Las Vegas Municipal Code § 11.68.010 Findings.
11.68.010 - Findings.
(A) In connection with the adoption of LVMC Chapter 11.68 in 1995, the City Council made the following findings: That there has been a progressive decline in the economic growth and vitality of businesses located in the central business district of the City which is attributable to the decrease in tourists and other visitors to the central business district, that a special effort is needed on the part of the City to create new jobs, maintain existing employment opportunities, attract new businesses, tourists and visitors to the central business district and thereby restore the economic growth and vitality thereof and that the closure of certain streets or parts thereof to vehicular traffic and the creation of a Pedestrian Mall for the movement, safety, convenience, enjoyment, entertainment, recreation and relaxation of pedestrians is in the best interest of the City and beneficial to the owners of adjacent property and the businesses located in the central business district.
(B) The Council incorporates and makes the same findings in connection with the readoption of this Chapter in 2006 and subsequent amendments thereto.
(C) In 1995, the City Council further found, and continues to find, that it is in the best interest of the public to select and contract with a private operating entity for the acquisition, construction, improvement, operation, management or maintenance of the Pedestrian Mall.
(D) Since the creation of the Pedestrian Mall, the City has enacted various ordinances attempting to maintain the Pedestrian Mall's principal purpose, which is to serve as an economic and entertainment venue that will enhance the historical central business district. Prior to the Mall's creation, the former Fremont Street area had become known as unseemly and crime ridden, with tourists and businesses leaving the area for a safer and more hospitable environment. The Pedestrian Mall was created to reverse that declining environment, and provide a safe and enjoyable entertainment experience to attract tourism and thereby support surrounding economic growth.
(E) Over the years, the City has amended its ordinances endeavoring to facilitate and enhance the Mall's purpose. Most recently, in 2011, the City and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada settled a long-standing lawsuit concerning expressive activities within the Mall. Specifically, the City, Fremont Street Experience, LLC and the ACLU endeavored to jointly reach a compromise as to various ordinance amendments to address what types of restrictions upon expressive activity would be appropriate. Although those amendments were created by a cooperative effort and ultimately adopted, it was understood and expressly discussed before the City Council that those amendments and restrictions may not be adequate to address public safety and preservation of the Mall's purpose, considering its unique environment. The City would test the effectiveness of those ordinance amendments to determine whether additional or lesser restrictions were warranted.
(F) Since those 2011 amendments, the Mall's environment and function has deteriorated. The 2011 amendments principally imposed various distance restrictions from specific uses where expressive activity could occur. However, considering the Pedestrian Mall's congested nature, it appears that the distance restrictions have created uncertainty among the general public and thus have led to confusion as well as in-fighting as to where expressive activity may or may not occur. Indeed, the environment of the Pedestrian Mall has become such that certain persons or groups have attempted to monopolize certain locations, have been the recipients of threats and other forms of intimidation in an attempt to control certain areas where expressive activity is presently allowed. Unfortunately, the 2011 amendments have facilitated an inhospitable environment that is incompatible with the Mall's entertainment and commercial purposes, and has further resulted in a deterioration of public safety and well-being.
(G) Considering the confusion as to where expressive activity is appropriate, particularly activity engaged in by street performers, and to combat infighting and competition for the most desirable locations, to enhance access for all desired users of the Mall, including those seeking to engage in expressive activity, the City determines that it is necessary and appropriate to create designated areas for the activities of street performers during peak hours of the Mall's usage and to further ensure that no one is permitted to monopolize or use those locations to the exclusion of others.
(H) Accordingly, the City Council hereby adopts the amendments contained in the 2015 ordinance codified in part in this Subsection (Ordinance No. 6462) to impose reasonable time, place and manner restrictions within the Pedestrian Mall.
(Ord. No. 6462, § 1, 9-16-15; Ord. 5896 § 2 (part), 2007; Ord. 5866 § 1 (part), 2006)
