Del Norte County Municipal Code § 1.04 General Provisions

The following words and phrases whenever used in the resolutions or ordinances of Del Norte County, shall be 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:

1. "County" means the county of Del Norte, California, or the area within the limits of Del Norte County, and such territory outside of the county over which the county has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provision.

2. "Board" means the board of supervisors of Del Norte County.

3. "Law" denotes applicable federal law, the Constitution and statutes of the state of California, the ordinances and resolutions of Del Norte County, and when appropriate, any and all rules and regulations which may be promulgated thereunder.

4. "May" is permissive.

5. "Month" means a calendar month.

6. "Must" and "shall" are mandatory. Provided, however, that no provision of the Del Norte County Code shall be interpreted to place a mandatory duty upon the county of Del Norte, or any officer, agent, or employee thereof.

7. "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."

8. "Or" may be read "and" and "and" may be read "or" if the sense requires it.

9. "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.

10. "Person" means natural person, joint venture, joint stock compa ny, partnership, association, club, company, corporation, business, trust, organization, or the manager, lessee, agent, servant officer or employee of any of them.

11. "Personal property" includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidence of debt.

12. "Preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.

13. "Property" includes real and personal property.

14. "Real property" includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.

15. "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.

16. "State" means the state of California.

17. "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. Except that this definition shall not include any streets, alleys or roads which are within the boundaries of any unincorporated city or town of this county unless specifically included therein.

18. "Supervisors" or "all its members" means the total number of supervisors provided by the general laws of the state of Califor nia.

19. "Tenant" and "occupant," applied to a building or land, includes any person who occupies whole or a part of such building of land, whether alone or with others.

20. "Title of office." Use of the title of any officer, employee, board or commission, means that officer, employee, department, board or commission of the county.

21. "Written" includes printed, typewritten, mimeographed or multigraphed.

22. "Year" means a calendar year.

All words and phrases shall be construed and understood ac cording to the common and approved usage of the language but technical words and phrases and such others as may have ac quired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in the law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar and appro priate meaning.

When an act is required by an ordinance or resolution 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.

(Ord. 2000-007 § 2, 2000; Ord. 73-6 § 1, 1973)

The following grammatical rules shall apply in the ordinances and resolutions of Del Norte County:

1. Gender. Any gender includes the other genders.

2. Singular and Plural. The singular number includes the plural and the plural includes the singular.

3. Tenses. Words used in the present tense include the past and the future tenses and vice versa unless manifestly inapplicable.

4. Use of Words and Phrases. Words and phrases not specifically defined shall be construed according to the context and approved usage of the language.

(Ord. 73-6 § 2, 1973)

Whenever in the ordinances or resolutions of Del Norte County, any act or omission is made unlawful, it includes causing, allowing, permitting, aiding, abetting, suffering, or concealing the fact of such act or omission.

(Ord. 73-6 § 3, 1973)

The provisions of the ordinances and resolutions of Del Norte County, and all proceedings under them are to be construed with a view to effect their objects and to promote justice.

(Ord. 73-6 § 4, 1973)

The repeal of an ordinance shall not repeal the repealing clause of such ordinance or revive any ordinance which has been repealed thereby.

(Ord. 73-6 § 5, 1973)

A. Applicability.

The alternative procedures provided in this section apply when: (1) Del Norte County Code requires notice be given by publication in a “newspaper of general circulation”; and (2) there is no duly certified “newspaper of general circulation” being published within Del Norte County at least one day every calendar week

B. Posting.

If California State law authorizes posting in three public locations within the County as an alternative procedure for giving notice, then posting in three public locations is also authorized as an alternative procedure under Del Norte County Code.

C. Nearest Publication.

If California State law authorizes publishing in the nearest newspaper of general circulation as an alternative procedure for giving notice, then publishing in the nearest newspaper of general circulation is also authorized as an alternative procedure under Del Norte County Code.

• D. Resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors shall establish by resolution three public locations within the County where public notices shall be posted pursuant to Section 1.04.60.B. Said resolution may be amended or superseded from time to time.

(Ord. 2025-005, 2025)