The Legislature hereby finds and declares that:

1. Increases in the population and usage of motor vehicles in the areas of densest population in this State have created conditions of traffic congestion in business districts that:

(a) Constitute a hazard to the safety of pedestrians and impede the movement of police and fire equipment, ambulances and other emergency vehicles;

(b) Indicate a need to widen streets that currently have both sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians and lanes for motor vehicles extending from the buildings on one side of the street to the buildings on the other side of the street leaving no space available for expansion of the area for pedestrians or motor vehicles; and

(c) Warrant the closure of certain streets and other thoroughfares to private vehicles.

2. There has been a progressive decline in the economic growth and vitality of businesses located in the business districts in the areas of densest population in this State that:

(a) Is attributable to the decrease in tourists and other visitors to these business districts;

(b) Necessitates special efforts to promote economic growth and revitalization of these economically depressed business districts to create new jobs and maintain existing employment opportunities, attract new businesses, tourists and visitors to these districts and to prevent further decline by restoring the economic growth and vitality of these business districts; and

(c) Makes it of particular local benefit to allow municipalities experiencing such economic decline to create pedestrian malls and, if necessary, to raise money for the annual costs of operating, managing, maintaining or improving them through the levy of assessments upon the property or the imposition of fees on the businesses which benefit from the return of tourists and other visitors to the area resulting from the pedestrian mall.

3. It is in the best interests of the State to encourage municipalities to create pedestrian malls to enhance and improve their local business climates and that selecting and contracting with a private entity for the acquisition, construction, improvement, operation, management or maintenance of pedestrian malls, or any combination thereof, may also be in the best interests of the public.

4. It is the public policy of the State of Nevada to permit the governing body of any densely populated municipality to protect the public welfare and health and the interests of the public in the safe and effective movement of persons and to preserve and enhance the function and appearance of the business districts of municipalities and to promote the economic growth and revitalization thereof by the adoption of the ordinances authorized by NRS 268.810 to 268.823, inclusive.

(Added to NRS by 1993, 1172)