(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) Definitions. 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 Saugatuck, Michigan.
CODE, THIS CODE or THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. This municipal code as modified by amendment, revision and adoption of new titles, chapters or sections.
COUNTY. Allegan County, Michigan.
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.
OFFICER, OFFICE, EMPLOYEE, COMMISSION or DEPARTMENT. An officer, office, employee, commission or department of this municipality unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
PERSON. Includes any individual, co-partnership, corporation, association, club, joint venture, estate, trust and any other group or combination acting as a unit, and the individuals constituting the group or unit.
PRECEDING or FOLLOWING. Next before or next after, respectively.
PUBLIC PLACE. Any place to or upon which the public resorts or travels, whether the place is owned or controlled by the city or any agency of the state, or is a place to or upon which the public resorts or travels by custom or by invitation, express or implied.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. The public’s right to travel over a public street, highway, alley or waterway.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIDEWALK. That portion of a street between the curb lines or lateral lines and the right-of-way lines which is intended for the use of pedestrians.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE. The State of Michigan.
STREET, HIGHWAY and ALLEY. The entire width subject to an easement for public right-of-way, or owned in fee by the city, county or state, of every way or place, of whatever nature, whenever any part thereof is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for purposes of public travel. The word ALLEY shall mean any such way or place providing a secondary means of ingress and egress from a property.
STREET END. The end of a public street, highway or alley which borders on a public river, lake or stream and includes the riparian rights of the city in and to the water and the land under the water to the middle of the river, lake or stream.
SUBCHAPTER.
(a) 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.
(b) Not all chapters have SUBCHAPTERS.
WRITTEN. Any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
YEAR. A calendar year, unless otherwise expressed.