(A) General rule. Words and phrases shall be taken in their plain, or ordinary and usual sense. However, technical words and phrases having a peculiar and appropriate meaning in law shall be understood according to their technical import.
(B) For the purpose of this code, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CITY, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, or MUNICIPALITY. The City of Rochester, Indiana.
COMMON COUNCIL or COUNCIL. The Common Council of the City of Rochester.
CODE, THIS CODE or THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. This City Code of Rochester Indiana as modified by amendment, revision, and adoption of new titles, chapters, or sections.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by this code of ordinances, by order of the court, or by any applicable ordinance or statute, the day of the act, event, or default from which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included. The last day of the period so computed is to be included unless it is: a Saturday; a Sunday; a legal holiday as defined by state statute; or a day the office in which the act is to be done is closed during regular business hours. In any event, the period runs until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday, a legal holiday, or a day on which the office is closed. When the period of time allowed is less than seven days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days on which the office is closed shall be excluded from the computation.
(Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure, Rule 6(A))
CORPORATE LIMITS, CITY LIMITS. The legal boundaries of the City of Rochester, except as otherwise provided by law.
COUNTY. Fulton County, Indiana.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words giving joint authority to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
MAYOR. The Mayor of the City of Rochester.
MONTH. A calendar month.
NUMBER. A word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several persons and things as well as to one person and thing, and a word importing the plural may extend to the singular.
OATH. An affirmation 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.
OFFICER, OFFICE, EMPLOYEE, COMMISSION, or DEPARTMENT. An officer, office, employee, commission, or department of this city unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
OWNER. Any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, joint tenant, or tenant by the entirety of the whole or of a part of such building or land.
PERSON. Extends and applies to associations, clubs, societies, firms, partnerships, bodies politic and corporate or any other group acting as a unit as well to natural persons.
PERSONAL PROPERTY. Includes every species of property except real property, as herein described.
PRECEDING or FOLLOWING. Next before or next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Shall include real and personal property.
PUBLIC PLACE. Any street or highway, sidewalk, park, cemetery, school yard or open space adjacent thereto and any lake or stream.
QUORUM. A majority of the members of a board, commission or committee holding office, unless otherwise specifically provided in this code.
REAL PROPERTY. Shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIDEWALK. Any portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE. The State of Indiana.
STREET. Shall be construed to embrace streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, alleys, viaducts and all other public highways in the city.
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. Shall include any person holding a written or oral lease or who occupies the whole or a part of such 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, unless otherwise expressed; equivalent to the words YEAR OF OUR LORD.
('79 Code, § 1-2)