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Cowlitz County public works readies franchise hearing for LS Networks fiber build
Summary
Public works said a public hearing will be held at the next board meeting on a 10‑year telecommunication franchise for LS Networks to place fiber, poles, vaults and conduit in the county right of way; staff described a new effort to catalog decades of franchise agreements in Laserfiche.
Anna Lunde, right‑of‑way agent with Cowlitz County Public Works, told commissioners the county will hold a public hearing at the board’s next meeting about a telecommunication franchise application from LS Networks (Lightspeed Networks). "They are seeking to have another for 10 years," Lunde said, describing the company’s equipment as fiber, poles, vaults, conduit and splice cases, mostly above ground and often attached to existing PUD telephone lines.
Nut graf: franchise agreements permit private utilities to occupy the county right of way under state law; Lunde said compliance with contract terms governs placement. "When it comes to a franchise agreement, yeah, it's covered by state RCW," she said. "As long as the contract terms are adhered to, they are permitted to be within the right of way as long as they do have a franchise agreement."
Public Works staff described two administrative points that matter for the county and contractors: first, the county is building a consolidated record of existing franchise agreements and related documents in Laserfiche to help inspectors, track certificates of insurance and identify which agreements are active; second, franchise terms the county is now using are typically 10 to 15 years, shorter than some historical agreements that ran 25 to 50 years.
Lunde explained the county does not routinely charge a recurring right‑of‑way fee for telecommunication franchises, though applicants pay for staff time and publication costs related to the public hearing. She noted an exception under federal law: franchised cable operators subject to the Cable Act may provide PEG (public, education and government) funds tied to local public‑access television and related services.
Commissioners asked procedural questions about pole owners, third‑party attachments and relocation during road projects. Lunde said the franchise holder is normally the party that must approach the county to request access; separate agreements are required when one franchise holder attaches to another owner’s pole. If the county needs to move equipment for a road project, the county’s process includes One‑Call locates and notifying the pole owner, but Lunde said the county is not responsible for notifying every third‑party attaché — that obligation typically lies between the pole owner and its contractors.
The hearing on the LS Networks franchise was scheduled for the board’s next meeting; Public Works staff said they will provide the franchise documentation and permit details to commissioners and make records available to inspectors before the hearing.
Ending: no vote or formal action was taken at the agenda review; staff will present the franchise application and supporting materials at the upcoming public hearing.
