[Adopted 3-11-1980 by Ord. No. 310 as Ch. 1, Arts. 1 and 3 of the 1980
Code]
The ordinances embraced in the following chapters
and sections shall constitute and be designated as the "Code of the
Town of Bel Air" and may be so cited. The Code may also be cited as
"Bel Air Town Code."
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 Commissioners:
A.
Bond. When a bond is required, an undertaking in writing
shall be sufficient.
B.
Computation of time. The time within which an act
is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including
the last day, and if the last day is Sunday or a legal holiday, that
day shall be excluded.
C.
County. The words "the county" or "this county" shall
refer to Harford County, Maryland.
D.
Gender. Words importing the masculine gender shall
include the feminine and neuter.
E.
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.
F.
Keeper and proprietor. The words "keeper" and "proprietor"
shall mean and include persons, firms, associations, corporations,
clubs and copartnerships, whether acting by themselves or a servant,
agent or employee.
G.
May. The word "may" is permissive.
H.
Month. The word "month" shall mean a calendar month.
I.
Number. Words used in the singular include the plural,
and the plural includes the singular number.
J.
Oath. The word "oath" shall be construed to include
an affirmation or declaration 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."
K.
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.
L.
Person. The word "person" shall include a corporation,
company, partnership, association or society as well as a natural
person.
M.
Personal property. Personal property includes money,
goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.
N.
Preceding; following. The words "preceding" and "following"
shall mean next before and next after, respectively.
O.
Property. The word "property" shall include real and
personal property.
P.
Real property. Real property shall include lands,
tenements and hereditament.
Q.
Sidewalk. The word "sidewalk" shall mean that portion
of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property intended
for the use of pedestrians.
R.
Signature or subscription. Signature or subscription
includes a mark when the person cannot write, his name being near
it and witnessed by a person who writes his own name as a witness.
S.
State. The words "the state" or "this state" shall
be construed to mean the State of Maryland.
T.
Street. The word "street" shall include any public
ways, roads, highways, avenues, alleys and lanes within the Town.
U.
Tenant; occupant. The words "tenant" and "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.
V.
Time. Words used in the past or present tense include
the future as well as the past and present.
W.
Town. The words "the Town" or "this Town" shall mean
the Town of Bel Air, in the County of Harford and State of Maryland,
except as otherwise provided.
X.
Writing. The word "writing" shall include printing.
Y.
Year. The word "year" shall mean a calendar year.
The catchlines of the several sections of this
Code printed in boldface type are intended as mere catchwords to indicate
the contents of the sections and shall not be deemed or taken to be
titles of such sections nor as any part of such sections, nor, unless
expressly so provided, shall they be deemed when any of such sections,
including the catchlines, are amended or reenacted.
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 an offense committed
under the ordinance repealed.
The provisions appearing in this Code, so far
as they are the same in substance as ordinances existing at the effective
date of this Code, shall be considered as continuations thereof and
not as new enactments.[1]
A.
The layout and design attached to this section shall
be the Coat of Arms and Seal for the Town and the same as and when
reproduced shall be reproduced in the same form and in the same colors
shown on the attached layout and design.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The layout and design are on
file at the office of the Town Clerk.
B.
The Coat of Arms and Seal may be used for stamping
official papers of the Town, as an insignia on motor vehicles of the
Town and on uniforms worn by personnel of the Town and for other similar
municipal purposes.
Except as provided in § 2B(b) of Article
23A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, any legislation enacted by
Harford County, Maryland, and relating to a subject with respect to
which the Town of Bel Air has a grant of legislative authority provided
either by Public General Law or by its Charter shall not apply in
the Town of Bel Air unless the Town of Bel Air by ordinance duly enacted
and ordained specifically makes such legislation of Harford County
applicable within the corporate boundaries of the Town of Bel Air,
and the Town of Bel Air hereby exempts itself generally from all county
legislation covered by any such grants of authority. This exemption
shall apply to all legislation of Harford County, Maryland, relating
to a subject with respect to which the Town of Bel Air has a grant
of legislative authority provided either by Public General Law or
by its Charter and having either prospective or retrospective applicability.
