In addition to the powers granted in section 14-101 , cities of the metropolitan class shall have power by ordinance:
(1) To levy any tax or special assessment authorized by law;
(2) To provide a corporate seal for the use of the city, and also any official seal for the use of any officer, board, or agent of the city, whose duties require an official seal to be used. Such corporate seal shall be used in the execution of municipal bonds, warrants, conveyances, and other instruments and proceedings as required by law;
(3) To provide all needful rules and regulations for the protection and preservation of health within the city, including providing for the enforcement of the use of water from public water supplies when the use of water from other sources shall be deemed unsafe;
(4) To appropriate money and provide for the payment of debts and expenses of the city;
(5) To adopt all such measures as may be deemed necessary for the accommodation and protection of strangers and the traveling public in person and property;
(6) To punish and prevent the discharge of firearms, fireworks, or explosives of any description within the city, other than the discharge of firearms at a shooting range pursuant to the Nebraska Shooting Range Protection Act;
(7) To regulate the inspection and sale of meats, flour, poultry, fish, milk, vegetables, and all other provisions or articles of food exposed or offered for sale in the city;
(8) To require all elected or appointed officers to give bond and security for the faithful performance of their duties, except that no officer shall become bonded and secured upon the official bond of another or upon any bond executed to the city;
(9) To require from any officer of the city at any time a report, in detail, of the transactions of his or her office or any matter connected with such office;
(10) To provide for the prevention of cruelty to children and animals;
(11) To regulate, license, or prohibit the running at large of dogs and other animals within the city as well as in areas within the extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction of the city; to guard against injuries or annoyance from such dogs and other animals; and to authorize the destruction of such dogs and other animals when running at large contrary to the provisions of any ordinance. Any licensing provision shall comply with subsection (2) of section 54-603 for service animals;
(12) To provide for keeping sidewalks clean and free from obstructions and accumulations; to provide for the assessment and collection of taxes on real estate and for the sale and conveyance thereof; and to pay the expenses of keeping the sidewalk adjacent to such real estate clean and free from obstructions and accumulations as provided by law;
(13) To provide for the planting and protection of shade or ornamental and useful trees upon streets or boulevards; to assess the cost of such trees to the extent of benefits upon the abutting property as a special assessment; to provide for the protection of birds and animals and their nests; to provide for the trimming of trees located upon streets and boulevards or when the branches of trees overhang streets and boulevards when in the judgment of the mayor and city council such trimming is made necessary to properly light such street or boulevard or to furnish proper police protection; and to assess the cost of such trimming upon the abutting property as a special assessment;
(14) To provide for, regulate, and require the numbering or renumbering of houses along public streets or avenues; and to care for and control and to name and rename streets, avenues, parks, and squares within the city;
(15) To require weeds and worthless vegetation growing upon any lot or piece of ground within the city or its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction to be cut and destroyed so as to abate any nuisance occasioned by such vegetation; to prohibit and control the throwing, depositing, or accumulation of litter on any lot or piece of ground within the city or its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction; to require the removal of such litter so as to abate any nuisance occasioned thereby. If the owner fails to cut and destroy weeds and worthless vegetation or remove litter, or both, after notice as required by ordinance, the city may assess the cost of such destruction or removal upon the lots or lands as a special assessment. The required notice may be by publication in the official newspaper of the city and may be directed in general terms to the owners of lots and lands affected without naming such owners;
(16) To prohibit and regulate the running at large or the herding or driving of domestic animals, such as hogs, cattle, horses, sheep, goats, fowls, or animals of any kind or description within the corporate limits; to provide for the impounding of all animals running at large, herded, or driven contrary to such prohibition and regulations; and to provide for the forfeiture and sale of animals impounded to pay the expense of taking up, caring for, and selling such impounded animals, including the cost of advertising and fees of officers;
(17) To regulate the transportation of articles through the streets and to prevent injuries to the streets from overloaded vehicles;
(18) To prevent or regulate any amusement or practice having a tendency to annoy persons passing in the streets or on the sidewalks; and to regulate the use of vehicles propelled by steam, gas, electricity, or other motive power, operated on the streets of the city;
(19) To regulate or prohibit the transportation and keeping of gunpowder, oils, and other combustible and explosive articles;
(20) To 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 ground within the city;
(21) To regulate and prevent the use of streets, sidewalks, and public grounds for signs, posts, awnings, awning posts, scales, or other like purposes; and to regulate and prohibit the exhibition or carrying or conveying of banners, placards, advertisements, or the distribution or posting of advertisements or handbills in the streets or public grounds or upon the sidewalks;
(22) To provide for the punishment of persons disturbing the peace by noise, intoxication, drunkenness, or fighting, or otherwise violating the public peace by indecent or disorderly conduct or by lewd and lascivious behavior;
(23) To provide for the punishment of vagrants, tramps, street beggars, prostitutes, disturbers of the peace, pickpockets, gamblers, burglars, thieves, persons who practice any game, trick, or device with intent to swindle, and trespassers upon private property;
(24) To prohibit, restrain, and suppress houses of prostitution, opium joints, gambling houses, prize fighting, dog fighting, cock fighting, and other disorderly houses and practices, all games and gambling, and all kinds of indecencies; to regulate and license or prohibit the keeping and use of billiard tables, bowling alleys, shooting galleries except as provided in the Nebraska Shooting Range Protection Act, and other similar places of amusement; and to prohibit and suppress all lotteries and gift enterprises of all kinds under whatsoever name carried on, except that nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to apply to bingo, lotteries, lotteries by the sale of pickle cards, or raffles conducted in accordance with the Nebraska Bingo Act, the Nebraska Lottery and Raffle Act, the Nebraska Pickle Card Lottery Act, the Nebraska Small Lottery and Raffle Act, or the State Lottery Act;
(25) To make and enforce all police regulations for the good government, general welfare, health, safety, and security of the city and the citizens of the city in addition to the police powers expressly granted by law; in the exercise of the police power, to pass all needful and proper ordinances and impose fines, forfeitures, and penalties for the violation of any ordinance; to provide for the recovery, collection, and enforcement of such fines; and in default of payment to provide for confinement in the city or county prison or other place of confinement as may be provided by ordinance;
(26) To prevent immoderate driving on the street;
(27) To establish and maintain public libraries, art galleries, and museums and to provide the necessary grounds or buildings for such libraries, galleries, and museums; to purchase books, papers, maps, manuscripts, works of art, and objects of natural or of scientific curiosity and instruction for such libraries, galleries, and museums; to receive donations and bequests of money or property for such libraries, galleries, and museums in trust or otherwise; and to pass necessary bylaws and regulations for the protection and government of such libraries, art galleries, and museums;
(28) To erect, designate, establish, maintain, and regulate hospitals, houses of correction, jails, station houses, fire engine houses, asphalt repair plants, and other necessary buildings; to erect, designate, establish, maintain, and regulate plants for the removal, disposal, or recycling of garbage and refuse or to make contracts for garbage and refuse removal, disposal, or recycling, or all of the same; and to charge equitable fees for such removal, disposal, or recycling, or all of the same, except as provided by law. The fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be credited to a single fund to be used exclusively by the city for the removal, disposal, or recycling of garbage and refuse, or all of the same, including any costs incurred for collecting the fee. Before any contract for such removal, disposal, or recycling is let, the city council shall make specifications for such contract, bids shall be advertised for as now provided by law, and the contract shall be let to the lowest and best bidder, who shall furnish bond to the city conditioned upon his or her carrying out the terms of the contract, the bond to be approved by the city council. Nothing in this section, and no contract or regulation made by the city council, shall be so construed as to prohibit any person, firm, or corporation engaged in any business in which garbage or refuse accumulates as a byproduct from selling, recycling, or otherwise disposing of his, her, or its garbage or refuse or hauling such garbage or refuse through the streets and alleys under such uniform and reasonable regulations as the city council may by ordinance prescribe for the removal and hauling of garbage or refuse;
(29) To erect and establish market houses and market places and to provide for the erection of all other useful and necessary buildings for the use of the city and for the protection and safety of all property owned by the city. Such market houses, market places, and buildings may be located on any street, alley, or public ground or on land purchased for such purpose;
(30) To prohibit the establishment of additional cemeteries within the limits of the city; to regulate the registration of births and deaths; to direct the keeping and returning of bills of mortality; and to impose penalties on physicians, sextons, and others for any default in the premises;
(31) To provide for the inspection of steam boilers, electric light appliances, pipefittings, and plumbings; to regulate their erection and construction; to appoint inspectors; and to declare their powers and duties, except as otherwise provided by law;
(32) To enact a fire code and regulate the erection of all buildings and other structures within the corporate limits; to provide for the removal of any buildings or structures or additions to buildings or structures erected contrary to such code or regulations and to provide for the removal of dangerous buildings; but no such code or regulation shall be suspended or modified by resolution, nor shall exceptions be made by ordinance or resolution in favor of any person, firm, or corporation or concerning any particular lot or building; to direct that when any building has been damaged by fire, decay, or otherwise, to the extent of fifty percent of the value of a similar new building above the foundation, shall be torn down or removed; to prescribe the manner of ascertaining such damages and to assess the cost of removal of any building erected or existing contrary to such code or regulations against the lot or real estate upon which such building or structure is located or shall be erected or to collect such costs from the owner of any such building or structure; and to enforce the collection of such costs by civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction;
(33) To regulate the construction, use, and maintenance of party walls, to prescribe and regulate the thickness, strength, and manner of constructing stone, brick, wood, or other buildings and the size and shape of brick and other material placed in such buildings; to prescribe and regulate the construction and arrangement of fire escapes and the placing of iron and metallic shutters and doors in or on such fire escapes; to provide for the inspection of elevators; to prescribe, regulate, and provide for the inspection of all plumbing, pipefitting, or sewer connections in all houses or buildings now or hereafter erected; to regulate the size, number, and manner of construction of halls, doors, stairways, seats, aisles, and passageways of theaters and buildings of a public character, whether now built or hereafter to be built, so that there may be convenient, safe, and speedy exit in case of fire; to prevent the dangerous construction and condition of chimneys, fireplaces, hearths, stoves, stovepipes, ovens, boilers, and heating appliances used in or about any building and to cause such appliances to be removed or placed in safe condition when they are considered dangerous; to prevent the deposit of ashes in unsafe places and to cause such buildings and enclosures as may be in a dangerous state to be put in a safe condition; to prevent the disposing of and delivery or use in any building or other structure of unsuitable building material within the city limits and provide for the inspection of building materials; to provide for the abatement of dense volumes of smoke; to regulate the construction of areaways, stairways, and vaults and to regulate partition fences; and to enforce proper heating and ventilation of buildings used for schools or other buildings where large numbers of persons are liable to congregate;
(34) To regulate levees, depots and depot grounds, and places for storing freight and goods and to provide for and regulate the laying of tracks and the passage of railways through the streets, alleys, and public grounds of the city;
(35) To require the lighting of any railway within the city and to fix and determine the number, size, and style of all fixtures and apparatus necessary for such lighting and the points of location for such lampposts. If any company owning or operating such railways shall fail to comply with such requirements, the city council may cause such lighting to be done and may assess the expense of such lighting against such company. Such expense shall constitute a lien upon any real estate belonging to such company and lying within such city and may be collected in the same manner as taxes for general purposes;
(36) To provide for necessary publicity and to appropriate money for the purpose of advertising the resources and advantages of the city;
(37) To erect, establish, and maintain offstreet parking areas on publicly owned property located beneath any elevated segment of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways or portion thereof, or public property title to which is in the city on May 12, 1971, or property owned by the city and used in conjunction with and incidental to city-operated facilities; and to regulate parking on such property by time limitation devices or by lease;
(38) To acquire, by the exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, lease, purchase, construct, own, maintain, operate, or contract for the operation of public passenger transportation systems, excluding taxicabs, transportation network companies and railroad systems, including all property and facilities required for such public passenger transportation systems, within and without the limits of the city; to redeem such property from prior encumbrance in order to protect or preserve the interest of the city in such property; to exercise all powers granted by the Constitution of Nebraska and laws of the State of Nebraska or exercised by or pursuant to a home rule charter adopted pursuant thereto, including, but not limited to, receiving and accepting from the government of the United States or any agency thereof, from the State of Nebraska or any subdivision thereof, and from any person or corporation donations, devises, gifts, bequests, loans, or grants for or in aid of the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of such public passenger transportation systems; to administer, hold, use, and apply such donations, devises, gifts, bequests, loans, or grants for the purposes for which such donations, devises, gifts, bequests, loans, or grants may have been made; to negotiate with employees and enter into contracts of employment; to employ by contract or otherwise individuals singularly or collectively; to enter into agreements authorized under the Interlocal Cooperation Act or the Joint Public Agency Act; to contract with an operating and management company for the purpose of operating, servicing, and maintaining any public passenger transportation systems the city shall acquire; and to exercise such other and further powers as may be necessary, incident, or appropriate to the powers of the city; and
(39) In addition to powers conferred elsewhere in the laws of the state, to implement and enforce an air pollution control program within the corporate limits of the city under subdivision (23) of section 81-1504 or subsection (1) of section 81-1528 , which program shall be consistent with the federal Clean Air Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Such powers shall include without limitation those involving injunctive relief, civil penalties, criminal fines, and burden of proof. Nothing in this section shall preclude the control of air pollution by resolution, ordinance, or regulation not in actual conflict with state air pollution control regulations.
Source: Laws 1921, c. 116, art. I, § 2, p. 398; C.S.1922, § 3489; C.S.1929, § 14-102; R.S.1943, § 14-102; Laws 1963, c. 314, § 1, p. 945; Laws 1971, LB 237, § 1; Laws 1972, LB 1274, § 1; Laws 1974, LB 768, § 1; Laws 1981, LB 501, § 1; Laws 1986, LB 1027, § 186; Laws 1991, LB 356, § 1; Laws 1991, LB 849, § 59; Laws 1992, LB 1257, § 63; Laws 1993, LB 138, § 61; Laws 1993, LB 623, § 1; Laws 1997, LB 814, § 2; Laws 1999, LB 87, § 59; Laws 2008, LB806, § 1; Laws 2009, LB430, § 1; Laws 2009, LB503, § 11; Laws 2015, LB266, § 1; Laws 2022, LB800, § 9; Laws 2023, LB77, § 2.
Cross References: Interlocal Cooperation Act, see section 13-801. Joint Public Agency Act, see section 13-2501. Nebraska Bingo Act, see section 9-201. Nebraska Lottery and Raffle Act, see section 9-401. Nebraska Pickle Card Lottery Act, see section 9-301. Nebraska Shooting Range Protection Act, see section 37-1301. Nebraska Small Lottery and Raffle Act, see section 9-501. State Lottery Act, see section 9-801.
Annotations: 1. Use of streets 2. Health and safety 3. Occupations 4. Miscellaneous 1. Use of streets This section does not deprive the State Railway Commission of jurisdiction over the regulation of taxicabs in a metropolitan city. In re Yellow Cab & Baggage Company, 126 Neb. 138, 253 N.W. 80 (1934). A metropolitan city may impose a tax for use of streets upon a "rolling store" as a means of regulating transportation through its streets. Erwin v. City of Omaha, 118 Neb. 331, 224 N.W. 692 (1929). City has authority to regulate the use of autobuses upon its streets. Omaha & C. B. Street Ry. Co. v. City of Omaha, 114 Neb. 483, 208 N.W. 123 (1926). City cannot authorize construction in a public street of a canopy that deprives abutting property owner of light, air or view. World Realty Co. v. City of Omaha, 113 Neb. 396, 203 N.W. 574 (1925). City may regulate housemoving upon its streets, and can compel street railway to pay expense of removal of wires so houses can be moved. State ex rel. Barnum v. Omaha & C. B. Street Ry. Co., 100 Neb. 716, 161 N.W. 170 (1916). An ordinance prohibiting distribution of dodgers, handbills or circulars upon streets, alleys or sidewalks or public grounds of the city does not violate state Constitution. In re Anderson, 69 Neb. 686, 96 N.W. 149 (1903). City could not prohibit transportation of munitions by interstate motor carrier. Watson Bros. Transp. Co. v. City of Omaha, 132 F. Supp. 6 (D. Neb. 1955). 2. Health and safety City is authorized to provide for detention of persons infected with communicable venereal disease. Brown v. Manning, 103 Neb. 540, 172 N.W. 522 (1919). City cannot arbitrarily classify ashes, manure, or other rubbish having some value as garbage, and grant an exclusive contract for removal. Iler v. Ross, 64 Neb. 710, 90 N.W. 869 (1902). Authority is conferred to license and regulate the production and sale of milk within the corporate limits, and a reasonable license fee may be exacted. Littlefield v. State, 42 Neb. 223, 60 N.W. 724 (1894). City can make exclusive contract with party for removing garbage and other noxious and unwholesome matter amounting to nuisances. Smiley v. MacDonald, 42 Neb. 5, 60 N.W. 355 (1894). 3. Occupations Metropolitan city was authorized to enact ordinance prohibiting sale or exchange of motor vehicles and keeping open a place of business for that purpose on Sunday. Stewart Motor Co. v. City of Omaha, 120 Neb. 776, 235 N.W. 332 (1931). City ordinance requiring closing grocery and meat markets on Sunday is valid. State v. Somberg, 113 Neb. 761, 204 N.W. 788 (1925). 4. Miscellaneous Under section 14-101 and this section, a city of the metropolitan class has the power to provide firefighting services to an airport authority. Professional Firefighters of Omaha v. City of Omaha, 243 Neb. 166, 498 N.W.2d 325 (1993). Public officials of cities of the metropolitan class are vested with the power to provide for keeping sidewalks clean and free from obstructions and accumulation. Hartford v. Womens Services, P.C., 239 Neb. 540, 477 N.W.2d 161 (1991). Under subsection (25) of this section, zoning ordinances enacted by a city, as a lawful exercise of police power, must be consistent with public health, safety, morals, and the general welfare. Giger v. City of Omaha, 232 Neb. 676, 442 N.W.2d 182 (1989). Ordinance regulating advertising signs held not unreasonable or discriminatory. Schaffer v. City of Omaha, 197 Neb. 328, 248 N.W.2d 764 (1977). This section discussed in connection with expenditure of municipal or county funds, for public purpose, through private agency. Chase v. County of Douglas, 195 Neb. 838, 241 N.W.2d 334 (1976). City empowered hereunder to require bonds of police officers, and recovery may be had thereon by persons injured as result of negligent acts of policeman in discharge of municipal duties, although bond runs to city as obligee. Curnyn v. Kinney, 119 Neb. 478, 229 N.W. 894 (1930). Mayor and city council are given ample power to make and enforce regulations for the good government, general welfare, health, safety, and security of the city and citizens thereof. State ex rel. Thompson v. Donahue, 91 Neb. 311, 135 N.W. 1030 (1912). Metropolitan city may enact ordinance forbidding construction of brick kilns within city. State ex rel. Krittenbrink v. Withnell, 91 Neb. 101, 135 N.W. 376 (1912), 40 L.R.A.N.S. 898 (1912). City is not liable in negligence action on account of original construction of viaduct where plan designed by competent engineers was carried out. Watters v. City of Omaha, 86 Neb. 722, 126 N.W. 308 (1910); Watters v. City of Omaha, 76 Neb. 855, 107 N.W. 1007 (1906), affirmed on rehearing, 76 Neb. 859, 110 N.W. 981 (1907). Power to establish fire-engine houses, under this section, together with section conferring power to issue bonds for construction and purchase of needful buildings for use of the city, conferred authority upon metropolitan city to issue bonds to pay cost of construction of fire-engine houses. Linn v. City of Omaha, 76 Neb. 552, 107 N.W. 983 (1906). Unless reasonable notice is given to owner to perform work, all proceedings and assessments by city are void. Shannon v. City of Omaha, 72 Neb. 281, 100 N.W. 298 (1904); Albers v. City of Omaha, 56 Neb. 357, 76 N.W. 911 (1898). City was not liable for acts of building inspector. Murray v. City of Omaha, 66 Neb. 279, 92 N.W. 299 (1902). Charter granting power to impound animals running at large is not in conflict with state herd law which is not applicable to cultivated lands within limits of cities. Lingonner v. Ambler, 44 Neb. 316, 62 N.W. 486 (1895).