§ 1-2. Rules of construction and definitions.

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

Boards, committees, commissions, officers, employees, departments. Any reference to county boards, committees, commissions, officers, employees, or departments shall be construed to mean the respective entities or personnel of Hyde County.

Code. The term "this Code" means the Code of Ordinances, Hyde County, as designated in section 1-1.

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 conducted, the day on which such notice is given or such act is done shall not be counted in computing the time, but the day on which such proceeding is to be done shall be counted unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

State Law reference— Computation of time, G.S. 1-593, 1a-1, Rule 6(a).

County. The term "county" means the County of Hyde, North Carolina.

Delegation of authority. Whenever a section or provision appears to require the head of a department or some other county officer or employee to do some act or perform some duty, it shall be construed to authorize the head of the department or other officer or employee to designate, delegate and authorize subordinates to perform the required act or duty, unless the terms of the provision or section specify 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.

G.S. The initials "G.S." appearing in the text or in the state law references or other notes refer to the General Statutes of North Carolina, as amended.

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

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.

Month. The term "month" means a calendar month.

N.C. Admin. Code, (NCAC). The term "N.C. Admin. Code" or "NCAC" refers to the North Carolina Administrative Code.

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

Oath. The term "oath" includes 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."

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

Owner. The term "owner," as applied to a building or land, includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, joint tenant, or tenant by the entirety of the whole or part of such building or land.

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

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

Shall, may. The term "shall" always means mandatory and never means permissive. The term "may" is permissive.

Sidewalk. The term "sidewalk" means any portion of the street between the curb, or the lateral link of the roadway and adjacent property line, intended for use by pedestrians.

Signature, subscription. These terms includes a mark when a person cannot write.

State. The term "state" means the State of North Carolina.

Street. The term "street" means the entire width between property or right-of-way lines of every way or place of whatever nature, when any part thereof is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purposes of vehicular traffic. The terms "highway" and "street" shall be used synonymously.

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

Tense. The present tense includes the future tense and the future tense includes the present tense.

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

Year. The term "year" means a calendar year.