In the construction of this code and of all ordinances, the following definitions and rules of construction shall be observed, unless inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Board of Commissioners, or the context clearly requires otherwise.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS; TOWN BOARD; BOARD; GOVERNING BODY. The Board of Commissioners of the Town of Mocksville, Davie County, North Carolina.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day; and, if the last day is Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.
COUNTY. Davie County, North Carolina, except as otherwise provided.
GENDER. Words importing one gender shall include the other genders.
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 the persons or officers.
MONTH. A calendar month.
NONTECHNICAL AND TECHNICAL WORDS. Words and phrases shall be construed 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 law shall be construed and understood according to the meaning.
NUMBER. Words used in the singular include the plural and the plural includes the singular.
OATH. An affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath; and, in those cases, the words "swear" and "sworn" shall be equivalent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed".
OFFICER; OFFICIAL. Reference to an officer or official by title shall include all duly authorized subordinates and agents, except where otherwise provided.
OFFICIALS; BOARDS; COMMISSIONS; AND THE LIKE. Whenever reference is made to officials, boards, commissions, committees and the like, by title only, they shall be construed as if followed by the words "of the Town of Mocksville, North Carolina".
OWNER. When applied to buildings or land, shall include any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety of the whole or part of the building or land.
PERSON. A corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization and any other group acting as a unit, as well as an individual.
PERSONAL PROPERTY. Every species of property except real property, as herein defined.
PRECEDING; FOLLOWING. Next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Real and personal property.
REAL PROPERTY. Lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL; WILL; MAY. The words SHALL and WILL are mandatory, and the word MAY is permissive.
SIDEWALK. Any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
SIGNATURE; SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE. The State of North Carolina, except as otherwise provided.
STREET. Any public way, road, highway, street, avenue, boulevard, parkway, alley, lane, viaduct, bridge and the approaches thereto within the town and shall mean the entire width of the right-of-way between abutting property lines.
TENANT; OCCUPANT. Applied to a building or land, shall include any person who occupies the whole or part of the 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.
TOWN; MUNICIPALITY. The Town of Mocksville, in Davie County, North Carolina.
WRITING; WRITTEN. Printing and any other mode of representing words and letters.
YEAR. A calendar year.
(1989 Code, § 1-3; 2003 Code, § 1.3)
Statutory reference:
Computation of time, see G.S. § 1-593
Definitions and rules for construction of statutes, see G.S. § 12-3
Definitions and rules of statutory construction relating to municipalities, see G.S. § 160A-1