Source: https://www.ecode360.com/12733622
Timestamp: 2020-06-06 18:15:26
Document Index: 337047007

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136', '§ 136']

Township of Upper Southampton, PA Rights-Of-Way
§ 136-1 Short title.
§ 136-2 Definition of terms.
§ 136-3 Registration.
§ 136-4 Grant exemptions.
§ 136-5 Standards of service.
§ 136-6 Rental.
§ 136-7 Insurance, indemnification and bonds or other surety.
§ 136-8 Enforcement and termination.
§ 136-9 Miscellaneous provisions.
Township of Upper Southampton, PA / Part II: General Legislation
Chapter 136 Rights-Of-Way
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Southampton 9-19-2006 by Ord. No. 378. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Cable television — See Ch. 70.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 156.
ATTACHMENTS136a Appendix A
This chapter shall be known as the "Upper Southampton Township Rights-of-Way Ordinance."
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words, and abbreviations shall have the meanings ascribed to them below. 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:
A person: a) with a direct or indirect ownership interest in the subject entity of 5% or more or which controls such interest, including forms of ownership such as general, limited, or other partnership interests, direct ownership interests, limited liability companies and other forms of business organizations and entities, but not including corporations; b) with a stock interest in the subject entity where the subject entity is a corporation and such stockholder or its nominee is an officer or director of the grantee or who directly or indirectly owns or controls 5% or more of the outstanding stock, whether voting or nonvoting; or c) which controls grantee and/or is controlled by or is under common control with such person or entity.
A service which is provided to residences or businesses within the service area, but which is exempt from the provisions of this chapter under § 136-4B of this chapter.
Any tangible asset in the public way used or required to provide a nonexempt service to residences or businesses within the service area. The following are not a facility: a railroad, street railway, gas pipe, water pipe, electric conduit, electric piping, telephone pole, telegraph pole, electric lightpole, electric power pole, coal tipple or obstruction to the public way.
All gross revenue of grantee or any affiliate of grantee derived from the use or occupancy of public ways for the provision of nonexempt services to persons having a residence or place of business in the service area. Gross revenue shall include amounts earned, regardless of: a) whether the amounts are paid in cash, in trade, or by means of some other benefit to grantee or its affiliates; b) whether the services with which the revenue is associated are provided at cost or the revenue amount can be matched against an equivalent expenditure; and/or c) how the amounts are initially recorded by grantee or its affiliates. Gross revenue shall not be a net of: a) expense, including but not limited to any operating expense, capital expense, sales expense, or commission; b) any accrual, including, without limitation, any accrual for commissions; or c) any other expenditure, regardless of whether such expense, deduction, accrual, or expenditure reflects a cash payment. Gross revenue shall not be double counted, viz., gross revenue which has been included as gross revenue of both grantee and an affiliate but which sum is included in gross revenue due solely to a transfer of funds between grantee and the affiliate shall not be counted for purposes of determining gross revenue.
A service which is provided to residences or businesses within the service area, but which is not exempt from the provisions of this chapter under § 136-4B of this chapter.
Any natural person, sole proprietorship, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation or other form of organization authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and provides or seeks to provide one or more nonexempt services to residences or businesses in the service area. A governmental entity or a municipal authority is not a person.
The surface of, and the space above and below, any public street, unopened right of way, highway, turnpike, bridge, land path, alley, court, boulevard, sidewalk, parkway, way, lane, public way, drive, circle, or other public right-of-way held by the Township in the service area. Public way shall also mean any easement now or hereafter held by the Township within the service area for the purpose of public travel and/or for utility and/or public service use dedicated for compatible uses.
The Township of Upper Southampton, County of Bucks, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the lawful successor, transferee, or assignee thereof.
Each person, other than on a transitory basis, who occupies or uses or seeks to occupy or use a public way to provide a nonexempt service to residences or businesses within the service area, or places any equipment or facility in a public way other than on a transitory basis, including persons with installation and maintenance responsibilities by lease, sublease or assignment, must register with the Township. Registration is accomplished by filing with the Township a completed provider certification in the form shown at Appendix A to this chapter.[1]
Editor's Note: Said certification form is included at the end of this chapter.
Grant. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, repair, remove, relocate or perform any work on or use any facilities or any part thereof in a public way unless in compliance with this Rights-of-Way Ordinance. Continuous compliance with this Rights-of-Way Ordinance grants to grantee a nonexclusive privilege to construct, repair, remove, relocate or perform any work on or use any facilities or any part thereof in the public ways within the service area and to occupy or use the public ways for the purpose of providing nonexempt service to residences or businesses within the service area.
Exemptions. This Rights-of-Way Ordinance shall not apply to occupation or use of the public ways to provide:
The collection, treatment, or disposal of sewage for the public.
Any ancillary service reasonably necessary or appropriate for the accomplishment of services specified in Subsections B(1) through B(8).
Not a cable system. This chapter does not authorize a person to provide cable service. A person seeking to provide cable service must obtain permission from the Township under separate legislation of the Township.
Not a pole attachment agreement. This chapter does not authorize the grantee to attach to any pole or other structure in public way devices for the intentional transmission or radiation of radio frequency emissions or energy through the ether by any means now known or hereafter developed.
Maps. Prior to beginning any construction of facilities, grantee shall provide the Township with a construction schedule for work in the public ways, which schedule shall be updated as changed. Upon completion of initial construction and upon completion of construction of any modification to its facilities, grantee shall provide the Township with a map showing the location of its installed facilities in the public ways. Such maps shall be provided in both paper forms as well as in an electronic format for placement on the Township's GIS system. Annually thereafter, grantee shall provide a map to the Township showing the location of grantee's facilities in the public ways on a scale of 150 feet per inch or whatever standard scale the Township adopts for general use.
Reservation of Township public ways. nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the Township or other agency of government or municipal authority from constructing sewers, grading, paving, repairing and/or altering any street and/or laying down, repairing and/or removing water mains and/or constructing and/or establishing any other public work or improvement. If any of the grantee's facilities or equipment interferes with the construction or repair of any street or public improvement, including construction, repair or removal of a sewer or water main, the grantee's facilities or equipment shall be removed or replaced in the manner the respective Township or other agency of government or municipal authority shall direct. Any and all such removal or replacement shall be at the expense of the grantee. Should grantee fail to remove, adjust or relocate its facilities by the date established by the Township or other agency of government or municipal authority, the Township or other agency of government or municipal authority may cause and/or effect such removal, adjustment or relocation, and the expense thereof shall be paid by grantee, including all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Township or other agency of government or municipal authority due to grantee's delay.
In consideration of occupying or using the public ways under this chapter, grantee shall pay to Township a rental equal to 5% of gross revenue.
The rental shall be assessed on a calendar quarterly basis and shall be payable to the Township no later than 45 days after the expiration of the calendar quarter for which payment is due. Grantee shall file with the Township a complete and accurate statement, under notarial seal, at the end of each calendar year quarter, certified as true and correct by a representative of grantee authorized to make such certification, explaining how the payment was calculated. In connection with the rental payment due on February 14, the grantee shall also submit to the Township, on that date or no later than six months thereafter, a detailed statement by an officer of the grantee certified by the grantee's independent certified public accountant verifying the accuracy of the gross revenue and rental payments for the previous calendar year, with a detailed breakdown and explanation of the calculation by each month.
Grantee shall keep accurate books of account which shall clearly support the calculation of rentals and describe in sufficient detail the amounts attributable to each specific component of gross revenue. Such books of account and all supplemental information and source documents in support thereof, including, but not limited to, third-party remittances and contract documents, shall be made available to the Township and its authorized representatives for examination at a location in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, at any time during regular business hours on 10 days' prior written notice and from time to time for the purpose of verifying or identifying rentals owed to the Township. Grantee shall exercise its best efforts to obtain financial records of affiliates for the Township for the purpose of verifying the accuracy of the rental payments. Township shall have the right to examine and to recompute any amounts determined to be payable under this chapter; provided, however, that such examination shall take place within 48 months following the close of each year. Any additional amount due to Township as a result of the examination and recomputation shall be paid within 30 days following written notice to grantee by the Township, which notice shall include a copy of the examination report. In the event that said examination determines that funds are owed to the Township in an amount in excess of 2%, the cost of said examination shall be borne by the grantee and reimbursed to Township within 30 days following written notice to grantee.
Grantee shall save the Township, its agents, employees and elected and appointed officials, harmless from and against all claims, damages, losses and expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, sustained on account of any suit, judgment, execution, claim or demand whatsoever arising out of the construction, leasing, operation or maintenance of the grantee's equipment, facilities, and services specified by this chapter, whether or not any act or omission complained of is authorized, allowed and/or prohibited by the Ordinance and the rights granted thereunder.
Grantee shall obtain and maintain in full force and effect throughout the term of this chapter insurance with an insurance company licensed to do business and doing business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and acceptable to the Township. All companies will be required to be rated A-VII or better by A.M. Best or A or better by Standard and Poors. Grantee shall provide Township with proof of such insurance so required.
grantee shall obtain and maintain in full force and effect, at grantee's sole expense, insurance coverage in the following types and minimum amounts.
Workers' compensation and statutory employers' liability: $100,000/$500,000/$100,000.
Commercial general (public) liability, to include coverage for the following where the exposure exists: premises operations; independent contractors; products/completed operations; personal injury; contractual liability; explosion, collapse, and underground property damage: combined single limit for bodily injury and property damages, $2,000,000 per occurrence or its equivalent.
Comprehensive vehicle insurance coverage for loading and unloading hazards, for: owned/leased vehicles; non-owned vehicles; hired vehicles: combined single limit of bodily injury and property damage $1,000,000 per occurrence or its equivalent.
Grantee shall obtain and maintain, at its sole cost and expense, and file with the Township, a corporate surety bond with a surety company authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the amount of fifteen percent (15%) of grantee's estimated costs to secure grantee's performance of its obligations and faithful adherence to all requirements of this chapter.
No action, proceeding or exercise of a right with respect to such bond shall affect the Township's rights to demand full and faithful performance under this chapter or limit grantee's liability for damages.
The bond shall contain the following endorsement: "It is hereby understood and agreed that this bond may not be cancelled by the surety nor any intention not to renew be exercised by the surety until 60 days after receipt by the Township of Upper Southampton, by registered mail, of written notice of such intent."
The insurance policies mentioned herein shall contain an endorsement stating the following: "Should any policies of insurance be cancelled or coverages be reduced, before the expiration date of said policies of insurance, the issuer shall deliver 60 days' advance written notice to the Township."
Neither the provisions of this chapter nor any insurance accepted by the Township pursuant hereto, nor any damages recovered by the Township thereunder, shall be construed to excuse faithful performance by the grantee and/or limit the liability of the grantee under the Ordinance issued hereunder and/or for damages, either to the full amount of the bond or otherwise.
General. In addition to all other rights, remedies and powers reserved and/or retained by the Township under this Rights-of-Way Ordinance or otherwise, the Township reserves the right to bring a civil action to collect any sums due to Township by grantee and/or forfeit or revoke all privileges of grantee under this chapter in the event of willful or repeated violation of this chapter.
Penalties. Any person which commits or suffers the violation of this chapter, shall, upon being found liable in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township, pay a fine of $600 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Township. A separate offense shall arise for each day or portion thereof in which a violation is found to exist or for each section of this chapter which is found to have been violated. In addition, the Township also may enforce this chapter by an action brought in equity.
Conflict. Whenever the requirements of this chapter are in conflict with other requirements of the ordinances of the Township of Upper Southampton, the most restrictive, or those imposing the highest standards shall govern. Privileges granted by this chapter do not constitute a waiver or impairment of the rights of the Township at law or equity now or henceforth existing to proceed versus grantee for enforcement of the chapter or violation of this chapter or ordinances of the Township.
Effective date. This chapter shall become effective five days after the date of its enactment.
Severability. The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any section, clause, sentence, part or provision thereof shall be held illegal, invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision of the court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining sections, clauses, sentences, parts of provisions of this chapter. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Board of Supervisors that this chapter would have not been adopted if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional section, clause, sentence or part of a provision had been included herein.