The Anne Arundel County Council approved a seven-year deal with Cavalier IP TV, LLC to bring limited cable service to the northern neck of the county. It was the only one of seven bills before the council Monday night that was approved. Debate on other legislation lingered on past the midnight deadline, postponing the vote on some controversial bills until Nov. 19.
Cavalier comes as the fourth cable provider in the county. The Federal Trade Commission denied the merger between Comcast and Millennium Cable two months ago, leaving Millennium to continue its struggling operation.
Though Cavalier is applying for service in Baltimore, Prince George?s and Montgomery counties and Baltimore City, Anne Arundel is the first in the state to receive Cavalier?s service.
Cavalier representative Craig Pizer said his company would rely on Verizon?s copper wiring and would not need any capital improvements to start service.
However, Cavalier will only provide cable in high-demand areas; southern Anne Arundel will not be available to Cavalier, which was of concern to Councilman Ed Reilly, District 7.
Because there was outside legal assistance on this particular bill, rules were suspended to move the bill up for vote.
The bill on a stormwater management fund didn?t not get a vote before the midnight deadline, and the council spoke little on the controversial bill. Councilman Jamie Benoit, D-District 4, tried early on to postpone the legislation.
The fund as drafted by County Executive John R. Leopold would tax new development or property that added impervious surface. Reacting to tremendous public outcry, some councilmembers are trying to tax all impervious surface, which has led to much debate on the dais.
The council also did not vote on Benoit?s veteran?s hiring preference bill, as Leopold introduced amendments that would give preference to veterans applying for county public safety positions. The public hearing on that bill will remain open until the next meeting.
The council did vote down an amendment to a lengthy zoning bill that would have stopped an assisted living facility on Generals Highway in Crownsville. Though the amendment?s language was very specific, it could target other communities that might benefit from senior housing, some councilmembers said.
This map, provided by the Anne Arundel County Cable Administrator Office, shows Cavalier’s service area.
