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.