The city council makes the following legislative findings:

    (1)    Chronic unlawful activity on property adversely affects the peace and safety of neighboring residents and diminishes the quality of life in the neighborhood.

    (2)    Prosecution of unlawful activity on property is not always an effective way to preserve a desirable quality of life in the neighborhood.

    (3)    It is in the public interest for property owners to be vigilant in preventing unlawful activity from occurring on their property.

    (4)    It is in the public interest to make property owners responsible for the use of their property by tenants, occupants and visitors.

    (5)        The purpose of this article is to maintain a desirable quality of life in Columbia by holding property owners responsible for the use of their property.

(Ord. No. 19288, §1, 11-6-06)