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Title:
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Receipt and Discussion of Consultant's report summarizing the Safety Inspection of Culver City's Cable Television System.
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City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council receive and discuss the consultant’s report regarding the
safety inspection of the City’s Cable Television system, as operated by Comcast of
Los Angeles, Inc. (Comcast). Council should request that Comcast promptly deliver
to the City a comprehensive action plan to inspect its entire cable plant within the
City to detect and repair all safety code violations, and to implement that plan. The
Council should also direct staff to evaluate Comcast’s corrective action plan and
report back to the City Council. Staff should also be directed to take any and all
actions necessary to enforce the terms of the City’s Franchise Agreement with
Comcast and/or its successors-in-interest, as well as the Franchise Ordinance.
BACKGROUND:
At the direction of the City Council, the City retained Kramer.Firm, Inc. (KF) to
inspect Comcast’s Culver City cable system. KF has inspected hundreds of cable
systems in the United States over the last 21 years.
KF’s inspection focused on whether Comcast’s plant meets the mandatory State of
California and City safety codes. The applicable safety codes are designed to
protect the public from injury and property damage. Compliance with the applicable
safety codes is a requirement of the City’s cable television franchise with Comcast.
Thus, violations of the safety codes are also violations of the City’s cable television
franchise. Comcast’s staff accompanied KF during KF’s field inspection.
Meeting Date: 09/26/05 Item Number: A-1
AGENDA ITEM: Receipt & Discussion of Consultant’s Report Summarizing the
Safety Inspection of Culver City’s Cable Television System
Contact Person/Dept.: Jonathan Kramer,
Kramer.Firm Inc.
Phone Number: (310) 473-9900
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [x] General Fund: Yes [] No [x]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [x] Attachments: [x]
Public Notification: Master Notification List 9/21/05; Comcast of Los Angeles, Inc.
Department Approval:
Carol Schwab,City Attorney 9/22/05
CAO Approval:
City Controller Approval: N/ACity of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
The KF inspection disclosed that Comcast’s cable system materially fails to meet the
required safety codes throughout the City. Sample code violations cited in KF’s
resultant report (attached) include, without limitation, incomplete pole-to-pole fiber
optic cable construction causing interference with other utilities; loose cables
interfering with other utilities; non-compliant drop grounding; cable drops not
grounded at all; loose cables interfering with building use; poor workmanship; low
cables over roadways; and missing down guys (used to protect passersby from
coming into contact with pole guying cables). KF estimates that over 5,000 code
violations are present in Comcast’s Culver City system.
On August 18, 2005, city staff forwarded a copy of KF’s report to Comcast and
requested that Comcast submit a written plan, within 30 days, to address the
violations cited in this report. As of September 16, 2005, Comcast has indicated that
it is anticipating responding to this request by September 29, 2005. Given the
magnitude of the violations, KF estimates that it will take up to 18 months for
Comcast to properly address the existing code violations.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The City has expended $9,950, to date, to have KF inspect the Culver City cable
system. If the City is to monitor Comcast’s progress during the cure period and to
inspect the system at the completion of the cure period, additional funding will be
required. The amount of additional funding, and the source(s) of funding will be
identified in conjunction with the assessment of Comcast’s corrective action plan.
Once the relevant facts are ascertained, staff will provide a supplemental financial
analysis to the City Council.
ATTACHMENTS:
Report - “System Plant Safety Inspection of Comcast Cable in the City of
Culver City”
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1) Request and direct Comcast deliver to the City a comprehensive action
plan to inspect its entire cable plant within the City to detect and repair all
safety code violations, and to implement that plan. City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
2) Direct staff to evaluate Comcast’s corrective action plan and report back to
the City Council and take any and all actions necessary to enforce the
terms of the City’s Franchise Agreement with Comcast and/or any of its
successors-in-interest, as well as the Franchise Ordinance.