§ 27-1. Intent and purpose.

The county hereby declares as a legislative finding that the public rights-of-way within the county are a unique and physically limited resource that are critical to the travel and transport of persons and property within the county; that the public rights-of-way must be managed and controlled in a manner that enhances the health, safety and general welfare of the county and its citizens; and that the use and occupancy of the public rights-of-way by providers of communications services must be subject to regulation which can ensure minimal inconvenience to the public, preserve the safety of the traveling public, coordinate users, maximize available space, reduce maintenance and costs to the public, and facilitate entry of an optimal number of providers of cable, telecommunications, and other services in the public interest.

It is the intent of the county to promote the public health, safety and general welfare by: providing for the placement or maintenance of communications facilities in the public rights-of-way within the county; adopting and administering reasonable rules, regulations and general conditions not inconsistent with state and federal law, including F.S. (2017) § 337.401, as it may be amended from time to time, and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 and other federal and state law; establish reasonable rules, regulations and general conditions necessary to manage the placement and maintenance of communications facilities in the public rights-of-way by all communications services providers; minimize disruption to the public rights-of-way; and require the restoration of the public rights-of-way to original condition.

Persons seeking to place or maintain communications facilities on private property or other property to which the county, municipalities of the county, district school board, State of Florida, or federal government has a fee simple or leasehold interest in real property, exclusive of the public rights-of-way, located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the county shall do so by separate agreement and not pursuant to this chapter.

(Ord. No. 17-51, § 3, 12-12-17)