CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article I – Construction and General Penalty

§ 1.1-1 Definitions and rules of construction.

In the interpretation and construction of this Code and of all ordinances of the County, the following definitions and rules of construction shall be observed, unless they are inconsistent with the manifest intent of the Board of Supervisors or the context clearly requires otherwise:

A. Definitions.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Board of Supervisors of Appomattox County, Virginia.

COMMONWEALTH

The Commonwealth of Virginia.

COUNTY

Appomattox County in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

MONTH

A calendar month.

OATH

Includes an affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath.

OCCUPANT

Applied to a building or land, any person who holds a written or oral lease of or actually occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, either alone or with others.

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

Includes a firm, partnership, association of persons, corporation, body politic, organization or any other group acting as a unit, as well as an individual.

PROPERTY

Real, personal or mixed property.

PUBLIC GROUND

The parks and all public lands owned by the County and those parts of public places which do not form traveled parts of streets as defined in this section.

STATE

See “commonwealth.”

YEAR

A calendar year.

B. Rules of construction.

(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 Sunday or legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.

(2) Following. The word “following,” when used by way of reference to any section or sections in the Code, shall be construed to mean next following that in which such reference is made.

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

(4) 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 as to several persons or things.

(5) Or; and. “Or” may read as “and” and “and” may be read as “or” if the sense so requires.

(6) Preceding. The word “preceding,” when used by way of reference to any section or sections in this Code, shall be construed to mean next preceding that in which such reference is made.

(7) Shall. The word “shall” shall be mandatory.

(8) Swear; sworn. The word “swear” or “sworn” shall be equivalent to the word “affirm” or “affirmed” in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath.

(9) Written; in writing. The words “written” and “in writing” shall include typewriting, printing on paper and any other mode of representing words, letters and figures.

§ 1.1-2 Catchlines of sections.

The catchlines of the sections of this Code 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 any section, nor, unless expressly so provided, shall they be so deemed when any section, including its catchline, is amended or reenacted.

§ 1.1-3 General penalty.

A. Wherever in this Code or in any ordinance or resolution of the County or any rule or regulation or order promulgated by any officer or agency of the County under authority duly vested in him or it any act is prohibited or is declared to be unlawful or an offense or misdemeanor or the doing of any act is required or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful or an offense or a misdemeanor and no specific penalty is provided for the violation thereof, the violation of any such provision of this Code or of any such ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation or order shall be punished as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. Each day any violation of this Code or any such ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation or order shall continue shall constitute, except where otherwise provided, a separate offense.