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Council renews Comcast cable franchise; votes to publish ordinance summary
Summary
The Bloomington City Council unanimously approved a 10‑year cable franchise ordinance renewing Comcast's right to operate in city rights‑of‑way and authorized summary publication of the ordinance.
The Bloomington City Council on Jan. 27 approved a 10‑year cable franchise renewing Comcast's right to use city rights‑of‑way to provide cable and related services, and authorized summary publication of the ordinance.
City communications staff and outside counsel summarized key terms of the proposed franchise and said the agreement preserves a 5% franchise fee on cable service, strengthens customer service and right‑of‑way protections, and updates the city's financial support for public, educational and governmental (PEG) programming. "When you grant this franchise ... you decide who gets a franchise and who gets into your rights of way," said Brian Grogan, the city’s cable attorney.
Why it matters: The franchise governs who may place cable and related infrastructure in city streets and continues a long‑standing revenue stream tied to cable subscriptions. Counsel and staff told the council the franchise does not expand municipal control over broadband (Internet) services; broadband is regulated differently and not the subject of this ordinance.
Council action: Councilmember Lohmann moved to approve an ordinance amending city code and renewing Comcast’s franchise; the motion passed on a 6‑0 vote with Councilmember Rivas absent. The council then approved a resolution authorizing summary publication of the ordinance by the same margin.
The ordinance will be stored as an uncodified special ordinance (an appendix) rather than being embedded into the city code text; counsel said that preserves the council's ability to update the city code independently.
The public hearing on the ordinance included one speaker who expressed concerns about Comcast service and asked whether other broadband providers (for example, T‑Mobile Fiber) would be available in Bloomington. The council and counsel clarified that the franchise covers cable television service and associated cable‑service revenues; separate broadband providers may operate subject to applicable state and federal rules.
Ending: Councilmembers thanked staff and outside counsel for negotiating customer service guarantees and PEG funding. The ordinance takes effect after publication and any required administrative steps.
Quotes in this article are drawn from the meeting record and are attributed to the speakers listed below.
