36.04A.150 Access.

(a)    The county may require that applications and proposals for new franchises include the provision of public, education and local government access channels without charge, including facilities, equipment and capital support sufficient to meet the community needs. Applicants for new franchises and grantees requesting renewal of franchises are encouraged to provide additional access support and support for local origination programming in their franchise proposals. If supported by its assessment of future cable-related community needs and interests, the county may require that a request for renewed franchise provide for facilities, equipment and capital support sufficient to meet those needs and interests.

(b)    The access program may be managed by a grantee pursuant to a franchise agreement, or by one or more designated access providers under contract with the county. The county may also manage the access program directly or in cooperation with other public or private entities. The manager(s) of the access program shall establish rules for the use of access channels consistent with the requirements of this ordinance, a franchise, other applicable law and the intended purpose of such channels. Such rules shall in all cases be subject to review and approval by the commission.

(c)    Any public access channel(s) shall be made available to members of the public on a nondiscriminatory basis at nominal or no charge for channel or equipment use, except as otherwise provided by law.

(d)    Any education access channel(s) shall be made available free of charge to schools for the transmission of local educational programming.

(e)    Any local government access channel(s) shall be made available free of charge for the transmission of government related programming.

(f)    The commission shall promulgate rules under which channel capacity dedicated to access use may be used by a grantee when it is not being used for access purposes. (Sec. 2 of Ord. 1998-12-21)