In the construction of this Code, and other ordinances of the City, the following rules shall be observed, unless the construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the City Council.
ACT. The word “Act” means Act No. 236 of the Michigan Public Acts of 1961, as amended.
AUTHORIZED CITY OFFICIAL. “Authorized city official” shall mean a police officer or other personnel of the city authorized by this code or any ordinance to issue municipal civil infraction citations or municipal civil infraction violation notices.
BUREAU. “Bureau” means the City of Flint Municipal Ordinance Violations Bureau as established by this chapter.
CITY. The words THE CITY or THIS CITY shall be construed as if the words “of Flint, Michigan” followed them.
CODE. Whenever the words THE CODE or THIS CODE are used, they shall be construed to mean “The Code of the City of Flint, Michigan.”
COMPUTATION OF TIME. In computing a period of days, the first day is excluded and the last day is included. If the last day of any period is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the period is extended to include the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL. Whenever the term COUNCIL or CITY COUNCIL is used, the same shall mean the City Council of the City of Flint, Michigan.
COUNTY. The words THE COUNTY or THIS COUNTY shall mean the County of Genesee.
DAY. The period of time between any midnight and the midnight following.
DAYTIME, NIGHTTIME. DAYTIME is the period of time between sunrise and sunset. NIGHTTIME is the period of time between sunset and sunrise.
GENDER. The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter.
IN THE CITY. The words “in the city” shall 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.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words giving a joint authority to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving the authority to a majority of such persons or officers.
LAND; REAL ESTATE. “Land” and “real estate” include lands, tenements and real estate and all rights thereto and interests therein.
MONTH. The word “month” shall mean a calendar month.
MUNICIPAL CIVIL INFRACTION ACTION. “Municipal civil infraction action” means a civil action in which the defendant is alleged to be responsible for a municipal civil infraction.
MUNICIPAL CIVIL INFRACTION VIOLATION NOTICE. “Municipal civil infraction violation notice” means a written notice prepared by an authorized city official, directing a person to appear at the City of Flint Municipal Ordinance Violations Bureau and to pay the fine and costs, if any, prescribed for the violation by the schedule of civil fines under § 1-14 hereof, as authorized under Section 8396 and 8707(6) of the Act.
NUMBER. A word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several persons and things as well as to one person or thing.
OATH. The word “oath” shall be construed to include the word “affirmation” in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an OATH, and in like case the word “sworn” shall be construed to include the word “affirmed.”
OFFICERS, DEPARTMENTS, ETC. Officers, departments, boards, commissions and employees referred to in this Code shall mean officers, departments, boards, commissions and employees of the City of Flint, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
OWNER. The word OWNER applied to a building or land, shall include any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety of the whole or of a part of such building or land.
PERSON. “Person” includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation or company.
PERSONAL PROPERTY. “Personal property” includes every species of property, except real property, as defined in this section.
PRECEDING, FOLLOWING. The words “preceding” and “following” mean next before and next after, respectively.
PROCESS. “Process” includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature.
PROPERTY. The word “property” includes real and personal property.
REAL PROPERTY. Real property shall include lands, tenements and hereditament.
SHALL, MAY. SHALL is mandatory and MAY is permissive.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION BY MARK. SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION includes a mark when the signer or subscriber cannot write, such signer’s or subscriber’s name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer’s or subscriber’s name; but, a signature or subscription by mark can be acknowledged or can serve as a signature or subscription to a sworn statement only when two witnesses so sign their own names thereto.
STATE. The words THE STATE or THIS STATE shall be construed to mean the State of Michigan.
STREET. The word “street” shall be construed to embrace streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, alleys, lanes, viaducts and all other public highways in the city.
TENANT or OCCUPANT. The words “tenant” or “occupant”, applied to a building or land, shall include any person holding a written or an oral lease of, or who occupies the whole or a part of, such building or land, either alone or with others.
TENSES. The present TENSE includes the past and future tenses, and the future includes the present.
WEEK. A WEEK consisting of seven consecutive days.
WRITING. Writing includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement or record is required or authorized by this Code, it shall be made in writing in the English language, unless it is expressly provided otherwise.
YEAR. The word “year” shall mean a calendar year, except where otherwise provided.
(Ord. 3285, adopted 11-28-1994)