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Council advances Duke Energy franchise ordinance after debate over pole relocations
Summary
On first reading the council advanced a long‑term franchise agreement with Duke Energy (ordinance 1517‑26), including a 6% fee on base revenues; the move drew questions about recent pole‑placement disputes and a few recorded nays on first reading.
The Zephyrhills City Council held first reading April 27 on a long‑term franchise agreement with Duke Energy, advancing the ordinance to second reading after a public exchange about prior coordination on pole placements.
City staff described the measure (ordinance 1517‑26) as a renewal of a longstanding franchise arrangement granting Duke the right to use municipal rights‑of‑way and establishing a franchise fee equal to 6% of base revenues from sales in city limits. The ordinance includes standard provisions about use of rights‑of‑way and procedures for relocations.
Several council members raised a past dispute over placement of a transmission pole that complicated a road connection and said the city had difficulty securing Duke’s cooperation on that project. Katie Christian, Duke’s director of government and community relations, said Duke’s perspective differed in that the company installed poles requested by a developer and later the developer’s plan changed; she offered to be a point of contact and said Duke is working to improve local coordination.
After discussion the council moved the ordinance forward for a second reading; the record shows two nays recorded during the first reading vote.
