(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.
BOARD. The Board of Aldermen of the town.
CHARTER. The Charter of the Town of Shallotte, North Carolina.
CODE, THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES, or THIS CODE. This municipal code as modified by amendment, revision, and adoption of new titles, chapters, or sections.
COMPUTATION OF TIME. The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and the last day; and if the last day is Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.
COUNTY. Brunswick County, North Carolina.
GENDER. Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter.
GENERAL STATUTES or G.S. The latest edition of the GENERAL STATUTES of North Carolina, as amended.
GOVERNOR. The Governor of North Carolina.
JOINT AUTHORITY. All words giving a joint authority to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving authority to a majority of those persons or officers.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
MAYOR. The Mayor of the town.
MONTH. A calendar month.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, MUNICIPALITY or TOWN. The Town of Shallotte, North Carolina.
NUMBER. Words used in the singular include the plural, and the plural includes the singular number.
OATH. An affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and in these 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.
OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD. Whenever certain hours are named in this code, they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time as may be in current use in this town.
OWNER. Applied to any property, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety, of the whole or a part of the property.
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.
PRECEDING or FOLLOWING. Next before or next after, respectively.
PROPERTY. Real and personal property.
(a) PERSONAL PROPERTY. Every species of property except real property as herein defined.
(b) REAL PROPERTY. Lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIDEWALK. Any portion of a street between the curb line 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 North Carolina.
STREET. Any public way, road, highway, street, avenue, boulevard, parkway, alley, lane or bridge and the approaches thereto within the town.
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. Applied to a building or land, includes any person who occupies the whole or a part of the building or lands whether alone or with others.
TENSE. Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and present.
TOWN. The Town of Shallotte, in the County of Brunswick, North Carolina.
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.
(1979 Code, § 1-1002)
Statutory reference:
Computation of time, see G.S. § 1-593