(A) The following minimum requirements for facilities and services apply to all franchises. The city may require that a franchise exceed these minimum requirements.
(1) A cable system constructed or rebuilt after the effective date of this chapter must have a minimum capacity of 54 video channels available for immediate or potential use and have the capability for two-way communications.
(2) A cable system may be required to provide one or more access channels for public, educational or governmental access. In addition, the city may require a franchisee to reserve one or more additional channels for present or future access use. If the city determines that the use of existing access facilities warrants the activation of such reserve channels, the franchisee shall activate them upon 90 days’ notice from the city. The city may require in a franchise agreement that the franchisee contribute to capital costs for access studios and related equipment and facilities.
(3) A cable system must provide leased access channels as required by federal law.
(4) Service to public buildings may be required without charge as set forth in the franchise agreement.
(B) Unless a franchise agreement provides otherwise, a franchisee must make cable service available to every unserved dwelling within the franchise service area. Where the franchise service area is the entire city, the franchisee shall extend service to any annexed areas within six months of the date of annexation; provided, however, the franchisee is not required to extend service in areas where the cable would pass fewer than 30 homes per cable mile.
(C) The city may waive minimum requirements of this section where, in the judgment of the city, such waiver is justified in the public interest.
(Ord. 89-15, passed 5-8-89)