In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances of the city, the following definitions and rules of construction shall be observed, unless they are inconsistent with the intent of the Council or the context clearly requires otherwise.
CHARTER. The Charter of the City of Charlotte, Michigan, effective July 1, 1962, and shall include any amendment to such Charter.
CITY. The City of Charlotte, Michigan.
CODE or THIS CODE. The Code of Ordinances, City of Charlotte, Michigan, as designated in § 1-1 and as modified by amendment, revision and by the adoption of new chapters, articles, divisions or sections.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. The time within which an act is to be done, as provided in this Code or in any order issued pursuant to this Code, when expressed in days, shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, except that if the last day is Sunday or a legal holiday, it shall be excluded; when the time is expressed in hours, the whole of Sunday or a legal holiday, from midnight to midnight, shall be excluded, except for parking tickets.
COUNCIL. The Council of the City of Charlotte.
COUNTY or THIS COUNTY. The County of Eaton in the State of Michigan.
GENDER. Words denoting the masculine gender shall be deemed to include the feminine and neuter genders.
GENERAL TERMS. A general term following specific enumeration of terms is not to be limited to the class enumerated, unless expressly so limited.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words purporting to give joint authority to 3 or more public officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such
authority to a majority of such officers or other persons unless it is otherwise expressly declared in the ordinance granting the authority.
M.C.L.A., M.S.A. The abbreviations refer to the Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated and Michigan Statutes Annotated, respectively, as amended.
MONTH. A calendar month.
NUMBER. Words in the singular shall include the plural, and words in the plural shall include the singular.
OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, DEPARTMENT, BOARD, COMMISSION OR OTHER AGENCY. Whenever any officer, employee, department, board, commission or other agency is referred to by title only, such reference shall be construed as if followed by the words "of the City of Charlotte, Michigan." Whenever, by the provisions of this Code, any officer, employee, department, board, commission or other agency of the city is assigned any duty or empowered to perform any act or duty, reference to such officer, employee, department, board, commission or agency shall mean and include such officer, employee, department, board, commission or agency or any deputy or authorized subordinate.
PERSON. The word PERSON and its derivatives and the word WHOEVER shall include a natural person, partnership, association, legal entity or a corporate body or any body of persons corporate or incorporate. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a penalty, the term PERSON or WHOEVER, as applied to any unincorporated entity, shall mean the partners or members thereof, and as applied to corporations, the officers thereof.
SHALL/MAY. Whenever the word SHALL appears in this Code, it shall be considered mandatory and not directory, except as otherwise provided. MAY is permissive.
STATE or THIS STATE. The State of Michigan.
TENSE. Words used in the present or past tense include the future as well as the present and past.
(1993 Code, § 1-2)
Statutory reference:
Rules of construction, see M.C.L.A. §§ 8.3 et seq.