In the construction of this Code, the following rules and definitions shall control, except those that are inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Board of Trustees as disclosed in a particular provision, section or chapter:
(1) Adopting Ordinance. "Adopting Ordinance" means the ordinance of the Village adopting this Code in conformity with the Illinois Revised Statutes and this Chapter 202.
(2) Board of Trustees. "Board of Trustees" means the legislative body of the Village.
(3) County. "County" means Cook County, Illinois.
(4) Definitions. Unless expressly otherwise provided, definitions given within a chapter, section or subsection apply only to words or phrases used in such chapter, section or subsection.
(5) Gender. Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter as well as the masculine.
(6) Heretofore and Hereafter. "Heretofore" shall be construed to mean any time previous to the day when the section in which the term is used takes effect. "Hereafter" shall be construed to mean the time after the section in which the term is used takes effect.
(7) Illinois Municipal Code. "Illinois Municipal Code" means Chapter 24 of the Illinois Revised Statutes.
(8) 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.
(9) 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.
(10) Land and Real Estate. "Land" and "real estate" include rights and easements of an incorporeal nature.
(11) Month. "Month" means a calendar month.
(12) Municipality or Village. "Municipality" or "Village" means the Village of Richton Park, Illinois.
(13) Nontechnical and Technical Words. All words and phrases shall be construed and understood according to the common and approved usage of the language. Technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a peculiar or appropriate meaning in law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar or appropriate meaning.
(14) Number. Words used in the singular shall include the plural, and words used in the the plural shall include the singular number.
(15) 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.
(16) Or; And. "Or" includes "and" and "and" includes "or," if the sense so requires.
(17) Owner. "Owner," as applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership or tenant by the entirety, of the whole or of a part of such building and land.
(18) Person. "Person" means an individual or any corporation, firm, partnership, association, executor, administrator, guardian, trustee, agent, organization or group acting as an entity or unit.
(19) Preceding; Following. "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) Public Grounds or Public Places. "Public grounds" or "public places" means any park or open place adjacent thereto, lake or stream, public ground, public square, public park, street or sidewalk or other public place in the Village.
(23) 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.
(24) Shall and May. "Shall" is mandatory; "may" is permissive.
(25) Sidewalk. "Sidewalk" means any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
(26) Signature or Subscription. "Signature" or "subscription" includes a mark when the person cannot write.
(27) State. "State" means the State of Illinois.
(28) Street. "Street" means alleys, avenues, boulevards, lanes, roads, streets, highways and other public ways in the Village and shall include all areas thereof embraced between the property lines and dedicated to public use.
(29) 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.
(30) Tense. Words used in the past or present tense shall include the future as well as the past and present, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(31) Time. Whenever any time established in this Code 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.
(32) Written or Writing. "Written" or "in writing" includes any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
(33) Year; Fiscal Year. "Year" means a calendar year. "Fiscal year" means the period from May 1 to April 30.