(a) The intent of the city council in adopting this article is to establish reasonable and uniform regulations on the appearance of public areas, business establishments and residential communities within the city.

(b) Good community appearance is the product of orderly and harmonious relationships existing between manmade objects and nature. Appearance has a direct bearing on the economic value of property. When the appearance of public areas, business establishments and residential communities is good, business people, homeowners and industrial developers tend to have a strong confidence in the community. Poor appearance, congestion and lack of proper maintenance bring about blight, decay, decreased property values, loss of revenues and decreased community confidence.

(c) People are intensely aware of and affected by bad design or lack of attention to it. Poor quality of design in the exterior appearance of buildings or in the development and maintenance of structures, landscaping, signs and general appearance affect the desirability of immediate and neighboring areas for residential, business, industrial or other uses. Further, it impairs the benefits of occupancy in existing property, prevents the most appropriate development of such areas and produces undesirable conditions affecting health, safety, comfort and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city.

(d) It is the purpose of this article to prevent the harmful effects that poor exterior property appearance can cause in the city and thus to promote and protect the public confidence and prosperity and to conserve the value of property.