12.35.040 Financial Incentives.
The financial incentives herein are intended to reduce the financial burden on broadband service providers concerning fees and other compensation typically charged by the County for access to the Right-of-Way (ROW) and County property in exchange for providing broadband services to households and businesses within underserved and unserved areas.
A. Expedited Permit Processing. Each system construction project within a Broadband Development District will have access to an expedited permit process and shall be considered a priority for all Pierce County departments with review and approval responsibilities. A project manager within the Planning and Public Works Department shall be assigned and responsible to coordinate the review process among all departments.
B. Waived and Reduced Fees and Other Compensation. Fees and other compensation listed under this Chapter or elsewhere in the Pierce County Code may only be reduced or waived if the amounts foregone are applied to the cost of broadband development for specific, agreed-to projects in Broadband Development Districts designed to make broadband service available to households and businesses within underserved and unserved areas of the County.
Incentive | Minimum Threshold of Households/Businesses | Limitations for Use of Incentive | Applicability | Specification of Incentive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Expedited Permit Processing | ||||
Expedited Permit Review | Any number of Households/Businesses where service will be made available. | Within Broadband Development Districts. | The Households/ Businesses to be served on a per-Project basis. | All construction permits for broadband system development shall be a priority to review and process. |
Fees/Compensation Waivers or Reductions | ||||
Waived or Reduced Permit Fees | Any number of Households/Businesses to be served in underserved and unserved areas. | Only in Broadband Development Districts. | Only the pertinent number of Households/ Businesses in underserved and unserved areas, based on the type of permit that will be issued. | Fees for Class A-Class D permits may be waived or reduced if the amount waived or reduced is used for broadband system deployment in the specified Broadband Development District(s). |
Telecommunications Franchise Fees | Any number of Households/ Businesses within a Broadband Development District covered by a Telecommunications Franchise. | Fees will only be reduced in underserved and unserved areas. | The entire Project area within underserved and unserved areas. | Telecommunications Franchise Fees in underserved and unserved areas may be reduced based on the number of Households/ Businesses to be provided service. |
Use of County Property Compensation Waivers/Reductions | ||||
Compensation for Use of County Property Outside of the Right-of-Way | The maximum number of residents and businesses that can be served by the Telecommunications system that accesses County property. | Availability of County property in underserved and unserved areas. | Entire Project Area served based on the use of County property and specification of the incentive. | The County will reduce or waive compensation for the use of County Property down from the typical market rate for use of such Property based on the number of Households/Businesses to be provided with service through use of the pertinent County property. |