East Palo Alto Municipal Code Ch. 1.04 General Provisions

Unless the provisions of this code otherwise specifically provide or the context otherwise requires, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions set forth in this chapter shall govern the construction of this code. The provisions of this code and all proceedings under it are to be construed with a view to effect its objectives and to promote justice.

(Prior code § 1-3.101)

For the purposes of this code, unless otherwise apparent from the context or defined differently, certain words and phrases used in this code are defined as follows:

"Calendar year" means from January 1st through December 31st of any given year.

"City" means the city of East Palo Alto.

"Code" means the Municipal Code of the city of East Palo Alto, as enacted herein, and any and all amendments and supplements thereto and modifications thereof, unless some other code is indicated.

"Council" means the city council of the city of East Palo Alto.

"Councilmember" means a person duly elected to the council.

"County" means the county of San Mateo.

"Fiscal year" means from July 1st of any given year through June 30th of the following year.

Gender. The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter genders.

"Goods" means and includes wares and merchandise.

"May" is permissive.

"Month" means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed.

Number. The singular number includes the plural, and the plural number includes the singular.

"Oath" includes affirmation.

Office. The use of the title of any officer, employee, office or ordinance means such officer, employee, office or ordinance of the city, unless otherwise specified.

Official Time Standard. Wherever certain hours are named in this code, they mean standard time or daylight saving time as may be in current use in the city.

"Operate" means and includes carrying on, keeping, conducting or maintaining.

"Owner" applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant, tenant in common or joint tenant of the whole or a part of such building or land.

"Person" includes any person, firm, company, corporation, partnership, association, public corporation, political subdivision, city (except the city of East Palo Alto), the county of San Mateo, any district in the county of San Mateo, the state of California, or the United States of America, or any department or agency of any thereof, unless this code expressly provides otherwise.

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

"Property" includes real and personal property.

"Quarterly," where used to designate a period of time, means the first three calendar months of any given year or any succeeding period of three calendar months.

"Real property" includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.

"Sale" includes any sale, exchange, barter or offer for sale.

"Shall" is mandatory.

"State" means the state of California.

"Street" includes all streets, highways, avenues, boulevards, alleys, courts, places, squares or other public ways in the city 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" or "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.

Tense. The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future tense includes the present tense.

(Prior code § 1-3.106)

The title, chapter, article and section headings contained in this code shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify or in any manner affect the scope, meaning or intent of the provisions of any title, chapter, article or section of this code.

(Prior code § 1-3.102)

Whenever a power is granted to, or a duty is imposed upon, a public officer, or employee, the power may be exercised by, or the duty may be of, such officer or employee or a person otherwise duly authorized pursuant to law or ordinance, unless this code expressly provides otherwise.

(Prior code § 1-3.103)

Writing includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement or record is required or authorized by this code, it shall be made in writing in the English language unless it is expressly provided otherwise.

(Prior code § 1-3.104)

Whenever a reference is made to any portion of this code, or to any ordinance of this city, the reference applies to all amendments and additions now or hereafter made.

(Prior code § 1-3.105)