Mendocino County Municipal Code Div. VII Open Video Systems

The provisions of this Chapter apply to an open video system operator that intends to deliver video programming to consumers in the County over an open video system.

(Ord. No. 4115 § 1 (part), adopted 2003.)

(A) Before commencing the delivery of video programming services to consumers in the County over an open video system, the open video system operator must file an application with the County. That application must include or be accompanied by the following, as applicable:

(1) The identity of the applicant, including all affiliates of the applicant;

(2) Copies of FCC Form 1275, all "Notices of Intent" filed under 47 CFR § 76.1503(b)(1), and the order of the FCC, all of which relate to certification of the applicant to operate an open video system in accordance with Section 653(a)(1) of the Communications Act and the FCC's rules;

(3) The area or areas of the County that the applicant desires to serve;

(4) A description of the open video system services that will be offered by the applicant over its existing or proposed facilities;

(5) A description of the transmission medium that will be used by the applicant to deliver the open video system services;

(6) Information in sufficient detail to establish the applicant's technical qualifications, experience and expertise regarding the ownership and operation of the open video system described in the application;

(7) Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that demonstrate the applicant's financial ability to:

(a) Construct, operate, maintain and remove any new physical plant that is proposed to be constructed in the County,

(b) Comply with the County's public, educational and government access channel requirements as specified in Section 13.40.510(B)(4),

(c) Comply with the County's requirement that gross revenue fees be paid in the sum of five percent (5%), as specified in Section 13.40.510(B)(2).

(8) An accurate map showing the location of any existing telecommunications facilities in the County that the applicant intends to use, to purchase or to lease;

(9) If the applicant's operation of the open video system will require the construction of new physical plant in the County, the following additional information must be provided:

(a) A preliminary construction schedule and completion dates,

(b) Preliminary engineering plans, specifications and a network map of any new facilities to be constructed in the County, in sufficient detail to identify:

(i) The location and route requested for the applicant's proposed facilities,

(ii) The locations, if any, for interconnection with the facilities of other telecommunications service providers,

(iii) The specific structures, improvements, facilities and obstructions, if any, that the applicant proposes to remove or relocate on a temporary or permanent basis.

(c) The applicant's statement that, in constructing any new physical plant, the applicant will comply with all applicable ordinances, rules and regulations of the County, including the payment of all required permit and processing fees.

(10) The information and documentation that is required to be submitted to the County by a video provider, as specified in Section 13.40.530(B) of this Chapter;

(11) Such additional information as may be requested by the County Administrator;

(12) A nonrefundable filing fee in an amount established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(B) If any item of information specified in subsection A of this Section is determined under paramount Federal or State law to be unlawful, the County Administrator is authorized to waive the requirement that such information be included in the application.

(Ord. No. 4115 § 1 (part), adopted 2003.)

Within thirty (30) days after receipt of an application filed under Section 13.40.530 of this Chapter that is deemed to be complete, the County Administrator will give written notice to the applicant of the County's intent to negotiate an agreement setting forth the terms and conditions under which the operation of the proposed open video system will be authorized by the County. The commencement of those negotiations will be on a date that is mutually acceptable to the County and to the applicant.

(Ord. No. 4115 § 1 (part), adopted 2003.)

(A) No video programming services may be provided in the County by an open video system operator unless the operator and the County have executed a written agreement, which may be designated as a franchise, setting forth the terms and conditions under which the operation of the proposed open video system will be authorized by the County.

(B) The agreement between the County and the open video system operator may contain terms and conditions that relate to the following subject matters, to the extent that such terms, conditions and subject matters are not preempted by Federal statute or regulations:

(1) The nature, scope and duration of the agreement, including provisions for its renewal or extension;

(2) The obligation of the open video system operator to pay to the County, at specified times, fees on the gross revenue received by the operator, as authorized by 47 CFR § 76.1511, in accordance with the following standards and procedures:

(a) The amount of the fees on the gross revenue will be five percent (5%), and will be paid in lieu of the franchise fees authorized under Section 622 of the Communications Act,

(b) The term "OVS gross revenue" means (i) all gross revenue received by an open video system operator or its affiliates, including all revenue received from subscribers and all carriage revenue received from unaffiliated video programming providers, and (ii) all advertising revenue received by the operator or its affiliates in connection with the provision of video programming, where such revenue is included in the calculation of the cable franchise fee paid to the County by the franchised cable operator. The term "OVS gross revenue" does not include revenue, such as subscriber or advertising revenue, collected by unaffiliated video programming providers.

(3) The obligation of the open video system operator to comply with requirements relating to information collection and record keeping, accounting procedures, reporting, periodic audits and inspection of records in order to ensure the accuracy of the fees on the OVS gross revenue that are required to be paid as specified above in subsection (B)(2) of this Section;

(4) The obligation of the open video system operator to meet the County's requirements with respect to public, educational and governmental access channel capacity, services, facilities and equipment, as provided for in 47 CFR § 76.1505. In this regard, the following standards and procedures are applicable:

(a) The open video system operator is subject to the same public, educational and governmental access channel requirements that apply within the cable television franchise service area with which its system overlaps,

(b) The open video system operator must ensure that all subscribers receive all public, educational and government access channels within the franchise service area in which the County's subscribers are located,

(c) The open video system operator may negotiate with the County to establish the operator's obligations with respect to public, educational and government access channel capacity, services, facilities and equipment. These negotiations may include the County's franchised cable operator if the County, the open video system operator, and the franchised cable operator so desire,

(d) If the open video system operator and the County are unable to reach an agreement regarding the operator's obligations with respect to public, educational and government access channel capacity, services, facilities and equipment within the County's jurisdiction, then the following obligations will be imposed:

(i) The open video system operator must satisfy the same public, educational and government access channel obligations as the County's franchised cable operator by providing the same amount of channel capacity for public, educational and governmental access and by matching the County's franchised cable operator's annual financial contributions in support of public, educational and government access services, facilities and equipment that are actually used by the County. For in-kind contributions, such as cameras or production studios, the open video system operator may satisfy its statutory obligation by negotiating mutually agreeable terms with the County's franchised cable operator, so that public, educational and governmental access services to the County are improved or increased. If such terms cannot be agreed upon, the open video system operator must pay to the County the monetary equivalent of the franchised cable operator's depreciated in-kind contribution, or, in the case of facilities, the annual amortization value. Any matching contributions provided by the open video system operator must be used to fund activities arising under Section 611 of the Communications Act.

(ii) The County will impose upon the open video system operator the same rules and procedures that it imposes upon the franchised cable operator with regard to the open video system operator's use of channel capacity designated for public, educational and government access channel use when that capacity is not being used for such purposes.

(e) The County's franchised cable operator is required under Federal law to permit the open video system operator to connect with its public, educational and government access channel feeds. The open video system operator and the franchised cable operator may decide how to accomplish this connection, taking into consideration the physical and technical characteristics of the cable and the open video systems involved. If the franchised cable operator and the open video system operator cannot agree on how to accomplish the connection, the County has the right to decide. The County may require that the connection occur on County-owned property or on public rights-of-way,

(f) All costs of connection to the franchised cable operator's public, educational and government access channel feed must be borne by the open video system operator. These costs will be counted towards the open video system operator's matching financial contributions set forth in subsection (B)(4)(d)(i) of this Section,

(g) The County will not impose upon the open video system operator any public, educational or government access channel obligations that are greater than those imposed upon the franchised cable operator,

(h) If there is no existing franchised cable operator, the provisions of 47 CFR § 76.1505(d)(6) will be applicable in determining the obligations of the open video system operator,

(i) The open video system operator must adjust its system to comply with new public, education and access channel obligations imposed on the County's franchised cable operator following a renewal of the cable television franchise; provided, however, that the open video system operator will not be required to displace other programmers using its open video system to accommodate public, educational and government access channels. The open video system operator must comply with such new public, educational and government access channel obligations whenever additional capacity is or becomes available, whether it is due to increased channel capacity or to decreased demand for channel capacity.

(5) If the County and the open video system operator cannot agree on the application of the FCC's rules regarding the open video system operator's obligations to provide public, educational and government access channel under the provisions of subsection (B)(4) of this Section, then either party may file a complaint with the FCC in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures set forth in 47 CFR § 76.1514. No agreement will be executed by the County until the dispute has been finally resolved;

(6) If the open video system operator intends to maintain an institutional network, as defined in Section 611(f) of the Communications Act, the County will require that educational and government access channels be designated on that institutional network to the same extent that those channels are designated on the institutional network of the County's franchised cable operator. In addition, to the extent authorized by Federal law, the open video system operator may be required by the County to satisfy the same financial obligations and other requirements that are imposed upon the franchised cable operator to support data-transmission and related services that are provided by the institutional network;

(7) The authority of an open video system provider to exercise editorial control over any public, educational or government use of channel capacity will be restricted in accordance with the provisions of 47 CFR § 76.1505(f);

(8) The obligation of the open video system operator to comply with all applicable Federal, State and local statutes, ordinances and regulations relating to customer service standards, including the Cable Television and Video Customer Service and Information Act (Government Code §§ 53054, et seq.), the Video Customer Service Act (Government Code §§ 53088, et seq.), and Section 18.04.050 of this Code;

(9) If a new physical plant is proposed to be constructed within the County, the obligation of the open video system operator to comply with the following rights-of-way use and management responsibilities that are also imposed by the County upon other telecommunications service providers in a nondiscriminatory and competitively neutral manner:

(a) Compliance with all applicable County codes, including applications for excavation, encroachment and construction permits and the payment of all required permit and inspection fees,

(b) The coordination of construction activities,

(c) Compliance with established standards and procedures for constructing lines across private property,

(d) Compliance with all applicable insurance and indemnification requirements,

(e) The repair and resurfacing of construction-damaged streets,

(f) Compliance with all public safety requirements that are applicable to telecommunications service providers using public property or public rights-of-way.

(10) Acts or omissions constituting breaches or defaults of the agreement, and the applicable penalties, liquidated damages and other remedies, including fines or the suspension, revocation or termination of the agreement;

(11) Requirements relating to the sale, assignment or transfer of the open video system;

(12) Requirements relating to the open video system operator's compliance with and implementation of State and Federal laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the operation of the open video system;

(13) Such additional requirements, conditions, terms, policies and procedures as may be mutually agreed upon by the County and the open video system operator and that will, in the judgment of the Board of Supervisors, best serve the public interest and protect the public health, welfare and safety.

(Ord. No. 4115 § 1 (part), adopted 2003.)