Title
Resolution to Acknowledge and Make Public a Three-Year Cost Benefit Analysis and to Set a Public Hearing Regarding Access by Commercial Users to the City of Ann Arbor’s Fiber Optic Network in Compliance with Michigan’s METRO Act
Memorandum
The City of Ann Arbor (“City”) constructed its first fiber optic network, A2 I-NET, in 2017. It is currently in the process of constructing a second network, Technology Park, and beginning to design a third network, the A2-Ypsilanti Broadband Network. All three networks will eventually be connected (“the Network”). The City has the capacity to allow for commercial customers to access, activate and use the City’s non-active fiber on the Network, known as “dark fiber.” Commercial enterprises connecting to the City’s dark fiber could activate the fiber and use the Network for their own business purposes, or they could in turn provide telecommunications services to the community at large (e.g., internet service providers, or ISPs).
In order to comply with the Metropolitan Extension Rights-of-Way Oversight Act (the “METRO Act”), MCL 484.3101 et seq, the City has developed a projected Three-Year Cost-Benefit Analysis and must conduct a public hearing before making its dark fiber available for use by commercial customers.
Staff
Prepared by: Tom Shewchuk, Information Technology Service Unit Director
Reviewed by: John Fournier, Deputy City Administrator
Marti Praschan, Financial Services Area Administrator and CFO
Michelle Landis, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City is required by Michigan’s METRO Act to perform a Three-Year Cost-Benefit Analysis and to conduct a public hearing before providing telecommunications facilities, such as dark fiber on the Network, to commercial customers;
Whereas, The City’s Information Technology Department has drafted the required Three-Year Cost-Benefit Analysis, including a proposed price schedule for the use of the City’s dark fiber;
Whereas, The City’s dark fiber may be offered for use by commercial enterprises and/or organizations that could potentially serve residents; and
Whereas, Revenue generated by use agreements for connections to the City’s dark fiber would be used to fund the maintenance of the Network, add additional City sites to the Network, and fund future City infrastructure projects;
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk will set a public hearing to occur during the city council meeting on Monday, November 21, 2022 to take public comments and discuss the use of the City’s fiber optic network by commercial users; and
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk will publish notice thirty (30) days in advance of the public hearing and will make the Three-Year Cost-Benefit Analysis available for public viewing at the City Clerk’s Office during that thirty-day period prior to the hearing.