It is found and declared that:
A. The primary purpose of the public streets, sidewalks, alleys and other public property is for use by vehicles and pedestrians;
B. Reasonable regulation of businesses and special events on public streets, sidewalks, alleys and other public property and on private property is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of residents, business owners and operators and visitors;
C. The economic base of the city is tourism and business which serve tourists, but maintaining a strong, local presence of permanent residents is important to the general welfare of the community;
D. Maintaining, preserving and enhancing the appearance, character, and beauty of the City is necessary to protect and promote the economic base and the general welfare of the community;
E. It is the policy of the City to promote the protection of public health, safety, and welfare by the regulation of all businesses and events operating inside the City limits;
F. Reasonable regulation of businesses and events is necessary to ensure that all business are operating in a way which is safe, orderly, and harmonious with the appearance and character of the residential and commercial neighborhoods in the City;
G. Reasonable regulation of events is necessary to provide for safe and adequate pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and to protect the safety, health and welfare of Residents of the City as well as visitors to the City;
H. Reasonable regulation of businesses is necessary to protect and conserve the economic base of the community, including property values, and to protect the safety, health and welfare of Residents of the City as well as visitors to the City;
I. The regulations contained in this chapter are not intended to prohibit or hamper speech which is protected by the first amendment, but merely to regulate specific activities which are commercial in nature;
J. Due to the limited geographical size of Lava Hot Springs, the proximity of commercial zones to residential zones and the limited number of residential homes it is necessary for the City to implement such reasonable regulations as deemed necessary to safeguard public safety, health, and general welfare and to protect the integrity of residential neighborhoods.
K. This chapter shall be known and cited as the Lava Hot Springs Business and Special Event Regulation Code. (Ord. 2020-3, 8-13-2020)