(A) General rule. 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 others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in the law shall be construed and understood according to the peculiar and appropriate meaning.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this code of ordinances, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CITY, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, MUNICIPALITY or TOWN. The Town of Gila Bend, Arizona.
CODE, THIS CODE or THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. This municipal code as modified by amendment, revision and adoption of new titles, chapters or sections.
COUNCIL. The Council of the Town of Gila Bend, Arizona.
COUNTY. Maricopa County, Arizona.
DAY. The period of time between any midnight and the midnight following.
DAYTIME. The period of time between sunrise and sunset.
DEPARTMENT, BOARD, COMMISSION, OFFICE, OFFICER or EMPLOYEE. Whenever any department, board, commission, office, officer or employee is referred to, it shall mean a department, board, commission, office, officer or employee of the town unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
EMERGENCY VEHICLE. Vehicles of the Fire, Police and Public Service Departments and legally authorized ambulances and emergency vehicles of the state, county or any political subdivisions thereof, and vehicles of public service corporations.
EMERGENCY WORK. Any work performed to prevent or alleviate physical trauma or property damage threatened or caused by an emergency, which has or may result in a disruption of service, and which is necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of persons or property.
IN THE TOWN or WITHIN THE TOWN. All territory over which the town now has, or shall hereafter acquire, jurisdiction for the exercise of its police powers or other regulatory powers.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words purporting to give a JOINT AUTHORITY to three or more town officers or other persons shall be construed as giving the authority to a majority of the officers or other persons unless it shall be otherwise expressly declared in the law giving the authority.
LAW. Applicable federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the state, the ordinances of the town and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
MAJORITY. When used in reference to the Town Council, means 51% of those members in attendance; provided that, a quorum of the Council is also present.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
MONTH. A calendar month.
MOTOR VEHICLE. Every self-propelled device in, upon or by which any person or property is, or may be, transported upon a public highway, excepting aircraft and devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
MUST. The act referred to is mandatory.
NIGHTTIME. The period of time between sunset and sunrise.
OATH. Includes affirmation or declaration.
OWNER. Applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant, tenant by the entirety, of the whole or a part of the building or land.
PERSON. Shall extend and be applied to firms, corporations or voluntary associations, as well as to individuals, unless plainly inapplicable.
PERSONAL PROPERTY. Includes every species of property, except real property as defined in this section.
PRECEDING or FOLLOWING. The words PRECEDING and FOLLOWING mean next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Real and personal property.
REAL PROPERTY. Lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL. The action referred to is mandatory.
SHALL HAVE BEEN. Includes past and future cases.
SIDEWALK. The portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the signer cannot write, the signer's or subscriber's name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his or her 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 State of Arizona.
STREET. Includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs or other public ways in the town which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use or other public property so designated in any law of the state.
SUBCHAPTER. A division of a chapter, designated in this code by a heading in the chapter analysis and a capitalized heading in the body of the chapter, setting apart a group of sections related by the subject matter of the heading. Not all chapters have SUBCHAPTERS.
TENANT or OCCUPANT. When applied to a building or land shall include any person holding a written or an oral lease or who occupies the whole or part of the building or land, either alone or with others.
WRITTEN. Any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
YEAR. A calendar year, except where otherwise provided.
(1996 Code, § 1.04.010)
Statutory reference:
Definitions and construction of statutes generally, see A.R.S. §§ 1-211 through 1-215