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Section 1-2 Definitions and rules of construction.

In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances of the city, 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 city council, or unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

Charter means the charter of the City of Thomasville, Georgia, as printed in Part I of this volume.

City. The words "the city" or "this city" shall mean the City of Thomasville, Georgia.

Code means the Code of Ordinances, City of Thomasville, Georgia, as designated in section 1-1.

Corporate limits means the legal boundary of the City of Thomasville, Georgia.

Computation of time. Except as otherwise provided by time period computations specifically applying to other laws, when a period of time measured in days, weeks, months, years, or other measurements of time except hours is prescribed for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge of any duty, the first day shall not be counted but the last day shall be counted; and, if the last day falls on Saturday or Sunday, the party having such privilege or duty shall have through the following Monday to exercise the privilege or to discharge the duty. When the last day prescribed for such action falls on a public and legal holiday, the party having the privilege or duty shall have through the next business day to exercise the privilege or to discharge the duty.

Council, city council mean the city council of the city.

County. The words "the county" or "this county" shall mean Thomas County, Georgia, unless otherwise indicated.

Days. The word "days" shall mean calendar days unless otherwise provided and "days" shall mean from 12:00 midnight until the following 12:00 midnight.

Delegation of authority. Whenever a provision appears requiring the head of a department of the city 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 designate otherwise.

Gender. A word importing the masculine gender only shall extend and be applied to females find to firms, partnerships and corporations as well as to males or any other legal entity when applicable under federal or state law.

Governor means the Governor of Georgia.

Joint authority. All words giving joint authority to three (3) or more persons or owners shall he construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers.

Keeper and proprietor mean and include persons, firms, associations, corporations, clubs and partnerships, whether acting by themselves or as a servant, agent or employee.

Mayor means the mayor of the City of Thomasville, Georgia.

Month means a calendar month.

Nontechnical and technical words. Words and phrases shall he 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.

Number. Words used in the singular include the plural and the plural includes the singular number.

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."

O.C.G.A. means the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, as amended.

Officers, departments, boards, etc. Whenever reference is made to any officer, department, board, council, commission or other municipal agent, agency or representative, such reference shall be construed as if followed by the words "of the City of Thomasville," except as otherwise provided in this Code.

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

Other officials or officers. Whenever reference is made to officials, boards, commissions, departments, council, etc., by title only, i.e., "city clerk," "chief of police," etc., they shall be deemed to refer to the officials, boards, commissions, departments, council, etc., of the City of Thomasville, Georgia.

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 part of such building or land.

Person includes a corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization and any other legal entity acting as a unit, as well as an individual.

Personal property includes every species of property except real property as defined in this section.

Plural, singular. Words importing the singular shall include the plural, and words importing the plural shall include the singular.

Preceding, following mean next before and next after, respectively.

Property includes real and personal property.

Real property includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.

Residence means 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 (1) place and sleeps at another, the place where such person sleeps shall be deemed his residence.

Right-of-way means land that is dedicated or otherwise legally established for public use.

Roadway means that portion of a street improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic.

Shall; may. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory; "may" is permissive.

Sidewalk means any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent property line, intended for the use of pedestrians.

Signature or subscription includes a mark when the person cannot write.

State means the State of Georgia.

Street means and includes any public way, road, highway, street, avenue, boulevard, parkway, alley, lane, viaduct, bridge and the approaches thereto within the city.

Tenant or occupant applied to a building or land, shall include any person who occupies the whole or part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.

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

Title of office. The title of any office shall be construed to include the words, "of the City of Thomasville, Georgia."

Writing, written include printing and any other mode of representing words and letters.

Year means calendar year.

(Code 1958, 1-2)

State law references--Computation of time, O.C.G.A. 1-3-1; construction of definitions O.C.G.A. 1-3-2; meaning of certain words, O.C.G.A. 1-3-3.