Whenever the following words or terms are used in this Code, they shall have such meanings herein ascribed to them, unless they are inconsistent with the manifest intent of the City Council or the context makes such meaning repugnant thereto:
ACTION: Includes suits, prosecution and all judicial proceedings.
AGENT: A person acting on behalf of another.
BASE or DATUM: The base or datum for the City shall be and the same is hereby established as mean sea level at New York City, as established in 1929.
BENCH MARKS: The datum or base defined in this Section shall be indicated by a bench mark within the City limits, said bench marks being as follows:
A. 652.57 feet below the NNW Bonnet Bolt on a fire hydrant located on the north side of 56th Street approximately 481 feet west of the center line of East Avenue (West line of Section 9-38-12); and
B. 652.00 feet below a square cut in the concrete foundation under the east leg of the elevated tank located north of 56th Street and east of East Avenue.
CITY: The City of Countryside, County of Cook, State of Illinois. The words "in the City" or "within the City" mean and include all territory over which the City now has or shall hereafter acquire jurisdiction for the exercise of its police powers or other regulatory powers.
CODE: The Municipal Code of the City of Countryside.
COMPUTATION OF TIME: The time within which any act provided by law is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is Saturday, Sunday or a holiday as defined or fixed in any statute now or hereafter in force in this State and then it shall also be excluded. If the day succeeding such Saturday, Sunday or holiday is also a holiday, then such succeeding day shall also be excluded.
COUNTY: Cook County in the State of Illinois.
EMPLOYEES: Whenever reference is made in this Code to a City employee by title only, this shall be construed as though followed by the words, "of the City of Countryside".
FEE: A sum of money charged by the City for the carrying on of a business, profession or occupation.
FISCAL YEAR: The fiscal year of the City shall extend from May 1 of each year until April 30 of the following year.
JOINT AUTHORITY: Words purporting to give a joint authority to three (3) or more public officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such officers or persons.
LICENSE: The permission granted for the carrying on of a business, profession or occupation.
MAYOR: The Mayor of the City of Countryside.
MISDEMEANOR: Any offense for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in other than a penitentiary for less than one year may be imposed.
MONTH: A calendar month.
NUISANCE: Anything offensive or obnoxious to the health and welfare of the inhabitants of the City; or any act or thing repugnant to, or creating a hazard to, or having a detrimental effect on the property of another person or to the community.
OATH: The word "oath" shall be deemed to include an affirmation, and the word "sworn" shall be construed to include the word "affirmed".
OCCUPANT or TENANT: As applied to a building or land, this term shall mean any person who holds a written or an oral lease of or actually occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
OFFENSE: Any act forbidden by any provision of this Code or the omission of any act required by the provisions of this Code.
OFFICERS: Whenever reference is made in this Code to a City officer by title only, this shall be construed as though followed by the words "of the City of Countryside".
OFFICIAL TIME: The official time within the City for the transaction of all City business shall be the time as established by section 51 of chapter 102 of the Illinois Revised Statutes.
OPERATOR: The person who is in charge of any operation, business or profession.
OWNER: As applied to a building or land, shall include any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, joint tenant of the whole or a part or the holder of any beneficial interest of such building or land.
PERSON: Any individual, partnership, corporation, joint stock association or any city or state or any subdivision thereof; and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee or personal representative thereof.
PERSONAL PROPERTY: Includes every species of property, except real property as defined by this Section.
PRECEDING, FOLLOWING: The words "preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY: Shall include real and personal property.
REAL PROPERTY: Shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments and shall embrace all chattels real.
RETAILER: Unless otherwise specifically defined, shall be understood to relate to the sale of goods, merchandise, articles or things in small quantities direct to the consumer.
RIGHT OF WAY: The privilege of the immediate use of the roadway or other property.
SIDEWALK: That portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for the use of pedestrians.
STATE: The State of Illinois.
STREET: The entire width between boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
TENANT: As applied to a building or land, shall include any person who occupies the whole or any part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
WHOLESALER: The term "wholesaler" and ''wholesale dealer" as used in this Code, unless otherwise specifically defined, shall be understood to relate to the sale of goods, merchandise, articles or things in quantity to persons who purchase for the purpose of resale.
WRITTEN, IN WRITING: May include printing and any other mode of representing words and letters, but when the written signature of any person is required by law to any official or public writing or bond it shall be in the proper handwriting of such person, or in case he is unable to write, by his proper mark.
YEAR: A calendar year unless otherwise expressed. (1970 Code §§1-1.02, 1-1.10, 1-1.11, 1-1.12, 1-1.13; 1986 Code)