Chapter 16 — CITIES OF THE FIRST CLASS

A city of the first class by ordinance may regulate the transportation of articles through the streets, and prevent injuries to the streets from overloaded vehicles.

A city of the first class may prevent and remove all encroachments into and upon all sidewalks, streets, avenues, alleys, and other city property, and prevent and punish all horseracing, fast driving or riding in the streets, highways, alleys, bridges or places in the city, and a…

A city of the first class by ordinance may regulate levees, depots, depot grounds, and places for storing freight and goods, and provide for and regulate the passage of railways through the streets and public grounds of the city, reserving the rights of all persons injured thereb…

A city of the first class by ordinance may regulate the crossing of railway tracks and provide precautions and prescribe rules regulating the same, regulate the running of railway engines, cars, and trucks within the limits of such city, and prescribe rules relating thereto, and …

A city of the first class may borrow money on the credit of the city and pledge the credit, revenue, and public property of the city for the payment thereof when authorized in the manner provided by law.

A city of the first class by ordinance may provide for issuing bonds, for the purpose of funding any and all indebtedness of the city, due or to become due. Floating indebtedness shall be funded only by authority of a vote of the people, but the mayor and city council may by a tw…

A city of the first class may make provision for a sinking fund to pay accruing interest and to pay at maturity the principal of the bonded indebtedness of the city, levy and collect taxes on all the taxable property in the city, in addition to other taxes, for the purpose of pay…

A city of the first class may provide for the holding and regulation of special elections, the return and canvass of votes cast thereat, and pay the expenses of the same.

A city of the first class by ordinance may provide for the removal of elective officers of the city for misconduct. The city may create any office that it deems necessary for the good government and interest of the city. The city may provide for filling vacancies which occur in a…

Except as otherwise provided by law, a city of the first class by ordinance may regulate and prescribe the powers, duties, and compensation of the officers of the city and classify such offices, on the basis of merit as the city council shall provide for that purpose.

A city of the first class by ordinance may require all officers, elected or appointed, to give bond and security or evidence of equivalent insurance for the faithful performance of their duties. No officer shall become surety upon the official bond of another, or upon any contrac…

A city of the first class may require from any officer of the city at any time a report in detail of the transactions in his or her office or of any matters connected therewith.

A city of the first class may establish, alter, and change the channel of watercourses, and wall and cover them over. No city shall be liable in damages on account of the accumulations of surface waters which fall upon its site, or any portion thereof, unless such accumulations b…

A city of the first class may provide for the organization and support of a fire department; procure fire engines, hooks, ladders, buckets, and other apparatus; organize fire engine, hook and ladder, and bucket companies, and prescribe rules for duty and the government of the fir…

The Legislature finds that matters relating to emergency medical first response and fire protection are matters of state concern, particularly in larger cities that rely primarily or entirely upon volunteers to provide these services. Recognizing the increasing complexity and dif…

Each city of the first class with a population in excess of forty-one thousand inhabitants as determined by the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent revised certified count by the United States Bureau of the Census shall employ a full-time fire chief with appro…

(1) In addition to such other duties as may be performed by the fire chief employed pursuant to section 16-222.02, he or she shall keep and maintain full and complete records regarding the twelve-month period ending thirty days prior to the annual report of the chief to the city …

[Repealed or reserved.]

A city of the first class by ordinance may provide for the inspection of electric light, water and gas meters, the inspection and weighing of hay, grain and coal, and the measuring of wood and fuel to be used in the city, and determine the place or places of the same. It may regu…

A city of the first class may regulate its police force, establish and support a night watch, impose fines, forfeitures, confinement, and penalties for the breach of any ordinance, and for recovery and collection of such fines, forfeitures, and penalties. In default of payment, i…

A city of the first class by ordinance may regulate, prohibit, and suppress unlicensed billiard tables and bowling alleys, may restrain houses of prostitution, opium joints, dens, and other disorderly houses and practices, games, and gambling houses, may regulate all public amuse…

A city of the first class may (1) prevent and restrain riots, routs, noises, disturbances, breaches of the peace, or disorderly assemblies in any street, house, or place in the city, (2) regulate, punish, and prevent the discharge of firearms, rockets, powder, fireworks, or any o…

A city of the first class by ordinance may provide for the punishment of persons disturbing the peace and good order of the city by clamor and noise, by intoxication, drunkenness, fighting, or using obscene or profane language in the streets or other public places, or otherwise v…

A city of the first class by ordinance may provide for the punishment of vagrants, tramps or street beggars, prostitutes, disturbers of the peace, pickpockets, gamblers, burglars, thieves, and persons who practice any game, trick, or device with intent to swindle.

(1) A city of the first class by ordinance may require lots or pieces of ground within the city or within the city's extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction to be drained or filled so as to prevent stagnant water or any other nuisance accumulating thereon. The city may require the o…

A city of the first class may prevent any person from bringing, depositing, having, or leaving upon or near his or her premises or elsewhere in the city or within the extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction of the city any carcass or putrid beef, pork, fish, hides, or skins of any k…

A city of the first class by ordinance may prevent the digging of holes, pits, or excavations within the city, except for the purpose of building where such excavations are made, prevent the leaving of any holes, pits, or excavations within such city in an exposed condition, and …

A city of the first class may regulate, license, or suppress halls, opera houses, places of amusement, entertainment, or instruction, or other buildings except churches and schools used for the assembly of citizens, and cause them to be provided with sufficient and ample means of…

A city of the first class by ordinance may prescribe the thickness, strength, and manner of constructing stone, brick, and other buildings, and the number and construction of means of exit and entrance, and of fire escapes. It may require the keeper or proprietor of any hotel, bo…

A city of the first class may regulate or prohibit the running at large of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, sheep, goats, dogs and other animals, chickens, ducks, geese and other fowls, and cause such as may be running at large to be impounded and sold to discharge the costs and pena…

A city of the first class may provide for the erection of all necessary pens, pounds, and buildings for the use of the city, within the city limits or within its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction, appoint and compensate keepers thereof, and establish and enforce rules governin…

A city of the first class by ordinance may regulate, license, or prohibit the sale of domestic animals or of goods, wares, and merchandise at public auction on the streets, alleys, highways, or any public grounds within the city; and regulate or license the auctioneering of goods…

A city of the first class may make regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious, infectious, or malignant diseases into the city. In cities with a commission plan of government as provided in the Municipal Commission Plan of Government Act and cities with a ci…

A city of the first class may erect, establish, and regulate hospitals, multiunit housing, houses of correction, jails, station houses, and other necessary buildings and provide for the support and government of such buildings and facilities.

A city of the first class by ordinance may make regulations to secure the general health of the city, prescribe rules for the prevention, abatement, and removal of nuisances, make and prescribe regulations for the construction, location, and keeping in order of all slaughterhouse…

A city of the first class may purchase, hold, and pay for, as provided in sections 16-241 to 16-245, lands for the purpose of the burial of the dead, and all necessary grounds for hospital grounds and waterworks, and have and exercise police jurisdiction over such lands, grounds,…

(1) A city of the first class may survey, plat, map, grade, fence, ornament, and otherwise improve all burial and cemetery grounds and avenues leading thereto owned by such city. It may construct walks, rear and protect ornamental trees therein, and provide for paying the expense…

A city of the first class may convey cemetery lots owned by such city, by certificates signed by the mayor and countersigned by the city clerk under the seal of the city specifying that the person to whom the certificate is issued is the owner of the lot or lots described therein…

A city of the first class by ordinance may limit the number of cemetery lots which shall be owned by one person at the same time; prescribe rules for enclosing, adorning, and erecting monuments and tombstones on cemetery lots; prohibit any diversion of the use of such lots and an…

A city of the first class may pass rules and ordinances imposing penalties and fines not exceeding one hundred dollars, regulating, protecting and governing the cemetery, the owners of lots therein, visitors thereof, and trespassers therein. The officers of such city shall have a…

A city of the first class may make all such ordinances, bylaws, rules, regulations, and resolutions not inconsistent with the general laws of the state as may be necessary or expedient, in addition to the special powers otherwise granted by law, for maintaining the peace, good go…

A city of the first class may revise the ordinances of the city from time to time and publish the same in book, pamphlet, or electronic form. Such revision shall be by one ordinance, embracing all ordinances preserved as changed or added to and perfected by revision, and shall em…

A city of the first class may provide for planting and protection of shade, ornamental, and useful trees and for the protection of birds, their nests and eggs.

A city of the first class may provide for the grading, repairing, and sprinkling of any street, avenue, or alley, and the construction of bridges, culverts, and sewers, and shall defray the repairs of the street, avenue, alley, bridge, culvert, or sewer out of the proper fund of …

A city of the first class may construct or repair sidewalks, sewers, and drains on any highway in the city, construct or repair iron railings or gratings for areaways, cellars, or entrances to basements of buildings, and levy a special assessment on lots or parcels of land fronti…

The mayor and city council of any city of the first class may (1) establish and maintain public libraries, reading rooms, art galleries, and museums and provide the necessary grounds or buildings therefor, (2) purchase the papers, books, maps, manuscripts, and works of art and ob…

Any city of the first class shall have the right to use the jail of the county for the confinement of such persons as may be imprisoned under the ordinances of such city. The city shall be liable to the county for the cost of keeping such prisoners as provided by section 47-120.

When the power is conferred upon the mayor and city council of any city of the first class to do and perform any act or thing, and the manner of exercising such power is not specially pointed out, the mayor and city council may provide by ordinance the details necessary for the f…

Any city of the first class may by ordinance provide for regulation of traffic, public use and conduct of invitees upon specified parking lots, shopping centers and similar semipublic but privately owned places located within the city limits of such city when the owners or operat…

A city of the first class may plan, initiate, operate, maintain, administer funding for, and evaluate facilities, programs, and services designed to meet the needs of elderly persons. Such city may contract with state agencies, political subdivisions, and private nonprofit agenci…