Any franchise granted by the City with respect to any given utility or service shall be in lieu of all other franchises, rights or privileges owned by the grantee, or by any successor of the grantee to any right under such franchise, for the rendering of such utility or service within the limits of the City as they now or may hereafter exist, except any franchise derived under Section 19 of Article XI of the Constitution of California as said section existed prior to the amendment thereof adopted October 10, 1911. The acceptance of any franchise, hereunder, shall operate as an abandonment with the exception of said constitutional franchise, of all such franchises, rights and privileges within the limits of the City as such limits shall at any time exist, in lieu of which such franchise shall be granted.

Any franchise granted hereunder shall not become effective until written acceptance thereof shall have been filed by the grantee thereof with the City Clerk. Such acceptance shall be filed within thirty days after the adoption of the ordinance granting the franchise or any extension thereof granted by the City Council and when so filed, such acceptance shall constitute a continuing agreement of such grantee that if and when the City shall thereafter annex, or consolidate with, additional territory, and all franchises, rights and privileges owned by the grantee therein, except a franchise derived under said constitutional provisions, shall likewise be deemed to be abandoned within the limits of such territory.

No grant of any franchise may be transferred or assigned by the grantee without the prior consent of the City Council evidenced by a duly adopted resolution approving the assignment or transfer and unless the transferee or assignees thereof shall covenant and agree to perform and to be bound by each and all of the terms and conditions imposed in the grant by this charter. (Amended November 3, 1964)