§ 1-2. Definitions and rules of construction.

In the construction of this Code and of all other ordinances of the county, the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Board of Supervisors or unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

Board of Supervisors; Board. The term "Board of Supervisors" or "Board" shall be construed to mean the Board of Supervisors of the County of Alleghany, Virginia.

Building code. The term "building code" shall mean the building code as defined in Code of Virginia, § 36-97.

Code. The term "Code" or "this Code," without further qualification, shall mean The Code of the County of Alleghany, Virginia, as designated in section 1-1.

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 Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday that day shall be excluded.

County. The terms "the county" and "this county" shall mean the County of Alleghany in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Gender. A word importing the masculine gender only may extend and be applied to females and to corporations as well as to males.

Health officer. The term "health officer" shall mean the public health officer of the county or the representative of the state board of health serving this county.

Highway; street; road. The terms "highway," "street" and "road" shall be construed to embrace highways, streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, alleys, lanes, viaducts, publicly maintained parking lots and all other public ways in the county.

Joint authority. Words purporting to give authority to three or more public officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such officers or other persons.

May. The term "may" shall be permissive.

Number. A word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several persons or things, as well as to one person or thing, and a word importing the plural number only may extend and be applied to one person or thing, as well to several persons or things.

Oath. The term "oath" shall be construed to include an affirmation in all cases in which by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath.

Officers, agencies. Whenever reference is made to a particular officer, employee, department, board, commission or other agency, such reference shall be construed as if followed by the phrase "of the County of Alleghany, Virginia." A reference to a particular officer shall also be construed as if followed by the phrase "or his duly authorized representative, deputy or assistant," subject, however, to Code of Virginia, § 15.2-1502.

Official time standard. Whenever particular hours are referred to, the time applicable shall be official Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Savings Time, whichever may be in current use in the county.

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," applied to any property, 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 property.

Person. The term "person" shall include any individual, firm, club, nonprofit corporation, group of persons, persons acting in concert, organization, corporation, partnership, association, company, business, trust, joint venture, limited liability company or other legal entity.

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

Section numbers. Whenever reference is made to a specific section (e.g., section 1-1), without further qualification, it shall be deemed to refer to that section of this Code.

Shall. The term "shall" is mandatory.

Signature or subscription. The term "signature" or "subscription" includes a mark when a person cannot write.

State code. References to the "Code of Virginia" shall mean the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended.

State, commonwealth. The term "the state" or "this state" or "the commonwealth" or "this commonwealth" shall mean the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Swear, sworn. The terms "swear" and "sworn" shall be equivalent to the terms "affirm" and "affirmed" in all cases in which by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath.

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

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

State Law reference— Similar provisions applicable to state law, Code of Virginia, § 1-13 et seq.

State law reference

Similar provisions applicable to state law, Code of Virginia, § 1-13 et seq.