36.04A.040 Grant of multiple franchises.

(a)    All material provisions of any cable franchises granted pursuant to this chapter to enter the county’s public ways for the purpose of constructing or operating a cable system or providing cable service to any service area within the county to which another grantee of a franchise is actually providing cable service or to which another grantee is required to extend cable service under the provisions of a previously granted franchise shall be reasonably comparable to those of the previously granted franchise in order that one cable operator not be granted an unfair competitive advantage over another, and to provide all cable operators equal protection under the law.

(b)    If the county grants a franchise to a second or subsequent cable operator for cable service to an area which a prior grantee is not actually serving or is not required to extend service to, and which has material provisions that are not reasonably comparable to those of the prior franchise, the county shall offer the prior grantee a franchise to serve the same area under terms and conditions that are reasonably comparable to those set forth in the franchise agreement entered into with the second or subsequent cable operator for such franchise area. (Sec. 2 of Ord. 1998-12-21)