[Adopted as Ch. 1.04 of the 1978 Code]
A. 
The following words and phrases, whenever used in the ordinances of the County of Pierce, 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 and phrases:
BOARD
The Pierce County Board of Supervisors. "All its members" or "all Supervisors" means the total number of Supervisors holding office.
COUNTY
The County of Pierce.
LAW
Denotes applicable federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the State of Wisconsin, the ordinances of the County of Pierce and, when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.
MONTH
A calendar month.
OATH
Includes 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" shall be equivalent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed."
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.
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.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
PRECEDING and FOLLOWING
Next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY
Includes real and personal property.
REAL PROPERTY
Includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SIDEWALK
That portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
STATE
The State of Wisconsin.
STREET
Includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs or other public ways in this county 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.
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.
WRITTEN
Includes printed, typewritten, mimeographed, multigraphed or otherwise reproduced in a permanent visible form.
YEAR
A calendar year.
B. 
"May" is permissive. "Must" and "shall" are each mandatory.
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.
The following grammatical rules shall apply in the ordinances of the county, 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.
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.
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.
The provisions of the ordinances of the county, and all proceedings under them, are to be construed with a view to effect their objects and to promote justice.