The following words and phrases, whenever used in the ordinances of the City of Palmdale, California, shall be construed as defined in this section unless from the context a different meaning is intended or unless a different meaning is specifically defined and more particularly directed to the use of such words or phrases:
(A) 
"City"
means the City of Palmdale, California, or the area within the territorial limits of the City of Palmdale, California, and such territory outside of the City of Palmdale, California, over which the City of Palmdale, California, has jurisdiction or control by virtue of a constitutional or statutory provision.
(B) 
"Council"
means the City Council of the City of Palmdale, California. "All its members" or "all Councilmembers" means the total number of Councilmembers holding office.
(C) 
"County"
means the County of Los Angeles.
(D) 
"Director of Human Resources"
means the Director of Human Resources or the employee designated by the City Manager to act as the Director of Human Resources.
(E) 
"Director of Parks and Recreation"
means the Director of Parks and Recreation or the employee designated by the City Manager to act as the Director of Parks and Recreation.
(F) 
"Director of Economic and Community Development" or "Economic and Community Development Director"
means the Director of Economic and Community Development or the Director's authorized designee.
(G) 
"Law"
denotes applicable Federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, the ordinances of the City of Palmdale, and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
(H) 
"May"
is permissive.
(I) 
"Month"
means a calendar month.
(J) 
"Must" and "shall"
are each mandatory.
(K) 
"Oath"
includes an affirmation or declaration in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, lent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed."
(L) 
"Owner,"
applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant, or tenant by the entirety of the whole or a part of such building or land.
(M) 
"Person"
includes a natural person, joint venture, joint stock company, partnership, association, club, company, corporation, business, trust, organization, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant, officer or employee of any of them.
(N) 
"Personal property"
includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
(O) 
"Preceding" and "following"
mean next before and next after, respectively.
(P) 
"Property"
includes real and personal property.
(Q) 
"Real property"
includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
(R) 
"Sidewalk"
means that portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
(S) 
"Senior Code Enforcement Officer"
means the Senior Code Enforcement Officer or the employee designated by the City Manager to act as the Senior Code Enforcement Officer.
(T) 
"State"
means the State of California.
(U) 
"Street"
includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs, or other public ways in this City which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated in any law of this State.
(V) 
"Tenant" and "occupant,"
applied to a building or land, include any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
(X) 
"Written"
includes printed, typewritten, mimeographed, multigraphed, or otherwise reproduced in permanent visible form.
(Y) 
"Year"
means a calendar year.
(Ord. 471 § 1, 1982; Ord. U-1299 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1299 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1409 § 1, 2010; Ord. 1614 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)
Use of the title of any officer, employee, department, board or commission means that officer, employee, department, board or commission of the City.
(Ord. 471 § 2, 1982)
All 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 the law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar and appropriate meaning.
(Ord. 471 § 3, 1982)
The following grammatical rules shall apply in the ordinances of the City, unless it is apparent from the context that a different construction is intended:
(A) 
Gender. Each gender includes the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
(B) 
Singular and Plural. The singular number includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.
(C) 
Tenses. Words used in the present tense include the past and the future tenses and vice versa, unless manifestly inapplicable.
(Ord. 471 § 4, 1982)
When an act is required by an ordinance, the same being such that it may be done as well by an agent as by the principal, such requirement shall be construed to include all such acts performed by an authorized agent.
(Ord. 471 § 5, 1982)
Except when otherwise provided, the time within which an act is required to be done shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last day, unless the last day is Sunday or a holiday, in which case it shall also be excluded.
(Ord. 471 § 7, 1982)
The provisions of the ordinances of the City, and all proceedings under them, are to be construed with a view to effect their objects and to promote justice.
(Ord. 471 § 8, 1982)
Whenever proof of identity is required by this Municipal Code or any other policy or procedure of the City, an individual must proffer acceptable photographic identification. The following shall be considered acceptable forms of photographic identification:
(A) 
A current and valid driver's license issued by the state of California or any other state or territory of the United States;
(B) 
A current and valid passport issued by the United States;
(C) 
A current and valid identification card issued by any branch of the armed forces of the United States;
(D) 
A current and valid identification card issued by the state of California or any other state or territory of the United States; and
(E) 
Any other form of photographic identification deemed to be acceptable by the City Attorney.
(Ord. 1315 § 1, 2007)