[Adopted 4-20-1972 as § 1-2 of Ch. 1
of the Code of Ordinances of 1972]
A.
CITY
CORPORATE LIMITS, CORPORATION LIMITS
COUNCIL
COUNTY
KEEPER, PROPRIETOR
MONTH
OATH
OWNER
PERSON
PERSONAL PROPERTY
PRECEDING, FOLLOWING
PREMISES
PROPERTY
PUBLIC PLACE
REAL PROPERTY
RESIDENCE
SEAL
SIDEWALK
SIGNATURE, SUBSCRIPTION
STATE
STREET
TENANT, OCCUPANT
WEEK
WRITTEN, IN WRITING
YEAR
In the construction of this Code, and of all ordinances,
the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent
with the manifest intent of the City Board:
The City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York.
Whenever the words "corporate limits," "corporation limits" or "city
limits" are used, they shall mean the legal boundary of the City of Watervliet.
The Council of the City of Watervliet.
The County of Albany in the State of New York.
Includes persons, firms, associations, corporations, clubs and partnerships,
whether acting by themselves or through a servant, agent or employee.
A calendar month.
An affirmation 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."
As 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.
Extends and shall be applied to associations, clubs, societies, firms,
partnerships and bodies politic and corporate as well as to individuals.
Includes every species of property, except real property, as herein
described.
Next before and next after, respectively.
Place or places.
Includes real and personal property.
Any park, cemetery, school yard or open space adjacent thereto, all
streets and parking fields and all waterways.
Includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
The place adopted by a person as his place of habitation and to which,
whenever he is absent, he has the intention of returning. When a person eats
at one place and sleeps at another, the place where such person sleeps shall
be deemed his residence.
The seal of the city.
Any portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property
line, intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
The "signature" or "subscription" of a person shall include a mark
when the person cannot write.
The State of New York.
Embraces streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, alleys, lanes, viaducts
and all other public highways in the city.
As applied to a building or land, shall include any person holding
a written or oral lease or who occupies the whole or a part of such buildings
or lands, either alone or with others.
Seven days.
Includes any representation of words, letters or figures, whether
by printing or otherwise.
A calendar year.
B.
Computation of time. Whenever a notice is required to
be given or an act to be done, a certain length of time before any proceeding
shall be had; the day on which such notice is given or such act is done shall
be counted in computing the time, but the day on which such proceeding is
to be had shall not be counted.
C.
Delegation of authority. Whenever a provision appears
requiring the head of a department of the town to do some act or make certain
inspections, it is to be construed to authorize the head of the department
to designate, delegate and authorize subordinates to perform the required
act or make the required inspection, unless the terms of the provision or
section specifically designate otherwise.
D.
Gender. A word importing the masculine gender only shall
extend and be applied to females and to firms, partnerships and corporations
as well as to males.
E.
Interpretation. In the interpretation and application
of any provision of this Code, it shall be held to the minimum requirements
adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience
and general welfare. Where any provision of the Code imposes greater restrictions
upon the subject matter than the general provisions imposed by the Code, the
provision imposing the greater restriction or regulation shall be deemed to
be controlling.
F.
Joint authority. All words giving a joint authority to
three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority
to a majority of such persons or officers.
G.
Name of officer. Whenever the name of an officer is given,
it shall be construed as though the words "of the City of Watervliet" were
added.
H.
Nontechnical and technical words. 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 law shall be construed and understood according
to such meaning.
I.
Number. A word importing the singular number only may
extend and be applied to several persons and things as well as to one person
and thing.
J.
Or; and. "Or" may be read "and," and "and" may be read
"or" if the sense requires it.
K.
Tense. Words used in the past or present tense include
the future as well as the past and present.