The following words and phrases whenever used in the ordinances of the city shall be construed as defined in this section unless from the context a different meaning is intended or unless different meaning is specifically defined and more particularly directed to the use of such words or phrases:
"City" and "town" means the city of Pismo Beach, California, or the area within the territorial limits of the city, and such territory outside of the city over which the city has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provision.
"City Manager" means the chief administrative officer of the city, and where the title "city administrator" appears in this code, it shall mean "city manager."
"Computation of time" means the time within which an act is to be done. It shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last day; and if the last day be Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.
"Council" means the city council of the city. "All its members" or "all councilmen" mean the total number of councilmen provided by the general laws of the state.
"County" means the county of San Luis Obispo, California.
"Law" denotes applicable federal law, the constitution and statutes of the state, the ordinances of the city, and when appropriate any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
"May" is permissive.
"Month" means a calendar month.
"Must" and "shall." Each is mandatory.
"Oath" shall be construed to include an affirmation or declaration 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."
"Ordinance" means a law of the city; provided, that a temporary or special law, administrative action, order or directive, may be in the form of a resolution.
"Owner" applied to a building or land includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety, of the whole or a part of such building or land.
"Person" means natural person, joint venture, joint stock company, partnership, association, club, company, corporation, business, trust, organization, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer or employee of any of them.
"Personal property" includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
"Preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.
"Property" includes real and personal property.
"Real property" includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
"Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
"State" means the state of California.
"Street" includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs, or other public ways in this city which have been or may hereafter by dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated by any law of this state.
"Tenant" and "occupant," applied to a building or land, includes any person who occupies whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
Title of Office. Use of the title of any officer, employee, board or commission means that officer, employee, department, board of commission or the city.
"Written" includes printed, typewritten, mimeographed or multigraphed.
"Year" means a calendar year.
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 such others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in the law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar and appropriate meaning.
When an act is required by an ordinance the same being such that it may be done as well by an agent as by the principal, such requirement shall be construed as to include all such acts performed by an authorized agent. (Ord. 95-07 § 1, 1995; prior code § 1.04.010)
The following grammatical rules shall apply in the ordinances of the city.
A. Gender. The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter genders.
B. Singular and Plural. The singular number includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.
C. Tenses. Words used in the present tense include the past and the future tenses and vice versa, unless manifestly inapplicable.
D. Use of Words and Phrases. Words and phrases not specifically defined shall be construed according to the content and approved usage of the language. (Prior code § 1.04.020)
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