

(viii) Information on how to contact the person who is responsible for administering the franchise for the town, including the address, telephone number and e-mail address.

(ix) Service termination procedure.

(x) A description of the manner that will be used to provide notice of changes in rates, services or service terms and conditions.

(xi) The address and phone number of the customer service department that is responsible for handling cable questions and complaints for the cable operator. This information shall be prominently displayed in the installation packet.

(b) Upon request by the town, a sample of the required notices provided to the customer shall be provided to the town.

(c) The cable operator shall provide customers with written notification of any changes in rates, programming, services or channel positions as soon as possible in writing. Customers shall be given a description of the changes, their options for changing services they receive, phone number for questions and the effective date. Notice must be given to customers a minimum of 30 days in advance of such changes if the change is within the control of the cable operator. In addition, the cable operator shall notify customers 30 days in advance of any significant changes in the other information required by the preceding list. Within 30 days following material policy changes, information regarding the changes will be provided to customers.

(d) All officers, agents and employees of the cable operator, its contractors and subcontractors who are in personal contact with customers shall have visible identification cards bearing their name and photograph.

(e) Every vehicle of the cable operator used for providing services to customers shall be clearly identified to the public as working for the cable operator.

(9) Safety.

(a) The cable operator shall install and locate its facilities, cable system and equipment in compliance with all federal, state, local and company safety standards, and in such manner as shall not unduly interfere with or endanger persons or property.

(b) Whenever the cable operator receives notice that an unsafe condition exists with respect to its equipment, the cable operator shall investigate such condition immediately, and shall take such measures as are necessary to remove or eliminate any unsafe condition.

(10) Complaint Procedure.

(a) The cable operator shall establish written procedures for receiving, acting upon and resolving customer complaints, and crediting customer accounts in accordance with company policies, and shall publicize such procedures through printed documents at the cable operator’s sole expense.

(b) The written procedures shall describe a simple process by which any customer may submit a complaint in person or by telephone, electronic mail or by letter to the cable operator regarding an alleged violation of any provision of these customer service standards, any terms or conditions of the customer’s contract with the cable operator or reasonable business practices.

(d) The cable operator shall also notify the customer of the customer’s right to file a complaint with the town in the event the customer is dissatisfied with the cable operator’s decision.

(e) Any customer shall be entitled to lodge a complaint directly with the town. Customers may call or submit a written complaint, by letter or in electronic form.

If the town decides that further action is warranted, the town may intercede and attempt to help reach a resolution and/or require the cable operator to address the inquiry within 24 hours. Upon request by the town, the cable operator shall notify the town of the status of the inquiry within 48 hours and any subsequent resolution.

(f) The cable operator shall maintain, in a manner consistent with the privacy rights of customers, an accurate and comprehensive file of complaints regarding the cable system or the cable operator’s operation of the cable system, by number and type and their disposition; service requests, identifying the number and nature of the requests and their disposition; outages, service interruptions and their disposition; and customer privacy information.

(g) The town may evaluate the overall quality of customer service provided by the cable operator to customers in the town, at its sole discretion, based on the number of customer complaints received directly by the town or reported by the cable operator in its quarterly reports.

(11) Verification of Compliance. Upon written request by the town, the cable operator shall document its compliance with all of the standards required through quarterly reports that demonstrate said compliance.

(12) Noncompliance with Standards. Noncompliance with any provision of these standards may result in a violation of the franchise.

(13) Remedying Violations. If the town has reason to believe that the cable operator has failed to comply with any of these standards, or has failed to perform in a timely manner, or if similar complaints repetitively arise, the town may require in writing that the cable operator remedy the alleged noncompliance. If the alleged noncompliance is denied or not remedied to the satisfaction of the town, the town may opt to follow the liquidated damages procedures or seek other remedies set forth in the franchise, or pursue any other remedies at law or in equity. [Ord. 454 § 15, 2006]

5.20.150 Other authorizations.

The franchisee shall comply with and obtain, at its own expense, all permits, licenses and other authorizations required by federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and applicable resolutions and ordinances which are now existing or hereafter lawfully adopted. [Ord. 454 § 16, 2006]

5.20.160 Rules and regulations of the town.

In addition to the inherent powers of the town to regulate and control any franchise it issues, the authority granted to it by the Cable Act, applicable FCC rules and regulations, and those powers expressly reserved by the town, or agreed to and provided for in a franchise, the right and power is reserved by the town to promulgate such additional rules and regulations as it may find necessary in the exercise of its lawful powers and in furtherance of the terms and conditions of a franchise and this chapter, and as permitted by applicable state and federal law. [Ord. 454 § 17, 2006]

5.20.170 Delegation of powers.

Any right or power of the town may be delegated by the town to any officer, employee, department or board of the town, or to such other person or entity as the town may designate to act on its behalf. [Ord. 454 § 18, 2006]

5.20.180 Coverage.

The franchisee shall design, construct and maintain its cable system to pass every residential dwelling unit in the franchise area, subject to any density requirements contained within the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 19, 2006]

5.20.190 Technical standards.

The franchisee shall construct, install, operate and maintain its cable system in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, FCC technical standards and any other applicable standards set forth in the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 20, 2006]

5.20.200 Construction standards.

(1) All facilities constructed or operated under this chapter shall be installed and maintained at such places in or upon such rights-of-way and public places as shall not interfere with the free passage of traffic and the free use of adjoining property, and shall conform to federal standards, state of Washington requirements, and town regulations.

(2) The franchisee shall be subject to any and all requirements established by the town with regard to the placement and screening of franchisee’s facilities and equipment located in the rights-of-way and on other public property. Such requirements may include, but are not limited to, the use of landscaping to screen pedestals and cabinets and a requirement that construction be flush with the natural grade of the surrounding area.

(3) The franchisee shall comply with any applicable ordinances, resolutions and regulations of the town regarding geographic information systems mapping for users of the rights-of-way; provided, that all similarly situated users of the rights-of-way must also accordingly comply. [Ord. 454 § 21, 2006]

5.20.210 Street repair.

The franchisee shall guarantee the durability and structural integrity of any street repair made by it or its agents which is necessary for the construction, installation, operation, repair or maintenance of the franchisee’s facilities for the life of the street; provided, that no action by an unrelated third party materially affects the integrity of the franchisee’s street repair. The franchisee shall repair or replace, at no expense to the town, any failed street repair which was completed by the franchisee or franchisee’s agent(s), as determined by the town. All street repairs conducted by the franchisee or its agents shall be done pursuant to local ordinances and regulations. [Ord. 454 § 22, 2006]

5.20.220 Safety requirements.

The franchisee shall, at all times, employ professional care and install, maintain and use commonly accepted methods and devices for preventing failures and accidents which are likely to cause damage, injuries or nuisances to the public. In furtherance thereof, the franchisee must comply with the town’s traffic control requirements, including, for example, but without limitation, the use of signal devices, warning signs and flaggers when appropriate. All of the franchisee’s structures, cables, lines, equipment and connections in, over, under and upon the rights-of-way and public ways or other places in the franchise area, wherever situated or located, shall at all times be kept and maintained in a safe condition. [Ord. 454 § 23, 2006]

5.20.230 Regulation of rates and charges.

The town may regulate the franchisee’s rates and charges to the full extent permitted by law. [Ord. 454 § 24, 2006]

5.20.240 Privacy.

The franchisee will be bound by all of the provisions of applicable federal, state and local privacy laws. [Ord. 454 § 25, 2006]

5.20.250 Discriminatory practices prohibited.

(1) The franchisee shall not deny cable service or otherwise discriminate against customers or others on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or other protected classes.

(2) Access to cable service shall not be denied to any group of potential residential customers because of the income of the residents of the local area in which such group resides. [Ord. 454 § 26, 2006]

5.20.260 Equal employment opportunity.

The franchisee shall strictly adhere to and comply with the equal employment opportunity requirements of federal, state and local laws. [Ord. 454 § 27, 2006]

5.20.270 Reimbursement.

To the extent allowed by applicable law, the town may require a franchisee to reimburse the town for the town’s reasonable processing and review expenses, such costs not to exceed $20,000, in connection with a sale or transfer of a franchise or a change in control of a franchise or franchisee, including, without limitation, costs of administrative review, financial, legal and technical evaluation of the proposed transferee or controlling party, costs of consultants, notice and publication costs, and document preparation expenses. In connection with the foregoing, the town will send the franchisee an itemized description of all such charges, and the franchisee shall pay such amount within 30 days after the receipt of such description. [Ord. 454 § 28, 2006]

5.20.280 Franchise renewal.

Franchise renewals shall be conducted in accordance with applicable law. The town and franchisee, by mutual consent, may enter into renewal negotiations at any time during the term of a franchise. [Ord. 454 § 29, 2006]

5.20.290 Franchise revocation.

Any franchise granted by the town may be revoked during the period of such franchise, as provided in the franchise, subject to the procedural requirements provided for therein. A failure by the franchisee to comply with any of the material provisions of this chapter shall be deemed a material violation of a franchise. [Ord. 454 § 30, 2006]

5.20.300 Acceptance.

No franchise granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall become effective unless and until the ordinance granting the same has become effective. Within 45 days after the adoption by the town council of the ordinance awarding a franchise, or within such extended period of time as the town council in its discretion or franchise may authorize, the franchisee shall file with the town clerk its written and unconditional acceptance of the franchise. [Ord. 454 § 31, 2006]

5.20.310 Conflicts.

Where a franchise and this chapter conflict, both shall be liberally interpreted to achieve a common meaning or requirement. In the event that this is not possible within reasonable limits, the franchise shall prevail. [Ord. 454 § 32, 2006]

5.20.320 Miscellaneous provisions.

(1) This chapter shall be construed in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state and local laws, and shall apply to any franchise hereafter accepted by a franchisee.

(2) The captions throughout this chapter are intended to facilitate the reading hereof. Such captions shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any part of this chapter.

(3) A franchisee shall not be relieved of its obligations to comply with any or all of the provisions of this chapter by reason of any failure of the town to demand prompt compliance.

(4) The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all cable operators and cable systems to the greatest extent permissible under applicable law. [Ord. 454 § 33, 2006]