A. The following words and phrases, whenever used in the ordinances of the city of Chinook, Montana, shall be construed as defined in this section unless from the context a different meaning is intended or unless different meaning is specifically defined and more particularly directed to the use of such words or phrases:
1. "City" means the city of Chinook, Montana, or the area within the territorial limits of the city of Chinook, Montana, and such territory outside of the city over which the city has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provision.
2. "Computation of time" means the time within which an act is to be done. It shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last day, and if the last day is Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.
3. "Council" means the city council of the city of Chinook, Montana. "All its members" or "all councilmen" means the total number of councilmen provided by the general laws of the state of Montana.
4. "County" means the county of Blaine, Montana.
5. "Law" denotes applicable federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the state of Montana, the ordinances of the city, and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
6. "May" is permissive.
7. "Municipality" or "municipal" means and refers to the city.
8. "Month" means a calendar month.
9. "Must" and "shall." Each is mandatory.
10. "Oath" includes an affirmation or declaration 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."
11. "Ordinance" means a law of the city, pro vided that a temporary or special law, administrative action, order or directive may be in the form of a resolution.
12. "Owner" applied to a building or land includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety, of the whole or a part of such building or land.
13. "Person" means natural person, joint venture, joint stock company, partnership, association, club, company, corporation, business, trust, organization, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer or employee of any of them.
14. "Personal property" includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
15. "Preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.
16. "Property" includes real and personal property.
17. "Real property" includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
18. "R.C.M., 1947" is the abbreviation for the Revised Codes of Montana, 1947.
19. "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
20. "State" means the state of Montana.
21. "Street" includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs or other public ways in this city which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated in any law of this state.
22. "Tenant" and "occupant," applied to a building or land, include any person who occupies whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
23. Title of Office. Use of the title of any officer, employee, department, board or commission means that officer, employee, department, board or commission of the city.
24. "Written" includes printed, typewritten, mimeographed or multigraphed.
25. "Year" means a calendar year.
B. All words and phrases shall be construed and understood according to the common and approved usage of the language, but technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in the law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar and appropriate meaning.
C. When an act is required by an ordinance the same being such that it may be done as well by an agent as by the principal, such requirement shall be construed as to include all such acts performed by an authorized agent.
(Ord. 316 § 1, 1974).