[Adopted 4-8-1975 as Ch. 1, Secs.
1-2 and 1-3, of the 1975 Code]
In the construction of this Code and of all
ordinances, the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction
would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the City Council:
Shall be construed as if the words "of Colonial Heights"
followed it.
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.[2]
The Council of the City of Colonial Heights.
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.[3]
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.
A calendar month.[4]
A word importing the singular number only may extend and
be applied to several persons or things, as well as to one person
or thing, and a word importing the plural number only may extend and
be applied to one person or thing, as well as to several persons or
things.[5]
The word "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 word "swear" or "sworn" shall be equivalent
to the word "affirm" or "affirmed."[6]
"Or" may be read "and," and "and" may be read "or," if the
sense requires it.
Applied to any property, 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 property.
Shall extend and be applied to associations, firms, partnerships
and bodies politic and corporate as well as to individuals.[7]
Includes every species of property except real property,
as herein defined.
Next before and next after, respectively.
Includes real and personal property.
Includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
The word "shall" is mandatory, and the word "may" is permissive.
Any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent
property line intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
The Commonwealth of Virginia.
Shall be construed to embrace streets, avenues, boulevards,
roads, alleys, lanes, viaducts and all other public ways in the City.
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.
Shall be construed to include any representation of words,
letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.[8]
A calendar year.
[1]
Editor's Note: For state law as to definitions
and rules of construction generally, see Code of Virginia, § 1-202
et seq.
[2]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, § 1-210.
[3]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, § 1-216.
[4]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, § 1-223.
[5]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, § 1-227.
[6]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, §§ 1-228 and 1-250.
[7]
Editor's Note: For state law definition of
"person," see Code of Virginia, § 1-230.
[8]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, § 1-257.
The catchlines of the several sections of this
Code are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the
sections and shall not be deemed or taken to be titles of such sections
or as any part of such sections, nor, unless expressly so provided,
shall they be so deemed when any of such sections, including the catchlines,
are amended or reenacted.
[1]
Editor's Note: For similar state law, see
Code of Virginia, § 1-217.
