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Editor’s note–Former chapter pertaining to general provisions, was amended and replaced in its entirety by Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024. Prior to the amendment, this chapter derived from the following: Ordinance 149 adopted 6/5/67; Ordinance 157 adopted 7/1/68; Ordinance 266-75 adopted 12/8/75; Ordinance 301-78 adopted 9/5/78; Ordinance 303-79 adopted 4/2/79; Ordinance 356-84 adopted 4/2/84; Ordinance 370-85 adopted 8/5/85; Ordinance 382-86 adopted 7/7/86; Ordinance 449-94 adopted 2/7/94; Ordinance Adopting Code; Ordinance adopted 6/17/96; Ordinance 508-02 adopted 4/1/02; Ordinance 535-09 adopted 5/18/09; Ordinance adopted 3/21/11; Ordinance adopted 10/3/11; Ordinance 548-11 adopted 11/21/11; Ordinance adopted 5/6/13; Ordinance adopted 1/20/14 and Ordinance 617b-21 adopted 5/3/21.
The articles embraced in this and the following chapters, articles and sections shall constitute and be designated the "Code of Ordinances, 1996, Hallettsville, Texas," and may be so cited.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)
The catchlines of the several articles and sections of this code are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the article or section and shall not be deemed or taken to be titles of such articles and sections, nor as any part of the articles and sections, nor, unless expressly so provided, shall they be so deemed when any of such articles and sections, including the catchlines, are amended or reenacted.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)
In the construction of this code, and of all ordinances and resolutions passed by the city council, the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the city council:
City.
The words "the city" or "this city" shall be the City of Hallettsville, the County of Lavaca and the state of Texas.
City Administrator, City Secretary and Other City Officers or Departments.
Shall be construed to mean the city administrator, city secretary or such other municipal officers or departments, respectively, of the City of Hallettsville, Texas. Reference to an officer or employee by title shall include his or her duly authorized assistants or representatives. The terms "city secretary" and "city clerk" as used herein shall refer to the city secretary of the City of Hallettsville.
City Council.
Shall refer to the governing body of the City of Hallettsville. The terms "governing body" and "board of aldermen" shall mean the city council.
City Council Member.
As used herein, shall refer to a member of the governing body of the City of Hallettsville, Texas.
Computation of Time.
Whenever a notice is required to be given or an act to be done a certain length of time before any proceeding shall be had, the day on which such notice is given or such act is done shall be counted in computing the time, but the day on which such proceeding is to be had shall not be counted.
Council.
Whenever the term "council," "this council," or "the council" is used, it shall mean the city council of the City of Hallettsville, Texas.
County.
The term "county" or "this county" shall mean the County of Lavaca, Texas.
Gender.
A word importing only the masculine gender shall extend and be applied to females and to firms, partnerships, associations and corporations as well as to males.
Generally.
Words shall be construed in their common and usual significance unless the contrary is clearly indicated.
Month.
Shall mean a calendar month.
Number.
Any word importing the singular number shall include the plural and any word importing the plural number shall include the singular.
Oath.
Shall be construed to include an affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be submitted for an oath, and in such cases the words "swear" and "sworn" shall be equivalent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed."
Official Time Standard.
Whenever certain hours are named herein, they shall mean standard time or daylight savings time as may be in current use in the city.
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.
The word "person" shall extend and be applied to associations, corporations, firms, partnerships, fiduciaries, representatives and bodies politic and corporate as well as to individuals.
Preceding and Following.
Shall mean next before and next after, respectively.
Sidewalk.
Shall mean that portion of a street between the carbine or the lateral line of a roadway, and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
Signature or Subscription.
Shall include a mark when a person cannot write.
State.
The words "the state" or "this state" shall be construed to mean the State of Texas.
Street.
Shall have its commonly accepted meaning and shall include highways, sidewalks, alleys, avenues, recessed parking areas and other public rights-of-way including the entire right-of-way.
Tense.
Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and present.
V.T.C.S., V.T.P.C., V.T.C.C.P.
Refer to the divisions of Vernon's Texas Statutes Annotated.
Written or In Writing.
The term "written" or "in writing" shall be construed to include any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
Year.
Shall mean a calendar year.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)
(a) 
All ordinances passed subsequent to the adoption of this code, which amend, repeal or in any way affect this code, may be numbered in accordance with the numbering system of this code and printed for inclusion therein. When subsequent ordinances repeal any chapter, article, section or subsection or any portion thereof, such repealed portions may be excluded from the code by omission from reprinted pages. The subsequent ordinances as numbered and printed or omitted in the case of repeal, shall be prima facie evidence on such subsequent ordinances until such time that this code and subsequent ordinances numbered or omitted are readopted as a new code by the city council.
(b) 
Amendments to any of the provisions of this code shall be made by amending such provisions by specific reference to the article and section number of this code. The new provisions shall then be set out in full as desired, and existing sections shall be renumbered as necessary.
(c) 
In the event a new article or section not heretofore existing in the code is to be added, the new provision should reference the article and new section number of the code. The new article or section shall then be set out in full as desired.
(d) 
It is hereby provided, however, that any subsequent ordinance which fails to amend this code in the manner provided for above shall not be deemed invalid as a result of such failure to follow the procedure outlined in this section.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)
The Code may be supplemented whenever authorized or directed by the city council. A supplement to the code shall include all substantive permanent and general parts of ordinances passed by the city council or adopted by initiative and referendum during the period covered by the supplement and all changes made thereby in the code.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)
(a) 
Whenever in this code or in any ordinance of the city, an act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful of an offense or a misdemeanor, or wherever in such code or ordinance the doing of an act is required or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful, and no specific penalty is provided therefor, the violation of any such provision of this code or any such ordinance shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00), except for:
(1) 
Violations of municipal ordinances that govern fire, safety, zoning, public health and sanitation, vegetation and litter violations in which the maximum fine shall be two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for each offense;
(2) 
Violations of municipal ordinances that govern dumping of refuse may not exceed $4,000.00; and
(3) 
Violations of traffic laws which are punishable as a class C misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00).
However, no penalty shall be greater or less than the penalty provided for the same or similar offense under the laws of the state.
(b) 
Each day any violation of this code or of any ordinance shall continue shall constitute a separate offense. Any violation of any provision of this code which constitutes an immediate danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the public may be enjoined in a suit brought by the city for such purposes.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the city council that the articles, sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this code are severable and, if any article, section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this code shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining articles, sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this code since the same would have been enacted by the city council without the incorporation in this code of any such unconstitutional article, section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase.
(Ordinance 648-24 adopted 1/16/2024)