In the construction of this code and of all ordinances of the city, the following definitions and rules of construction shall be observed, unless inconsistent with the manifest intent of the City Council or unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
CHARTER. The Charter of the City of Eden, North Carolina, printed in Part I of this volume.
CITY. The City of Eden, in the County of Rockingham, and the State of North Carolina.
CITY BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, OFFICERS AND DEPARTMENTS. Whenever reference is made to a board, committee, commission, officer or department, it shall be construed as if followed by the words “of the City of Eden, North Carolina.”
CODE. The Code of the City of Eden, North Carolina.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by this code, the day of the act, event, default or publication after which the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included. The last day of the period so computed is to be included, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday. When the period of time prescribed or allowed is less than seven days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays and holidays shall be excluded in the computation. A half holiday shall be considered as other days and not as a holiday.
COUNCIL or CITY COUNCIL. The City Council of the City of Eden.
COUNTY. The County of Rockingham in the State of North Carolina.
G.S. Whenever reference is made to G.S. it shall be construed to refer to the latest edition or supplement of the General Statutes of North Carolina.
GENDER. Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter.
IN THE CITY or WITHIN THE CITY. Any territory, the jurisdiction of which, for the exercise of its regulatory power, has been conferred upon the city by general or special law.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words giving a joint authority to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers.
MAY. Is permissive.
MONTH. A calendar month.
NUMBER. Words used in the singular include the plural and the plural includes the singular number.
OATH. Shall be construed to include 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.”
OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD. Whenever certain hours are named in this code, they shall mean Eastern Standard Time or daylight saving time, whichever may be in current use in the city.
OWNER. Applied to any property, shall include any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety of the whole or a part of such property.
PERSON. Includes a corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization and any other group or body corporate or politic acting as a unit, as well as an individual.
PERSONAL PROPERTY. Includes every species of property, except real property, as defined in this section.
PRECEDING, FOLLOWING. Next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Real and personal property.
REAL PROPERTY. Includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL. Is mandatory.
SIDEWALK. Any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians.
SIGNATURE OR SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE. The State of North Carolina.
STREET. Includes any public way, road, highway, street, avenue, boulevard, parkway, alley, lane, viaduct, bridge and the approaches thereto within the city.
TENANT or OCCUPANT. Applied to a building or land shall include any person who occupies the whole or part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
TIME. Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and present.
WRITING or WRITTEN. Shall include printing and any other mode of representing words and letters.
YEAR. A calendar year.
(1989 Code, § 1-2)
Statutory reference:
Computation of time, see G.S. § 1A-1, Rule 6(a), Rules of Civil Procedure
Rules of construction and definitions in state statutes, see G.S. § 12-3