[CC 1970 §1-1]
The ordinances embraced in this and the following Chapters and Sections shall constitute and be designated "The Code of the City of Rock Hill, Missouri" and may be so cited.
[Code 1955 §1-2; CC 1970 §1-2]
A. 
In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances, resolutions, etc., the following definitions and rules of construction shall be observed, unless it shall be otherwise expressly provided in any Section or ordinance, or unless inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Board of Aldermen, or unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
The Board of Aldermen of the City of Rock Hill, Missouri.
CITY
The words "the City" or "this City" shall mean the City of Rock Hill, Missouri.
COMPUTATION OF TIME
The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first (1st) day and including the last. If the last day is Sunday it shall be excluded.
COUNTY
The words "the County" shall mean the County of St. Louis, Missouri.
GENDER
When any subject matter, party or person is described or referred to by words importing the masculine, females as well as males, and associations and bodies corporate as well as individuals, shall be deemed to be included.
JOINT AUTHORITY
Words importing joint authority to three (3) or more persons shall be construed as authority to a majority of the persons, unless otherwise declared in the law giving the authority.
MONTH
A calendar month.
NUMBER
When any subject matter, party or person is described or referred to by words importing the singular number, the plural and separate matters and persons and bodies corporate shall be deemed to be included. The plural shall also be deemed to include the singular.
OATH
The word "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 words "swear" and "sworn" shall be equivalent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed".
OWNER
The word "owner", applied to a building or land, shall include 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.
PERSON
May extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
PRECEDING, FOLLOWING
When used by way of reference to any Section of the Code, shall mean the Section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other Section is expressly designated in the reference.
PROPERTY
Includes real and personal property.
PUBLIC WAY
The words "public way" shall include any street, alley, boulevard, parkway, highway, sidewalk or other public thoroughfare.
REAL PROPERTY
The terms "real property", "premises", "real estate" or "lands" shall be deemed to be coextensive with lands, tenements and hereditaments.
SHALL, MAY
"Shall" is mandatory. "May" is permissive.
SIDEWALK
The portion of the street between the curb line and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians.
SIGNATURE
Where the signature of any person is required, the proper handwriting of such person or his/her mark shall be intended.
STATE
The words "the State" or "this State" shall mean the State of Missouri.
STREET
Shall mean and include any public way, highway, street, avenue, boulevard, parkway, alley or other public thoroughfare, and each of such words shall include every other of them.
TENANT
The words "tenant" or "occupant" applied to a building or land, shall include any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
WRITTEN and IN WRITING and WRITING WORD FOR WORD
Includes printing, lithographing, or other mode of representing words and letters, but in all cases where the signature of any person is required, the proper handwriting of the person, or his/her mark, is intended.
YEAR
The word "year" shall mean a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed, and the word "year" shall be equivalent to the words "year of our Lord".
B. 
All general provisions, terms, phrases and expressions contained in this Code shall be liberally construed in order that the true intent and meaning of the Board of Aldermen may be fully carried out.
[Code 1955 §1-4; CC 1970 §1-4]
The catchlines of the several Sections of this Code are intended as mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the Section and shall not be deemed or taken to be titles of such Section, 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 re-enacted.
[Code 1955 §1-5; CC 1970 §1-5]
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the Board of Aldermen 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 or invalid by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality or invalidity shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and Sections of this Code, since the same would have been enacted by the Board of Aldermen without the incorporation in this Code of any such unconstitutional or invalid phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or Section.
[CC 1970 §1-7; Ord. No. 530 §2, 9-24-1957; Ord. No. 1617 §1, 2-20-2007]
United States standard time for the zone in which the City is located shall be the official time of the City, but if that time is not later than the mean astronomical time of the ninetieth degree (90°) of longitude west from Greenwich, the official time for the City shall be advanced one (1) hour from 2:00 A.M. on the second (2nd) Sunday in March until 2:00 A.M. on the first (1st) Sunday in November of each year. If the dates of United States daylight-saving time are hereafter changed, the official time of the City shall likewise change to conform to such changed dates for daylight-saving time.
[Code 1955 §1-8; CC 1970 §1-8]
When reference is made to any time without qualification in any ordinance, resolution or order, heretofore passed or which may hereafter be passed by the Board of Aldermen of the City, or in any official notice, advertisement or document of the City or in any contract to which the City is a party, it shall be understood to refer to the official time of the City as is provided in the preceding Section. When the words "Daylight Savings Time" are used, the reference shall be to the advanced time as provided for in the preceding Section of this Code.
[Code 1955 §1-9; CC 1970 §1-9]
In all ordinances, resolutions or orders of the Board of Aldermen and in all official notices, advertisements or documents of the City and in all contracts to which the City is a party relating to the time of performance of any act by any officer or department of the City or relating to the time within which any rights shall accrue or determine or within which any act shall or shall not be performed by any person, it shall be understood and intended that the time shall be the official time of the City.