The following words and phrases, whenever used in the ordinances of the town of Yarrow Point, Washington, shall be construed as defined in this section unless from the context a different meaning is intended or a different meaning is specifically defined and particularly directed to the use of such words and phrases:
"Computation of time"
means the time within which an act is to be done. It is computed by excluding the first day and including the last day, and if the last day is Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded and the next day following which is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday shall be included as the last day.
"Council"
means the town council of the town of Yarrow Point, Washington. "All its members" or "all council members" means the total number of council members provided by the general law of the state of Washington.
"County"
means the county of King.
"Law"
denotes applicable federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the state of Washington, the ordinances of the town of Yarrow Point and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
"May"
is permissive.
"Month"
means a calendar month.
"Must" and "shall"
are each mandatory.
"Oath"
is construed to include an affirmation or declaration in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and in such cases the words "swear" and "sworn" are equivalent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed."
"Or"
may be read "and" and "and" may be read "or" if the sense requires it.
"Ordinance"
means a law of the town.
"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 part of such building or land.
"Person"
means 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.
"Personal property"
includes money, goods, chattels, choses in action, causes of action, things in action and evidence of debt.
"Preceding" and "following"
means the next before and next after, respectively.
"Property"
includes real and personal property.
"Real property"
includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
"Sidewalk"
means that property of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
"State"
means the state of Washington.
"Street"
includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs or other public ways in this town which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated in any law of the state.
"Tenant" and "occupant,"
applied to a building or land, includes any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
"Title of office"
is the use of the title of any officer, employee, department, board or commission and means that officer, employee, department, board or commission of the town.
"Town"
means the town of Yarrow Point, Washington, or the area within the territorial limits of the town of Yarrow Point, Washington, and such territory outside the town over which the town has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provision.
"Year"
means a calendar year.
(Ord. 486 § 1, 1999)
The following grammatical rules shall apply in the ordinances of the town:
A. 
Gender. Designation in the form of any gender includes the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
B. 
Singular or 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. 486 § 1, 1999)
The following rules of construction shall apply:
A. 
The provisions of the ordinances of the town and all proceedings under them are to be construed with a view to effect their objects and to promote justice.
B. 
All words and phrases shall be construed and understood 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.
C. 
Acts by Agents. 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 as to include all such acts performed by an authorized agent.
D. 
Use of Words and Phrases. Words and phrases not specifically defined shall be construed according to the context and approved usage of the language and such usage shall effectuate the ordinance provisions as set forth in subsection A of this section.
(Ord. 486 § 1, 1999)