Access channels and facilities.
Cape Coral Code of Ordinances § 15-15
in effect§ 15-15 - Access channels and facilities.
(a) Applications for an initial or renewal franchise shall include proposals for the provision of access channels and equipment and facilities relating to the channels sufficient to meet community needs as determined by the city. Any franchisee granted an initial or renewal franchise on or after the effective date hereof, shall, at minimum, provide the city for its exclusive use with two activated access channels on the basic tier for, educational and/or governmental use. In addition, every franchisee shall make available, on two separate channels, Lee County Board of Education programming and Lee County Government programming, including but not limited to, meetings of the Board of County Commissioners, to all subscribers in the city, provided the programming is available for transmission.
(b) A city may, as provided in a franchise agreement, require franchisee to provide use of franchisee's studio equipment and technical services, at no cost to the city, for production of live and video-taped municipal programs, subject to reasonable availability and scheduling requirements of the franchisee.
(c) The city may require a franchisee to provide equipment and other facilities and/or support in order to facilitate the city's operation of an educational or governmental access channel, as provided in a franchise.
(d) As provided in a franchise, a franchisee may be required to provide, at no cost to the city, trained personnel to assist the city in production of live and video-taped municipal programs at locations other than the city's studio, or franchisee's studio as the case may be, as designated by the city.
(e) Applications for an initial or renewal franchise may and, at the city's request, shall include proposals for the provision of an institutional network interconnecting city, educational institution and/or other public facilities.
(f) Applications for an initial or renewal franchise may and, at the city's request, shall include proposal for the interconnection of franchisee to any or all other franchised cable systems operating within the city or in areas adjacent to the city, provided that interconnection is technically feasible and franchisee and the other operator agree upon reasonable interconnection arrangements, including an allocation of the costs of interconnection between franchisee and the other operator that is reasonable in light of the relative benefits and burdens, including consideration of support provided for educational and governmental access purposes.
(g) A franchise may provide for a financial grant in lieu of some or all of the facilities, equipment, and services referenced in subsections (b), (c), (d) and (e) above. However, any like grant shall not be considered a fee or tax of any kind or a credit against the fee or tax.
(Ord. 90-00, § 3, 9-11-2000)
Source: City of Cape Coral, Florida, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Land Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/cape_coral/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH15FR_ARTICACO_S15-15ACCHFAFetched: 11/4/2026