(A) General rule. Words and phrases shall be taken in their plain, or ordinary and usual sense. But technical words and phrases having a peculiar and appropriate meaning in law shall be understood according to their technical import.
(B) For the purpose of this code, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
"BOARD." The Board of Commissioners, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.
"MUNICIPAL CORPORATION," "MUNICIPALITY," or "TOWN." The Town of Ayden, North Carolina.
"THIS CODE" or "THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES." The municipal code as modified by amendment, revision, and adoption of new titles, chapters, or sections.
"COUNTY." Pitt County, North Carolina.
"IN THE TOWN" or "WITHIN THE TOWN." All territory over which the town now has, or shall hereafter acquire, jurisdiction for the exercise of its police powers or other regulatory powers.
"MAY." The act referred to is permissive.
"MONTH." A calendar month.
"OATH." An affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and in such cases the words "SWEAR" and "SWORN" shall be equivalent to the words "AFFIRM" and "AFFIRMED".
"OFFICER", "OFFICE", "EMPLOYEE", "COMMISSION", or "DEPARTMENT". An officer, office, employee, commission, or department of the town unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"OWNER." Applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, or joint tenant of the whole or a part of such building or land, either alone or with others.
"PERSON." Extends to and includes person, persons, firm, corporation, copartnership, trustee, lessee, or receiver. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a penalty, the terms "PERSON" or "WHOEVER" as applied to any unincorporated entity shall mean the partners or members thereof, and as applied to corporations, the officers or agents thereof.
"PERSONAL PROPERTY." Every species of property except real property.
"PRECEDING" or "FOLLOWING." Next before or next after, respectively.
"PROPERTY." Real and personal property.
"PUBLIC PLACE." Any street or highway, sidewalk, park, cemetery, school yard, or open space adjacent thereto and any lake or stream.
"REAL PROPERTY." Lands, tenements, and hereditaments and all chattels real.
"SHALL." The act referred to is mandatory.
"SIDEWALK." That portion of a street between the curb lines of the lateral lines of a roadway and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.
"SIGNATURE" or "SUBSCRIPTION." Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
"STATE." State of North Carolina.
"STREET." Except as provided in the traffic code, the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right.
"SUBCHAPTER." A division of a chapter, designated in this code by an underlined heading in the chapter analysis and a capitalized heading in the body of the chapter, setting apart a group of sections related by the subject matter of the heading. Not all chapters have subchapters.
"TENANT" or "OCCUPANT." Applied to a building or land, shall include any person holding a written or oral lease, or who occupies the whole or a part of the building or land, either alone or with others.
"WRITTEN." Any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
"YEAR." A calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; equivalent to the words "YEAR OF OUR LORD."