Peters residents soon will be offered lower prices and more choices for cable television, high-speed Internet and local phone services, through an agreement approved by council Monday.

The deal, which has been in the works for months between Peters, Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park, calls for a 12-year franchise agreement with Verizon Communications for cable television services through new fiber optic lines now being installed throughout the South Hills.

Neighborhoods with fiber optic lines have small, rectangular boxes with a single green light installed along telephone poles.

The agreement with Verizon includes a 5 percent franchise fee for the township, based on gross revenue, and an $11,300 grant from Verizon for use with public access programming. In five years, the contract calls for another grant from Verizon based on 20 cents per subscriber per month.

The township likely will use the grant to purchase more equipment for its three public access channels, said township Assistant Manager Paul Lauer.

Verizon will continue to offer three public access channels for local programming, along with telephone and high-speed Internet services within five years for most of the township

The area east of Bebout Road, with Finleyville telephone exchanges, is expected to get Verizon fiber optic telephone services within 10 years.

The township's previous provider, Adelphia Cable, went bankrupt and was purchased by Comcast, which is also offering the same services on existing fiber optic and coaxial cable lines.

The township is expected to begin negotiations with Comcast for a long-term franchise agreement soon, offering residents two choices for services.

Prices already have been reduced by Comcast, which is offering discount deals for bundled services, while Verizon plans to offer about 196 cable television channels for $42.99 a month, or a local package of 19 local channels at a rate of $12 per month.

Cable and other services by Verizon will begin to be available by the end of the year.

Also Monday, council heard more complaints about two ordinances that regulate hunting in the township.

One ordinance prohibits the discharge of weapons in the township, while another prohibits hunting, except in the eastern area of the township, where shotguns and bows are allowed in designated areas.

Former Councilman Peter Glasser asked council to repeal the restrictions, noting that only the state Game Commission can regulate hunting.

The ordinances were passed before current council members were elected, and council President Robert Lewis said members had not yet decided what to do about an ordinance passed last month, which bans firearms from parks and most township buildings.

That decision drew protests from dozens of residents, who said it defied the U.S. Constitution and state laws, which permit the carrying of a concealed weapon with a license.