Earlier editions: 2026-09
Chapter 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
Redwood City Municipal Code Art. I In General
Redwood City Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Redwood City
Cite as: Redwood City Municipal Code Article I · Text as of 2026-10-04
Sec. 1.1. - HOW CODE DESIGNATED AND CITED:¶
The ordinances embraced in the following chapters and sections shall constitute and be designated THE CODE OF THE CITY OF REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, and may be so cited. Such Code may also be cited as the REDWOOD CITY CODE.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—GENERALLY:¶
In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances of the City, the rules set out in Sections 1.2.1 to 1.2.31 of this Article shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the City Council or the context clearly requires otherwise.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.1. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—CITY:¶
The words "the City" or "this City" shall be construed as if followed by the words "of Redwood City".
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (2) ---
See Charter section 72.
Sec. 1.2.2. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—CODE:¶
The words "the Code" or "this Code" shall mean "The Code of the City of Redwood City".
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.3. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—COMPUTATION OF TIME:¶
The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday and then it is also excluded. [3]
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (3) ---
Gov. C. § 6800.
Sec. 1.2.4. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—COUNCIL:¶
Whenever the word "Council" is used in this Code, it shall be construed to mean the City Council of the City of Redwood City.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.5. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—COUNTY:¶
The words "the County" or "this County" shall mean the County of San Mateo.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.6. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—DAY:¶
A "day" is the period of time between any midnight and the midnight following [4].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (4) ---
Gov. C. § 6806.
Sec. 1.2.7. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—DAYTIME, NIGHT-TIME:¶
"Daytime" is the period between sunrise and sunset. "Nighttime" is the period of time between sunset and sunrise [5].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (5) ---
Gov. C. § 6807.
Sec. 1.2.8. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—GENDER:¶
The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter [6].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (6) ---
Gov. C. § 12.
Sec. 1.2.9. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—IN THE CITY:¶
The words "in the City" shall mean and include all territory over which the City now has, or shall hereafter acquire jurisdiction for the exercise of its police powers or other regulatory powers.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.10. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—JOINT AUTHORITY:¶
All words giving a joint authority to three (3) or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers [7].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (7) ---
Civ. C. § 12.
Sec. 1.2.11. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—MONTH:¶
The word "month" shall mean a calendar month [8].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (8) ---
Gov. C. § 6804.
Sec. 1.2.12. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—NUMBER:¶
The singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular [9].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (9) ---
Gov. C. § 13.
Sec. 1.2.13. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—OATH:¶
"Oath" includes an affirmation [10].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (10) ---
Gov. C. § 15.
Sec. 1.2.14. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—OFFICERS, DEPARTMENTS, ETC.:¶
Officers, departments, boards, commissions and employees referred to in this Code shall mean officers, departments, boards, commissions and employees of the City of Redwood City, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise [11].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (11) ---
See Charter section 72.
Sec. 1.2.15. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—OFFICIAL TIME:¶
Whenever certain hours are named in this Code, they shall mean Pacific Standard Time or daylight-saving time, as may be in current use in the City.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.16. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—OR, AND:¶
"Or" may be read "and", and "and" may be read "or", if the sense requires it.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.17. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—OWNER:¶
The word "owner", applied to a building or land, 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 building or land.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.18. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—PERSON:¶
"Person" includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation or company [12].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (12) ---
Gov. C. § 17; see also C.C.P. § 17.
Sec. 1.2.19. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—PERSONAL PROPERTY:¶
"Personal property" includes every species of property, except "real property", as defined in this Section 1.2 [13].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (13) ---
Civ. C. §§ 14 and 663.
Sec. 1.2.20. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—PRECEDING, FOLLOWING:¶
The words "preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.21. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—PROCESS:¶
"Process" includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature [14].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (14) ---
Gov. C. § 22.
Sec. 1.2.22. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—PROPERTY:¶
The word "property" shall include real and personal property [15].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (15) ---
Civ. C. § 14 and C.C.P. § 17.
Sec. 1.2.23. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—REAL PROPERTY:¶
Real property shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments [16].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (16) ---
Civ. C. §§ 14 and 658.
Sec. 1.2.24. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—SHALL, MAY:¶
"Shall" is mandatory and "may" is permissive [17].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (17) ---
Gov. C. § 14.
Sec. 1.2.25. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—SIGNATURE OR SUBSCRIPTION BY MARK:¶
"Signature" or "subscription" includes a mark when the signer or subscriber cannot write, such signer's or subscriber's name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer's or subscriber's name; but, a signature or subscription by mark can be acknowledged or can serve as a signature or subscription to a sworn statement only when two (2) witnesses so sign their own names thereto [18].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (18) ---
Gov. C. § 16.
Sec. 1.2.26. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—STATE:¶
The words "the State" or "this State" shall be construed to mean the State of California [19].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (19) ---
See Charter section 72.
Sec. 1.2.27. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—TENANT OR OCCUPANT:¶
The words "tenant" or "occupant", applied to a building or land, shall include any person holding a written or an oral lease of, or who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, either alone or with others.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.2.28. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—TENSES:¶
The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future includes the present [20].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (20) ---
Gov. C. § 11.
Sec. 1.2.29. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—WEEK:¶
A "week" consists of seven (7) consecutive days [21].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (21) ---
Gov. C. § 6805.
Sec. 1.2.30. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—WRITING:¶
"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 [22].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (22) ---
Gov. C. § 8.
Sec. 1.2.31. - DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF CONSTRUCTION—YEAR:¶
The word "year" shall mean a calendar year, except where otherwise provided [23].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (23) ---
Gov. C. § 6903.
Sec. 1.3. - PROVISIONS CONSIDERED AS CONTINUATIONS OF EXISTING ORDINANCES:¶
The provisions appearing in this Code, so far as they are the same as those of ordinances existing at the time of the effective date of this Code, shall be considered as continuation thereof and not as new enactments.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.4. - EFFECT OF REPEAL OF ORDINANCES:¶
The repeal of an ordinance shall not revive any ordinances in force before or at the time the ordinance repealed took effect.
The repeal of an ordinance shall not affect any punishment or penalty incurred before the repeal took effect, nor any suit, prosecution or proceeding pending at the time of the repeal, for any offense committed under the ordinance repealed [24].
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (24) ---
See Charter section 15.
Sec. 1.5. - SEVERABILITY OF PARTS OF CODE:¶
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Code are severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this Code shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this Code.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.6. - CATCHLINES OF SECTIONS AND DERIVATION NOTES:¶
The catchlines of the several sections of this Code printed in boldface type are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the section and shall not be deemed or taken to be titles of such sections, nor as any part of the section, nor, unless expressly so provided, shall they be so deemed when any of such sections, including the catchlines, are amended or reenacted.
The derivation notes, appearing in parenthesis, at the end of the sections shall not be construed as a part of the section and shall not affect the contents thereof.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Sec. 1.7. - GENERAL PENALTY; CONTINUING VIOLATIONS:¶
A. Whenever in this Code or in any other ordinance of the City any act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense, or the doing of any act is required or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful or a misdemeanor, where no specific penalty is provided therefor, the violation of any such provision of this Code or any other ordinance of the City shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this Section, whenever in this Code or in any other ordinance of the City any act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense; or the doing of any act is required or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful, and such act is declared to be unlawful, and such act is declared to be an infraction, where no specific penalty is provided therefor, the violation of any such provision of this Code or any other ordinance of the City so providing, shall be punished by:
A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) for a first violation;
A fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a second violation of the same provision or ordinance within one year;
A fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each additional violation of the same provision or ordinance within one year.
C. Every day any violation of any provision of this Code or any other ordinance of the City shall continue shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ord. No. 1618, § 9, 1-6-1975; Ord. No. 1908, § 1, 4-15-1985)
Footnotes:
--- (25) ---
Gov. C. §§ 36901 and 36900.
Sec. 1.8. - PLACE OF CONFINEMENT:¶
Any person found guilty of having violated any ordinances of the City, and sentenced to imprisonment therefor, shall be imprisoned in the County jail. [26]
(Ord. No. 3, § 1)
Footnotes:
--- (26) ---
Gov. C. § 36903.
Sec. 1.9. - PUBLICATION OF ORDINANCES:¶
A. Within fifteen (15) days after adoption of an ordinance or an amendment to an ordinance, the City Clerk shall publish a summary of the ordinance or amendment in a newspaper of general circulation with the names of those City Councilmembers voting for and against the ordinance or amendment.
B. Within fifteen (15) days after adoption of an ordinance or an amendment to an ordinance, the City Clerk shall post in the office of the City Clerk a certified copy of the full text of the adopted ordinance or amendment along with the names of those City Councilmembers voting for and against the ordinance or amendment. [27]
(Ord. No. 2456, §§ 2, 3, 2-11-19)
Footnotes:
--- (27) ---
See Charter Section 15.
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