227 - Termination of franchises.

§ 227. Termination  of  franchises.  1. A franchise shall terminate at  the  expiration  of  its  term  or  otherwise  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  thereof,  unless,  prior  thereto,  the commission otherwise  orders. The commission may so order  only  if  it  finds,  after  public  notice and opportunity for a hearing, that the franchisee:    (a) has committed a material breach of its franchise or any applicable  provision  of  this  article or of the regulations promulgated hereunder  and has failed, without reasonable justification, to  cure  said  breach  within  sixty days after having received written notice thereof from the  commission, or    (b) has been adjudicated a bankrupt or has filed a voluntary  petition  for  bankruptcy  or reorganization or for an order protecting its assets  from the claims of creditors and the commission finds  that  termination  of the franchise or certificate of confirmation under such conditions is  in the best interest of the public.    2. Upon termination of a franchise or certificate of confirmation, the  cable  television  company shall dispose of its facilities in accordance  with the provisions of the franchise or certificate. However, on  motion  of  any interested party or upon its own motion, and after public notice  and opportunity for hearing, if the commission finds that the  continued  presence  of  the  facilities  in  any  public thoroughfare would pose a  nuisance to the municipality or  its  residents,  the  cable  television  company shall remove its facilities within such period as the commission  shall  order.  In the absence of any applicable franchise or certificate  provision or  order  by  the  commission  to  the  contrary,  the  cable  television company may abandon its facilities.