A.
In the construction of the Codified Ordinances, the following rules shall control, excepting those inconsistent with the manifest intent of Council as disclosed in a particular provision, section or article:
(1)
"Administrative Code" of the City of Allentown is comprised of Chapter 1, General Provisions, Articles I and II, Chapter 5, Administration of Government, Chapter 12, Authorities, Board and Commissions, Articles I through XV, Chapter 19, Civil Service Rules, Articles I, II and IV, Chapter 27, Discrimination and Human Relations Commission, Chapter 36, Ethics, Code of, Chapter 42, Flag; Coat of Arms; Municipal Colors, Chapter 75, Pensions and Retirement, Chapter 80, Personnel Policies, Chapter 93, Records, Public, Chapter 102, Salaries, Compensation and Insurance, Article I, Chapter 110, Special Fire Police, and Chapter A700, Annexations.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(2)
"Adopting Ordinance" means the ordinance of the City adopting the Codified Ordinances of Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1962, in conformity with the Third Class City Code of Pennsylvania and this Article II.
(3)
"Authority" means whenever in the Codified Ordinances authority is given to an officer or an act is required to be performed, such authority may be exercised and such act may be performed, at the instance of such officer, by a deputy or subordinate, unless contrary to law or to the clear intent of any such particular provision.
(4)
Calendar and computation of time. "Month" and "year" shall mean the calendar month or year. The time expressed in days within which an act is to be done or a period is to expire shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day except, if the last be Sunday, it shall be excluded. If time is expressed in hours, the whole of Sunday shall be excluded.
(6)
"City" and "municipality" means the City of Allentown, Pennsylvania.
(7)
"Conjunctions" means "and" shall include "or" and "or" shall include "and" if the sense so requires.
(8)
"Council" means the Council of the City of Allentown.
(9)
"County" means the County of Lehigh, Pennsylvania.
(10)
"Fire Department" means the Fire Department of the City of Allentown, Pennsylvania.
(11)
"Gender" means words importing the masculine shall extend and be applied to the feminine and neuter genders.
(12)
"General rule" means excepting as otherwise provided in this section, words and phrases shall be construed according to the common usage of language; provided, however, that technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a special meaning in the law shall be construed according to such technical or special meaning.
(13)
"Home Rule Charter" means the City of Allentown Home Rule Charter, adopted in 1996, effective 1997, as amended.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(14)
"Joint authority" means 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.
(15)
"Keeper or proprietor" means and includes persons, firms, associations, corporations, clubs and co-partnerships, whether acting by themselves or as a servant, agent or employee.
(16)
"Land or real estate" means rights and easements of incorporeal nature.
(17)
"Municipal election" means that election required by the Constitution of Pennsylvania to be held in odd-numbered years.
(18)
"Number" means words in the plural shall include the singular and in the singular shall include the plural number.
(19)
"Oath" shall include affirmation. When an oath is required or authorized by law, an affirmation in lieu thereof may be taken by a person having conscientious scruples to taking an oath. An affirmation shall have the same force and effect as an oath.
(20)
"Owner" means, when applied to property, shall include a part owner, joint owner or tenant in common, of the whole or any part of such property.
(21)
"Person" means and extends and applies to associations, clubs, corporations, firms, partnerships and bodies politic, as well as to individuals.
(22)
"Police Department or Bureau" means the Department of Police of the City of Allentown, Pennsylvania.
(23)
"Premises" means, when used as applicable to property, shall extend to and include land and buildings.
(24)
Property means real and person, and any mixed and lesser estates or interests therein. "Personal property" shall include every kind of property except real property. "Real property" shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments.
(25)
"Reasonable time" means, 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 giving of such notice.
(26)
"Sidewalk" means any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
(27)
"State" or "commonwealth" means the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(28)
"Street" means constructed to include alleys, avenues, boulevards, lanes, roads, streets and other public ways in the City.
(29)
"Tenant" or "occupant" means, as applied to building 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)
"Tenses" means the use of any verb in the present tense shall include the future.
(32)
"Written" or "in writing" shall be construed to include any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
[Amended 4-16-1963 by Ord. No. 10078]
(33)
"Home Rule Charter" refers to the Charter adopted by the Allentown voters on April 23, 1996, and any subsequent amendments.