55 ILCS 5/5-1096 — Illinois Code / Chapter 55 / Act 5 / Section 5-1096
Section 5-1096
Status: in_force

(55 ILCS 5/5-1096) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-1096) Sec. 5-1096. Community antenna television systems; interference with and payment for access. (a) In any instance in which a county has granted a franchise to any community antenna television company to construct, operate or maintain a cable television system within a designated franchise area, no property owner, condominium association, managing agent, lessee or other person in possession or control of any residential building located within such designated franchise area shall forbid or prevent any occupant, tenant or lessee of any such building from receiving cable television service from such franchisee, nor demand or accept payment from any such occupant, tenant or lessee in any form as a condition of permitting the installation of cable television facilities or the maintenance of cable television service in any such building or any portion thereof occupied or leased by such occupant, tenant or lessee, nor shall any such property owner, condominium association, managing agent, lessee or other person discriminate in rental charges or otherwise against any occupant, tenant or lessee receiving cable service; provided, however, that the owner of such building may require, in exchange and as compensation for permitting the installation of cable television facilities within and upon such building, the payment of just compensation to be paid by the cable television franchisee which provides such cable television service, said sum to be determined in accordance with the provisions of subparagraphs (c) and (d) hereof, and provided further that the cable television franchisee installing such cable television facilities shall agree to indemnify the owner of such building for any damage caused by the installation, operation or removal of such cable television facilities and service. No community antenna television company shall install cable television facilities within a residential building pursuant to this subparagraph (a) unless an occupant, tenant or lessee of such residential building requests the delivery of cable television services. (b) In any instance in which a county has granted a franchise to any community antenna television company to construct, operate or maintain a cable television system within a designated franchise area, no property owner, condominium association, managing agent, lessee or other person in possession and control of any improved or unimproved real estate located within such designated franchise area shall forbid or prevent such cable television franchisee from entering upon such real estate for the purpose of and in connection with the construction or installation of such cable television system and cable television facilities, nor shall any such property owner, condominium association, managing agent, lessee or other person in possession or control of such real estate forbid or prevent such cable television franchisee from constructing or installing upon, beneath or over such real estate, including any buildings or other structures located thereon, hardware, cable, equipment, materials or other cable television facilities utilized by such cable franchisee in the construction and installation of such cable television system; provided, however, that the owner of any such real estate may require, in exchange and as compensation for permitting the construction or installation of cable television facilities upon, beneath or over such real estate, the payment of just compensation by the cable television franchisee which provides such cable television service, said sum to be determined in accordance with the provisions of subparagraphs (c) and (d) hereof, and provided further that the cable television franchisee constructing or installing such cable television facilities shall agree to indemnify the owner of such real estate for any damage caused by the installation, operation or removal of such cable television facilities and service. (c) In any instance in which the owner of a residential building or the owner of improved or unimproved real estate intends to require the payment of just compensation in excess of $1 in exchange for permitting the installation of cable television facilities in and upon such building, or upon, beneath or over such real estate, the owner shall serve written notice thereof upon the cable television franchisee. Any such notice shall be served within 20 days of the date on which such owner is notified of the cable television franchisee's intention to construct or install cable television facilities in and upon such building, or upon, beneath or over such real estate. Unless timely notice as herein provided is given by the owner to the cable television franchisee, it will be conclusively presumed that the owner of any such building or real estate does not claim or intend to require a payment of more than $1 in exchange and as just compensation for permitting the installation of cable television facilities within and upon such building, or upon, beneath or over such real estate. In any instance in which a cable television franchisee intends to install cable television facilities as herein provided, written notice of such intention shall be sent by the cable television franchisee to the property owner or to such person, association or managing agent as shall have been appointed or otherwise designated to manage or operate the property. Such notice shall include the address of the property, the name of the cable television franchisee, and information as to the time within which the owner may give notice, demand payment as just compensation and initiate legal proceedings as provided in this subparagraph (c) and subparagraph (d). In any instance in which a community antenna television company intends to install cable television facilities within a residential building containing 12 or more residential units or upon, beneath, or over real estate that is used as a site for 12 or more manufactured housing units, 12 or more mobile homes, or a combination of 12 or more manufactured housing units and mobile homes, the written notice shall further provide that the property owner may require that the community antenna television company submit to the owner written plans identifying the manner in which cable television facilities are to be installed, including the proposed location of coaxial cable. Approval of those plans by the property owner shall not be unreasonably withheld and the owners' consent to and approval of those plans shall be presumed unless, within 30 days after receipt thereof, or in the case of a condominium association, 90 days after receipt thereof, the property owner identifies in writing the specific manner in which those plans deviate from generally accepted construction or safety standards, and unless the property owner contemporaneously submits an alternative construction plan providing for the installation of cable television facilities in an economically feasible manner. The community antenna television company may proceed with the plans originally submitted if an alternative plan is not submitted by the property owner within 30 days, or in the case of a condominium association, 90 days, or if an alternative plan submitted by the property owner fails to comply with generally accepted construction and safety standards or does not provide for the installation of cable television facilities in an economically feasible manner. For purposes of this subsection, "mobile home" and "manufactured housing unit" have the same meaning as in the Illinois Manufactured Housing and Mobile Home Safety Act. (d) Any owner of a residential building described in subparagraph (a), and any owner of improved or unimproved real estate described in subparagraph (b), who shall have given timely written notice to the cable television franchisee as provided in subparagraph (c), may assert a claim for just compensation in excess of $1 for permitting the installation of cable television facilities within and upon such building, or upon, beneath or over such real estate. Within 30 days after notice has been given in accordance with subparagraph (c), the owner shall advise the cable television franchisee in writing of the amount claimed as just compensation. If within 60 days after the receipt of the owner's claim, the cable television franchisee has not agreed to pay the amount claimed or some other amount acceptable to the owner, the owner may bring suit to enforce such claim for just compensation in any court of competent jurisdiction and, upon timely demand, may require that the amount of just compensation be determined by a jury. Any such action shall be commenced within 6 months of the notice given by the cable television franchisee pursuant to subparagraph (c) hereof. In any action brought to determine such amount, the owner may submit evidence of a decrease in the fair market value of the property occasioned by the installation or location of the cable on the property, that the owner has a specific alternative use for the space occupied by cable television facilities, the loss of which will result in a monetary loss to the owner, or that installation of cable television facilities within and upon such building or upon, beneath or over such real estate otherwise substantially interferes with the use and occupancy of such building to an extent which causes a decrease in the fair market value of such building or real estate. (e) Neither the giving of a notice by the owner under subparagraph (c), nor the assertion of a specific claim, nor the initiation of legal action to enforce such claim, as provided under subparagraph (d), shall delay or impair the right of the cable television franchisee to construct or install cable television facilities and maintain cable television services within or upon any building described in subparagraph (a) or upon, beneath or over real estate described in subparagraph (b). (f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no community antenna television company shall enter upon any real estate or rights of way in the possession or control of any public utility, railroad or owner or operator of an oil, petroleum product, chemical or gas pipeline to install or remove cable television facilities or to provide underground maintenance or repair services with respect thereto, prior to delivery to the public utility, railroad or pipeline owner or operator of written notice of intent to enter, install, maintain, or remove. For the purposes of this subsection (f), and only in the case of real estate or rights-of-way in possession of or in control of a railroad, the right to enter upon includes the installation, construction, operation, repair, maintenance, or removal of wire, cable, fiber, conduit, or related facilities that are at, above, or below grade and that cross the real estate or rights-of-way in a manner that runs generally perpendicular to the railroad tracks or railroad right-of-way. For the purposes of this subsection (f), and only in the case of real estate or rights-of-way in possession of or in the control of a railroad, the right to enter upon does not apply to wire, cable, fiber, conduit, or related facilities that run along, within, and generally parallel to, but do not cross, the railroad tracks or railroad right-of-way. No entry shall be made until at least 30 days after receipt of such written notice. Such written notice, which shall be delivered to the registered agent of such public utility, railroad or pipeline owner or operator shall include the following information: (i) The date of the proposed installation, maintenance, repair, or removal and projected