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Aldridge council gives first reading to Ordinance 24-84 to update cable franchise rules
Summary
The Aldridge City Council gave first reading to Ordinance 24-84, revising the municipal code’s cable/franchise provisions and setting terms for future franchise agreements with cable providers; councilmembers said the ordinance clarifies responsibilities for undergrounding, maintenance and franchise termination.
The Aldridge City Council on Tuesday gave first reading to Ordinance 24-84, a comprehensive update to the city’s cable-franchise provisions intended to reflect technological changes and clarify responsibilities between the city and cable providers.
A council member who presented the measure said the ordinance replaces the city’s older franchise language and will form the basis for a forthcoming franchise agreement with the principal provider. “This is a solid ordinance that makes us compliant with other city[ies] of similar size and covers a lot of things and a lot of concerns that we have about who's responsible for what,” the presenter said.
Among the provisions discussed were enforcement for unburied drops and underground cabling requirements. The presenter said the new ordinance allows the city to assess penalties if a provider does not bury lines within a required time and clarifies responsibilities for tree trimming, ground repairs and liabilities. Council members asked how deep drops must be buried; the presenter referred to standard regulations and noted a typical depth discussed in the meeting (about 15 inches) for certain installations.
The presenter said the previous franchise language had effectively continued in perpetuity under the old agreement and that the city wanted a modernized agreement to address equipment abandonment, business transfers and franchise revocation if providers fail to meet obligations. The presenter discussed communications with Charter (Charter Communications) and other providers and said a separate franchise agreement would follow after ordinance adoption.
Trent moved and Stacy seconded the first reading; the council voted in favor to advance the ordinance to future consideration. The presenter said staff plans to bring a draft franchise agreement back to the council at a future meeting for review.
No final franchise agreement was adopted at the first reading; the ordinance must return for subsequent readings or additional action before taking effect.
