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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 1673 - Extend Franchise Agreement with TCI of Washington LA, 2wq'ss s �1+, 111 1 i �J `it 908/: Tu kwi*la it o Washington Ordinance No. /w 7 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, AMENDING SECTION 2 OF ORDINANCE 1074, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE 1394, EXTENDING THE TERM OF THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH TCI OF WASHINGTON, INC. TO JANUARY 1, 1994 OR UPON THE COMPLETION AND ACCEPTANCE OF A SUCCESSOR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila has granted a franchise to operate a cable communications system within the City of Tukwila; and WHEREAS, the current franchise agreement expires on October 3, 1993 and completion of the successor agreement is not yet finalized; and WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the City of Tukwila and TCI of Washington, Inc. to extend the existing agreement until negotiations on a successor agreement can be concluded; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Ordinance No. 1074, Section 2. Length of the Franchise, is hereby amended to read as follows: The expiration date of the franchise shall be extended to January 1, 1994 or until the completion and acceptance of a successor franchise agreement, whichever is sooner. Section 2. Severability. Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. Section 3. Effective Date. This ordinance or a summary thereof shall be published in the official newspaper of the City, and shall take effect and be in full force five (5) days after passage and publication as provided by law. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CIIY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a Regular Meeting thereof this -4Z day of ,1993. Jo h11) W. Rants, Mayor 4 ATTEST/ AUTHENTICATED: APPROVED AS TO FORM: J e E. Cantu, City Clerk Office of the City Attorney FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: 9 60 9 PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: /0 9 PUBLISHED: /U 7- rj -3 EFFECTIVE DATE: i O ORDINANCE NO.: 6 Federal Communications Conriission Washiv D. C. 20551 1 Name of Franchising Authority Mailing Address 6460 City iA v i f&.. Telephone No. (include area code): (moo) 1/ Person t contact with respect to this Y eOLr�t c, o f ujt LV� iit ,1XcP -•,.4 -er Q ✓I State ZIP Code 1u 9A/ s?.9 /700 arm: tJJsCaw( FCC 328 CERTIFICATION OF FRANCHISING AUTHORITY TO REGULATE BASIC CABLE SERVICE RATES AND INITIAL FINDING OF LACK OF EFFECTIVE COMPETITION 2. a. Name (s) and address(es) of cable system(s) and associated FCC community unit identifiers within your jurisdiction. (Attach additional sheets if necessary.) Cable System's Name 7 Z /AC Mailing Address/ J/f Gty t SL,71/6, State U ZIP Code Cable System's FCC Community Unit Identifier: ?'1t f et.44� 4;19 0-0. cz. Cable System's Name Mailing Address Crty Cable System's FCC Community Unit Identifier: 2. b. Name (s) of system(s) and associated community unit identifier(s) you claim are subject to regulation and with respect to which you are filing this certification. (Attach additional sheets if necessary.) Name o f S n "T J /L!/ Name of System State State ZIP Code Community Unit Identifier %n /A ZOO Community Unit Identifier 2. c. Have you served a copy of this form on all parties E Y fisted in 2.b.? Return the original and one copy of this certification form (as indicated in Instructions), along with any attachments, to: Federal Communications Commission Attn: Cable Franchising Authority Certification P.O. Box 18539 Washington, D. C. 20036 For FCC Use Only 3. Will your franchising authority adopt (within 120 days of certification) and administer regulations with respect to basic cable service that are consistent with the regulations adopted by the FCC pursuant to 47 U.S.C. Section 543(b)? 4. With respect to the franchising authority's regulations referred to in Question 3, a. Does your franchising authority have the legal authority to adopt them? b. Does your franchising authority have the personnel to administer them? 5. Do the procedural laws and regulations applicable to rate regulation proceedings by your franchising authority provide a reasonable opportunity for consideration of the views of interested parties? Approved by OMB 3060-0550 Expires 05/31/96 14 Yes E No Yes ❑No Yes No Yes No 6. The Commission presumes that the cable system(s) listed in 2.b. is (are) not subject to effective competition. Based on the definition below, do you have reason to believe that this presumption is correct? (Effective competition means that (a) fewer than 30 percent of the households in the franchise area subscribe to the cable service of a cable system; (b) the franchise area is (1) served by at least two unaffiliated multichannel video programming distributors each of which offers comparable video programming to at least 50 percent of the households in the franchise area; and (ii) the number of households subscribing to programming services offered by multichannel video programming distributors other than the largest multichannel video programming distributor exceeds 15 percent of the households in the franchise area; or (c) a multichannel video programming distributor operated by the franchising authority for that franchise area offers video programming to at least 50 percent of the households in that franchise area.) Sig Lure tt C Administrator D September 20, 1993 WILLFUL FALSE STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS FORM ARE PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND /OR IMPRISONMENT (U.S. CODE TITLE 18, SECTION 1001). FCC 328 August 1993 Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 1, The Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act, enacted in October 1992, changes the manner in which cable television systems that are not subject to effective competition are regulated. In general, rates for the basic service tier (the tier required as a condition of access to all other video services and containing, among other services, local broadcast station signals and public, educational, and public access channels) and associated equipment will be subject to regulation by local or state governments "franchising authorities Rates for cable programming services and associated equipment (all services except basic and pay channels) will be subject to regulation by the FCC. Rates for pay channels (channels for which there is a specific per -channel or per program charge) are not regulated. 2. Only cable systems that are not subject to effective competition may be regulated. Effective competition means that (a) fewer than 30 percent of the households in the franchise area subscribe to the cable service of a cable system; (b) the franchise area is (i) served by at least two unaffiliated multichannel video programming distributors each of which offers comparable video programming to at (east 50 percent of the households in the franchise area; and (ii) the number of households subscribing to programming services offered by multichannel video programming distributors other than the largest multichannel video programming distributor exceeds 15 percent of the households in the franchise area; or (c) a multichannel video programming distributor operated by the franchising authority for that franchise area offers video programming to at least 50 percent of the households in that franchise area. 3. In order to regulate basic service tier rates, a franchising authority must be certified by the FCC. In order to be certified, a franchising authority must complete this form. An original and one copy of the completed form and all attachments must be returned to the FCC by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the FCC at the address on the form. 4. A copy of the form must be served on the cable operator by first-class mail on or before the date the form is sent or delivered to the FCC. 5. The franchising authority's certification will become effective 30 days after the date stamped on the postal return reteint unless otherwise notified by the Commission by that date. The franchising authority cannot begin to regulate rates, however, until it has actually adopted the required regulations (see below) an until it has notified the cable operator that it has been certified and that it has adopted the required regulations. 6. In order to be certified, franchising authorities must answer "yes" to Questions 3, 4, and 5, which are explained as follows: 7. Question 3: The franchising authority must adopt rate regulations consistent with the Commission's regulations for basic cable service. To fulfill this requirement for certification, the franchising authority may simply adopt a regulation indicating that it will follow the regulations established by the FCC. 8. Question 4(a): The franchising authority's "legal authority" to regulate basic service must come from state law. )n Some states only the state government may regulate cable rates In those states, the state government should file this certification. Provisions in franchise agreements that prohibit rate regulation are void, and do not prevent a franchising authority from regulating the basic service tier and associated equipment. INSTRUCTIONS FOR FCC 328 FRANCHISING AUTHORITY CERTIFICATION The franchising authority has 120 days to adopt these regulations after the time it is certified. The franchising authority may not, however, begin to regulate cable rates until after it has adopted these regulations and until it has notified the cable operator that it has been certified and has adopted the required regulations. Approved bs' OMB 3060.0550 Expires 05/31/96 Question 4(b): The franchising authority must have a sufficient number of personnel to undertake rate regulation. A franchise authority unable to answer "yes" to questions 4(a) or 4(b) may wish to review the FCC's Report and Order in Docket 92 -266 FCC 93 -177 (released May 3, 1993) for further information on the establishment of altemative federal regulatory procedures. 9. Question 5: Franchising authorities must have procedural regulations allowing for public participation in rate regulation proceedings. If a franchising authority does not have these regulations already in place, it must adopt them within 120 days of certification and before it may undertake rate regulation. 10. Question 6: Most cable systems are IIOI subject to effective competition, as defined by the Cable Act. (The definition is included above and on the form.) The franchising authority may presume that the cable system in its jurisdiction is not subject to effective competition. For purposes of applying the definition of effective competition (see hem 2 above), "multichannel video programming distributors" include a cable operator, a multichannel multipoint distribution service, a direct broadcast satellite service, a television receive -only satellite program distributor, a video dialtone service, and a satellite master antenna television system. A multichannel video programming distributor's services will be deemed "offered" when they are both technically and actually available. Service is "technically available" when the multichannel distributor is physically able to deliver the service to a household wishing to subscribe, with only minimal additional investment by the distributor. A service is "actually available" if subscribers in the franchise area are reasonably aware through marketing efforts that the service is available. Subscribership of those multichannel video programming distributors offering service to at least 50 percent of the households in a franchise area will be aggregated to determine whether at least 15 percent of the households in the franchise area are served by competitors. A multichannel video programming distributor must offer at least 12 channels of programming, at least one channel of which is nonbroadcast, to be found to offer "comparable" video programming. 11. This certification form must be signed by a govemment official with authority to act on behalf of the franchising authority. FCC NOTICE TO INDIVIDUALS REQUIRED RV THE PRIVACY ACT AND THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT The sotcatation of personal information in this form is authorized by the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. The Commission will use the information provided in this form to determine if the franchise authority should be authorized to regulate cable rates. In reaching that determaanon, or for law enforcement purposes, it may become necessary to refer personal inlormren contained in this form to another govemment agency All information provided in this form wit. be available for public inspection. Your response is required to obtain the requested authorin. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintairng the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send commerrs regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Federal Communications Commission, Records Management Division, AMD-PIRS, Washington, D. C. 20554, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (3060-0550), Washington, D. C. 20503. THE FOREGOING NOTICE 1S REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974, P.L 93 -579, DECEMBER 31, 1975, 5 U.S.C. 522a(eX3) AND THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1980, P.L. 96511, DECEMBER 11, 1980, 44 U.S.C. 3507. To: City Council From: John McFarland Date: September 30, 193 City of Tukwila 6200 Southcenter Boulevard Tukwila, Washington 98188 John W. Rants, Mayor Re: Extension of TCI Franchise The operating agreement between the City and TCI for provision of cable TV service expires on October 4. We have been involved in the negotiation of a successor agreement for sometime. Doug Micheau advises that a few remaining details are yet to be worked out, however, we will not be able to conclude the agreement prior to October 4. TCI has suggested an extension of the franchise agreement until January 1, 1994 or upon completion of the new agreement, whichever occurs sooner. The Administration is agreeable to this extension. Attached for your consideration is an amendment to the franchise agreement (Ordinance 1074) which will provide for the requested extension. Phone: (206) 433 -1800 City Hall Fax (206) 433 -1833 SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, AMENDING SECTION 2 OF ORDINANCE 1074, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE 1394, EXTENDING THE TERM OF THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH TCI OF WASHINGTON, INC. TO JANUARY 1, 1994 OR UPON THE COMPLETION AND ACCEPTANCE OF A SUCCESSOR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. On /6'' 1` 3 the City Council of the City of Tukwila passed Ordinance No. 7 extending the term of the franchise agreement with TCI of Washington, Inc. to January 1, 1994 or upon the completion and acceptance of a successor franchise agreement, providing for severability, and establishing an effective date. The full text of this ordinance will be mailed without charge to anyone who submits a written request to the City Clerk of the City of Tukwila for a copy of the text. APPROVED by the City Council at its meeting of Published: Seattle Times 10/8/93. i V. Jan EE. Cantu, City Clerk r