Utility franchises are agreements between the City of Lake Forest Park and utility providers which allow the utilities to make use of City streets and rights-of-way for the purposes of construction, operation and maintenance of their utility systems. The franchises also ensure that the use of public rights-of-way are protected and managed, that high standards of customer service on behalf of the utility provider are maintained, and that financial compensation relating to the utility provider’s use of the public rights-of-way is received, among other considerations.