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 common council:

    "City" means the city of Columbus, Indiana or the area within the territorial limits of the city of Columbus, Indiana and such territory outside of the city over which the city has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any constitutional or statutory provisions. The word "city" shall be construed as if the words "of Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana," followed it.

    "Clerk-treasurer" means the clerk and fiscal officer of the city, a third class city.

    "Code" means local government code of the city, which is designated as the Columbus Municipal Code.

    "Common council" means the city legislative body made up of seven elected councilmen.

    "Computation of time" means the time within which an act is to be done and shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last. If the last day is a Sunday or a holiday, it shall be excluded.

    "Council" means the common council of the city.

    "County" or "this county" means the county of Bartholomew, state of Indiana.

    "Et seq." is the Latin phrase meaning "and the following."

    "Gender" means words used in the masculine shall include feminine and neuter.

    "I.C." or "Indiana Code" refers to state law found in the Indiana Code.

    "Joint authority" means 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.

    "May" is permissive.

    "Mayor" means the mayor of the city.

    "Month" means a calendar month.

    "Must" and "shall" are each mandatory.

    "Number" means words used in the singular include the plural and the plural includes the singular number.

    "Oath" includes 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."

    "Owner" 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 a part of such building or land.

    "Person" means any corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization or any other group acting as a unit as well as a natural person.

    "Personal property" includes every kind of property except real property.

    "Preceding" and "following" means next before and next after, respectively.

    "Property" includes real and personal property.

    "Public place" means any street or highway, sidewalk, park, cemetery, schoolyard or open space adjacent thereto and any lake or stream.

    "Real property" includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.

    Reasonable Time. In all cases where any provision shall require any act to be done in a "reasonable time" or "reasonable notice" to be given to any person, such "reasonable time" or "notice" shall be deemed to mean such time only as may be necessary in the prompt execution of such duty, or compliance with such notice.

    "Shall." The word "shall" is mandatory.

    "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" and the words "the state" and "this state" mean the state of Indiana.

    "State law references" mean the Indiana Code, I.C., and any subsequent amendments.

    "Street" includes all streets, highways, avenues, lanes, alleys, courts, squares, boulevards, viaducts or other public ways in the city which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use.

    "Substantial property interest" means any right in real property that may be affected in a substantial way by actions authorized by planning and development laws of the state of Indiana, including a fee interest, a life estate, a future interest, a present possessory interest or an equitable interest of a contract purchaser.

    "Tenant" and "occupant," applied to a building or land, includes any person holding a written or oral lease of, or who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, either alone or with others.

    "Time" includes words used in the past or present tense and includes the future as well as the past and present.

    "Written" or "in writing" mean any representation of words, letters or figures whether by printing or otherwise.

    "Year" means a calendar year. (Prior code § 1-3)