In the construction of the Codified Ordinances, the following rules and definitions shall control, except those that are inconsistent with the manifest intent of Council as disclosed in a particular provision, section or chapter:
(1) Adopting Ordinance. "Adopting Ordinance" means the ordinance of the Village adopting the Codified Ordinances of Palos Park, Illinois, 1982, in conformity with the Illinois Revised Statutes and this Chapter 202.
(2) Authority. Whenever in the Codified Ordinances authority is given to an officer or an act is required to be performed, such authority may be exercised and such act may be performed, at the instance of such officer, by a deputy or subordinate, unless contrary to law or to the clear intent of any such particular provision.
(3) Calendar. The terms "month" and "year" mean the calendar month or year.
(4) Commissioner. "Commissioner" means a member of the Village Council and also means either the Commissioner of Accounts and Finances, the Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvement, the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety or the Commissioner of Public Property and Building, depending on the context.
(5) Conjunctions. "And" includes "or" and "or" includes "and, " if the sense so requires.
(6) Council. "Council" means the legislative authority of the Village.
(7) County. "County" means the County of Cook, Illinois.
(8) Gender. Words importing the masculine shall extend and be applied to the feminine and neuter genders.
(9) General Rule. Except as otherwise provided in this section, words and phrases shall be construed according to the common usage of the language, provided, however, that technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a special meaning in the law shall be construed according to such technical or special meaning.
(10) Illinois Municipal Code. "Illinois Municipal Code" means Chapter 24 of the Illinois Revised Statutes.
(11) Joint Authority. Words giving authority to a board, commission, authority or to three or more officers or employees or other persons shall be construed as giving authority to a majority thereof, unless otherwise specifically provided.
(12) Keeper and Proprietor. "Keeper" and "proprietor" mean persons, firms, associations, corporations, clubs and copartnerships, whether acting by themselves or as a servant, agent or employee.
(13) Land and Real Estate. "Land" and "real estate" include rights and easements of an incorporeal nature.
(14) Municipality or Village. "Municipality" or "Village" means the Village of Palos Park, Illinois.
(15) Number. Words in the plural include the singular and words in the singular include the plural.
(16) Oath. "Oath" includes affirmation. When an oath is required or authorized by law, an affirmation in lieu thereof may be taken by a person having conscientious scruples about taking an oath. An affirmation shall have the same force and effect as an oath.
(17) Owner. "Owner, " when applied to property, includes a part owner, joint owner or tenant in common of the whole or any part of such property.
(18) Person. "Person" means an individual, association, club, corporation, firm, partnership or body politic.
(19) Preceding and Following. The words "preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.
(20) Premises. "Premises, " when used as applicable to property, extends to and includes land and buildings.
(21) Property. "Property" includes real and personal property and any mixed and lesser estates or interests therein. "Personal property" includes every kind of property except real property; "real property" includes land, tenements and hereditaments.
(22) Reasonable Time. In all cases where provision is made for an act to be done or notice to be given within a reasonable time, it shall be deemed to mean such time only as may be necessary for the prompt performance of such act or the giving of such notice.
(23) Shall and May. "Shall" is mandatory; "may" is permissive.
(24) Sidewalk. "Sidewalk" means any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding park ways.
(25) Signature or Subscription. "Signature" or "subscription" includes a mark when the person cannot write.
(26) State. "State" means the State of Illinois.
(27) Street. "Street" means alleys, avenues, boulevards, lanes, roads, streets, State highways and other public ways in the Village and shall include all areas thereof embraced between the property lines and dedicated to public use.
(28) Tenant and Occupant. "Tenant" and "occupant, " as applied to buildings or land, shall extend and be applied to any person holding a written or oral lease of, or who occupies the whole or any part of, a building or land, alone or with others.
(29) Tenses. The use of any verb in the present tense includes the future.
(30) Time. Whenever any time established in the Codified Ordinances for the taking of any action expires on a Sunday or legal holiday, such time shall not expire on such day but shall expire on the next week day.
Whenever a notice is required to be given or an act to be done a certain length of time before any proceeding is had, the day on which such notice is given or such act is done shall be counted in computing the time, but the day on which such proceeding is had shall not be counted.
If a time is given in a.m. or p.m., it means Central Standard Time, except that when the Village is on Daylight Savings Time, it means Central Daylight Time.
(31) Written or Writing. "Written" or "in writing" includes any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.