§ 5.56.010 — Definitions

5.56.010 - Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words, abbreviations, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future tense, words in the plural number include the singular number, and words in the singular number include the plural number. "CATV" means a community antenna television system as defined in subdivision (H) of this section. "City" means the City of Riverside, California, a municipal corporation of the State of California, in its present incorporated form or in any later reorganized, consolidated, enlarged or reincorporated form. "Community antenna television system" means a system of antenna, coaxial cables, wires, wave guides, microwave links, signal repeaters or other conductors, equipment or facilities designed, constructed or used for the purpose of providing television or FM radio service by cable or through its facilities as herein contemplated. CATV shall not mean or include the transmission of any special program or event for which a separate and distinct charge is made to the subscriber in the manner commonly known and referred to as "pay television." "Franchise" means and includes any authorization granted hereunder in terms of a franchise, privilege, permit, license or otherwise to construct, operate and maintain a CATV system in the City. Any such authorization, in whatever term granted, shall not mean and include any license or permit required for the privilege of transacting and carrying on a business within the City in accordance with Chapter 5.04 entitled "Licenses" of this Code, relating to the business license tax of the City of Riverside. "Franchise area" means the territory within the City throughout which grantee shall be authorized to construct, maintain and operate its system and shall include any enlargements thereof and additions thereto. "Grantee" means the person, firm or corporation to whom or which a franchise, as defined in this section, is granted by the Council under this chapter, or by the State Public Utilities Commission, and the lawful successor, transferee or assignee of said person, firm or corporation. "Gross annual receipts" means any and all compensation and other consideration in any form whatever and any contributing grant or subsidy received directly or indirectly by a grantee from subscribers or users in payment for television or FM radio signals or service received within the City, and any fees or income received by grantee for carrying advertising or commercial messages over the CATV facilities. Included in "gross annual receipts" shall be installation and line extension charges levied by the grantee to subscribers. "Gross annual receipts" shall not include any taxes or services furnished by the grantee imposed directly on any subscriber or user by any city, state or other governmental unit and collected by the grantee for such governmental unit. "Property of grantee" means all property owned, installed or used by a grantee in the conduct of a CATV business in the City under the authority of a franchise granted pursuant to this chapter. "Street" means the surface of and the space above and below any public street, road, highway, freeway, lane, path, alley, court, sidewalk, parkway, drive or way, now or hereafter existing as such within the City. "Subscriber" means any person or entity receiving for any purpose the CATV service of a grantee.

(Ord. 7757, § 109, 2026; Ord. 7387 § 4, 2017)