(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) Specific definitions. For the purpose of this code, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CITY or TOWN. The City of Santa Paula, California, or the area within the territorial limits of the City of Santa Paula, and such territory outside of the city over which the city has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provision.
CODE, THIS CODE or THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. This municipal code as modified by amendment, revision, and adoption of new titles, chapters, or sections.
COUNCIL. The City Council of the city. “All its members” or “all Council members” means the total number of Council members holding office.
COUNTY. Ventura County, California.
DAY. The period of time between any midnight and the midnight following.
DAYTIME and NIGHTTIME. DAYTIME is the period of time between sunrise and sunset; NIGHTTIME is the period of time between sunset and sunrise.
DEPARTMENT, BOARD, COMMISSION, AGENCY, OFFICER or EMPLOYEE. A department, board, commission, agency, officer or employee of the city.
IN THE CITY. All territory over which the city now has, or shall hereafter acquire, the jurisdiction for the exercise of its police powers or other regulatory powers.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words giving a joint authority to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers.
LAW. Applicable federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, the ordinances of the city, and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
MONTH. A calendar month.
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.
OFFICIAL TIME. Whenever certain hours are named in this code they mean Pacific Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time, whichever may be in current use in the city.
OWNER. Applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant, tenant by the entirety, of the whole or a part of such building or land.
PERSON. Extends to and includes person, persons, firm, corporation, copartnership, trustee, lessee, or receiver. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a penalty, the terms PERSON or WHOEVER as applied to any unincorporated entity shall mean the partners or members thereof, and as applied to corporations, the officers or agents thereof.
PERSONAL PROPERTY. Includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
PRECEDING or FOLLOWING. Next before or next after, respectively.
PROCESS. Includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature.
PROPERTY. Includes real and personal property.
PUBLICATION. A newspaper of general circulation in the city.
REAL PROPERTY. Includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIDEWALK. That portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE. The State of California.
STREET. All streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs, or other public ways in this city which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated in any law of this state.
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 and OCCUPANT. Applied to a building or land, includes any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
WEEK. Consists of seven consecutive days.
WRITTEN. Any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
YEAR. A calendar year, unless otherwise expressed.
('81 Code, § 1.04.020)