Cedar City (15/50)(1 is most free, 50 is least free)
To learn what the below scores mean and how they were calculated, read our ranking methodology.
Individual Liberty (45/50)
This category compiles scores on 17 different data points to determine how well Cedar City respects and protects the liberty of its citizens.
| Metric | Rank | Category Weight | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code Accessiblity | 35 | 10% | This city's laws are available online and in a searchable PDF document. | PDF document format |
| Dog Licensing | 49 | 10% | Depending on whether the dog is fixed or not and the length of the license you purchase, licensing fees for each dog ranges from $10. to $50. | Link |
| Free Speech | 1 | 15% | This city does not require a permit to stage a protest on public property. | |
| Daytime Curfew | 1 | 10% | This city does not impose a daytime curfew on minors. | |
| Vice Regulation | 13 | 10% | This city exceeds the regulations of state law on public consumption of alcohol by prohibiting beer in a list of public places. Smoking is also prohibited in certain outdoor areas. | 27a-8(A), 27a-8(e) |
| Campaign Contribution Limits | 1 | 10% | This city does not regulate free speech by imposing a limit on campaign contributions for city elections | |
| Loitering | 31 | 10% | The loitering laws in this city prohibit loitering on school, college, or university grounds. | 27-5-3 |
| Violation of Ordinances | 11 | 10% | While some ordinances may impose a specific penalty, in Cedar City the default penalty for a violation of any city ordinance, if not specified, is a class B misdemeanor which carries a fine of up to $1,000. | 1-12 |
| Gun Regulation | 47 | 15% | Under authority granted from state law, Cedar City has chosen to regulate the discharge of firearms in city limits with no exceptions for self-defense or other lawful uses made explicit in code. The city's law also has additional provisions regulating firearms that may be inconsistent with state and federal law. This includes: • The Mayor may close stores selling firearms in emergencies. • Possesion of firearms in parks prohibited (both provisions are beyond state law). | 27-2, 3-11-1(b), 27a-7(A) |
Private Property (11/50)
63 different data points are included in this category to discern the degree to which Cedar City respects and protects private property rights.
| Metric | Rank | Category Weight | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditional Use Permit Fees | 2 | 10% | The cost of a conditional use permit is $25. | Fee Schedule |
| Home Building Fees | 38 | 10% | The total cost of permit fees for building a typical single family home is $10,544. This includes $1,834 in permit fees, $8,710 in impact fees, no site plan approval fees, and no plan check fees. | Per city staff |
| Animal Restrictions | 13 | 15% | Chickens are permitted in at least one residential zone. Beehives are permitted in residential zones without a permit. Assuming a lot size of 0.15 acres, this city only allows you to have 2 dogs, allows 6 chickens, and does not limit the number of beehives. | 11-4-2, 26-IV-18 |
| Short-term Rentals | 1 | 15% | While some cities in Utah prohibit using services like Airbnb and VRBO to rent property, this city has no ordinance regulating or explicitly prohibiting property owners from doing so. | Per city staff |
| Taxes & Cost of Government | 36 | 30% | The cost of government in Cedar City as a share of the total taxable economic base is $110 per $10,000. As a share of total personal income, the cost is $500 per $10,000. On a per capita basis, the cost is $612. The city gets 30% of its tax revenue from property taxes, 32% of its tax revenue from sales tax, and 38% from other sources including fees and fines. | City Financial Statements |
| Bonded Debt | 35 | 15% | The city is currently utilizing 4.08% of thier debt limit for general obligation bonds; however, if calculated for all bonds (including revenue bonds), the utilization would be 10.85%. | City Financial Statements |
| Lobbying | 1 | 5% | This city does not employ lobbyists to represent the city. | Per Records Request |
This city also has restrictive land use ordinances that violate property rights.
Free Enterprise (8/50)
The final category includes 35 different data points in an effort to review Cedar City's protection—or violation—of the free market.
| Metric | Rank | Category Weight | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-owned Enterprises | 46 | 15% | This city owns 7 enterprises that could instead be offered by the private market: a redevelopment agency; a garbage collection service; a recycling service; a golf course; a reception/event center; a theater; a water park; | City Financial Statements |
| Beer Sale Restrictions | 48 | 10% | This city regulates the retail sale of beer by prohibiting sales from 1 am to 10 am. | 23-12(I) |
| Alcohol Licensing | 10 | 10% | The city requires $150 for a retail beer license, $250 for a restaurant license, and $250 for a tavern license. | City Fee Schedule |
| Sales Tax | 2 | 20% | This city imposes a combined sales tax rate of 6.05% on its citizens. Additionally, residents are required to pay a RAP tax at the rate of 0.1%. The city also has a municipal energy tax rate of 6.0%, a transient room tax at 5.25%, and a leasing tax at 0.0%. | State Tax Commission |
| Business Licensing | 6 | 35% | This city charges the following licensing fees: $30 for a home occupation license; $82 for a small commercial license; $1000 for a large commercial license; $200 for a temporary firework stand; $200 for a temporary christmas tree lot; and $50 for two solicitor licenses. | City Fee Schedule |
| Commerce Regulations | 1 | 10% | Cedar City has no laws arbitrarily requiring businesses to close on certain hours or days. | Chp. 23 |