[Adopted 4-1-1991 (Ch. 1, § 1-2, of the 1994 Code)]
In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances hereafter enacted, the following interpretations shall be placed on the words and phrases hereinafter mentioned, unless such construction or interpretation shall be manifestly inconsistent with the evident intent of the Town Council or repugnant to the context or to the evident purport of any ordinance:
COMPUTATION OF TIME
The time in which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day and if the last day is Sunday or a legal holiday, that shall be excluded.
CORPORATE LIMITS, CORPORATION LIMITS, TOWN LIMITS
Whenever the words "corporate limits," "corporation limits" or "Town limits" are used, they shall mean the legal boundary of the Town of North Smithfield.
COUNCIL
The Town Council of the Town of North Smithfield.
COUNTY
The County of Providence in the State of Rhode Island.
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
Whenever a provision appears requiring the head of a department or other officer of the Town to do some act or to make certain inspections, it is to be construed to authorize the head of the department or other officer of the Town, as the case may be, to designate, delegate and authorize subordinates to perform the required act or make the required inspection, unless the terms of the provision or section designate otherwise.
GENDER
A word importing the masculine gender only shall extend and be applied to females and to firms, partnerships and corporations as well as to males.
INTERPRETATION
In the interpretation and application of any provision of this Code, it shall be held to be the minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare. Where any provision of the Code imposes greater restrictions upon the subject matter than the general provisions imposed by the Code, the provision imposing the greater restriction or regulation shall be deemed to be controlling.
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.
KEEPER or PROPRIETOR
Includes persons, firms, associations, corporations, clubs and partnerships, whether acting by themselves or through a servant, agent or employee.
MONTH
A calendar month.
MUNICIPAL
Whenever the word municipal is used it shall refer to and mean only the Town of North Smithfield as it owns, regulates, operates or maintains through its Town Council, boards, commissions, committees and/or agencies within said Town limits.
NAME OF OFFICER
Whenever the name of an officer is given it shall be construed as though the words "of the Town of North Smithfield" were added.
NONTECHNICAL AND TECHNICAL WORDS
Words and phrases shall be construed according to the common and approved usage of the language, but technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in law shall be construed and understood according to such meaning.
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.
OATH
Shall be construed to include 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."
OR/AND
"Or" may be read "and," and "and" may be read "or," if the sense requires it.
OWNER
The word "owner" applied to a building or land shall include 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
Includes a corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization, club, society, body corporate or politic, or any other group acting as a unit, as well as a natural person.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Includes every species of property except real property, as herein described.
PRECEDING, FOLLOWING
Next before and next after, respectively.
PREMISES
Whenever the word "premises" is used it shall mean place or places.
PRESIDENT
Whenever the word "President" is used it shall mean the President of the Town Council.
PROPERTY
Includes real and personal property.
PUBLIC PLACE
Includes, without limitation, any park, cemetery, school yard or open space adjacent thereto, and all beaches, canals or other waterways, and any public street or way.
REAL PROPERTY
The term "real property" shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments and rights thereto and interests therein.
RESIDENCE
Shall be construed to mean the place adopted by a person as his place of habitation, and to which, whenever he is absent, he has the intention of returning. When a person eats at one place and sleeps at another, the place where such person sleeps shall be deemed his residence.
SEAL
Whenever the word "Seal" is used it shall mean the Town or Corporate Seal.
SIDEWALK
The word "sidewalk" shall mean any portion of a street between the vertical curbline or the edge of the pavement or the edge of a traveled way and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways; such portion or sidewalk is sometimes designated and known as the "pavement border area."
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION
Of a person, shall include a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE
Shall be construed to mean the State of Rhode Island.
STREETS, HIGHWAYS or WAYS
When used in an ordinance, shall be construed as including public boulevards, avenues, courts, lanes, alleys, squares, drives, roads, corners and sidewalks.
TENANT
Applied to a building or land shall include any person holding a written or oral lease of, or who occupies, the whole or a part of such building or land, either 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 North Smithfield in the County of Providence and the State of Rhode Island.
WEEK
Shall be construed to mean seven days.
WRITTEN, IN WRITING
Shall be construed to include any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
YEAR
A calendar year.