§ 1-2. Definitions and rules of construction.

In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances and resolutions passed by the city council, the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the city council:

Charter. The term "Charter" shall mean the Charter of the City of Baytown, Texas, as printed in part I of this volume.

City. The term "city" shall mean the City of Baytown, in the Counties of Harris and Chambers and State of Texas.

City boards, committees, commissions, officers, employees, etc. Whenever reference is made to a board, committee, commission, officer, employee, etc., in this Code, it shall be construed to mean that of the City of Baytown, Texas.

Code. The term "Code" shall mean the Code of Ordinances, City of Baytown, Texas.

Computation of time. In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by this Code, the day of the act, event or default after which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included. The last day of the period so computed shall be included, unless it is a Sunday or legal holiday, in which event the period shall run until the end of the next day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday nor legal holiday.

State Law reference— Similar provisions, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 311.014.

Council; city council. Whenever the term "council" or "city council" is used, it shall mean the city council of the City of Baytown, Texas.

County. The term "county" or "this county" shall mean the Counties of Harris and/or Chambers, Texas.

Delegation of authority. Whenever a section of this Code requires or authorizes an officer or employee of the city to do some act or perform some duty, it shall be construed to authorize the officer or employee to designate, delegate and authorize another officer or employee of the city to perform the act or duty, unless the terms of the section specifically provide otherwise.

Gender. A word importing the masculine gender only shall extend and be applied to females and to firms, partnerships, associations and corporations, as well as to males.

State Law reference— Gender, V.T.C.A., Government Code §§ 311.012, 312.003.

Highway. The term "highway" shall include any street, alley, highway, avenue, public place or square, bridge, viaduct, tunnel, underpass, overpass, intersection and causeway in the city, dedicated or devoted to public use.

State Law reference— Similar definition, V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 541.302(11).

Joint authority. Words purporting to give authority to three or more officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such officers or other persons, unless it is otherwise declared.

State Law reference— Joint authority, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.004.

Month. The term "month" shall mean a calendar month.

State Law reference— Definition of month, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.011(7).

Number. Any word importing the singular number shall include the plural, and any word importing the plural number shall include the singular.

State Law reference— Number, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.003(b).

Oath. The term "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 terms "swear" and "sworn" shall be equivalent to the terms "affirm" and "affirmed."

State Law reference— Oath, swear, V.T.C.A., Government Code §§ 311.005(1), (8), 312.011(8), (16).

Or, and. The term "and" may be read "or," and the term "or" may be read "and," if the sense requires it.

Owner. The term "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.

Person. The term "person" shall extend and be applied to associations, corporations, firms, partnerships and bodies politic and corporate, as well as to individuals.

State Law reference— Person defined, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 311.005(2).

Preceding, following. The terms "preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after, respectively.

State Law reference— Preceding, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.011(11).

Property. The term "property" includes real and personal property.

State Law reference— Property, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.011(13).

Shall, may. The term "shall" is mandatory in regard to any action to be taken; the term "may" is discretionary.

Sidewalk. The term "sidewalk" shall mean any portion of the street between the curblines, or the lateral line of the roadway and the adjacent property line that is improved and designed for or ordinarily used for pedestrian travel.

State Law reference— Similar provisions, V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 316.001.

Signature or subscription. The term "signature" or "subscription" shall include a mark when a person cannot write.

State Law reference— Signature, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.011(14).

State. The term "state" shall be construed to mean the State of Texas.

Street. The term "street," shall include any highway, alley, street, avenue, public place or square, bridge, intersection, viaduct, underpass, overpass, tunnel and causeway in the city, dedicated or devoted to public use.

State Law reference— Similar definition, V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 541.302(5).

Tense. Words used in the past or present tense include the future, as well as the past and present.

State Law reference— Tense, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.003(a).

Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. The abbreviation "Vernon's Ann. Civ. St." shall mean the latest edition or supplement to Vernon's Annotated Civil Statutes.

State Law reference— Statutory references, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.008.

V.T.C.A. The abbreviation "V.T.C.A." shall mean and refer to the latest edition or supplement of Vernon's Texas Code Annotated.

State Law reference— Statutory references, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.008.

Written; in writing. The term "written" or "in writing" shall be construed to include any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.

State Law reference— Written, in writing defined, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 312.011(17).

Year. The term "year" shall mean a calendar year.

(Code 1967, § 1-3; Ord. No. 12,269, § 1, 6-13-13)

State law reference

Similar definitions, V.T.C.A., Government Code § 311.001 et seq.