<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 1-2. - Definitions and rules of construction.</div>
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               In the construction of this Code and of all ordinances of the board of county commissioners,
               the following definitions and rules shall be observed, unless inconsistent with the
               manifest intent of the board of county commissioners, or unless the context or controlling
               state law clearly requires otherwise:
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Generally.</span> The rules of construction given in G.S. 12-3 and 153A-1 shall govern, so far as applicable,
               the construction of words not defined in this section or other sections of this Code.
               
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                  (1)
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                  When provisions conflict, the specific shall prevail over the general and the more
                  stringent provision shall always prevail.
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                  (2)
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                  All provisions shall be liberally construed so that the intent of the board of county
                  commissioners can be effectuated.
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                  (3)
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                  Words and phrases shall be construed according to the common and approved usage of
                  the language, but technical words, technical phrases and words and phrases that have
                  acquired peculiar and appropriate meanings in law shall be construed according to
                  such meanings.
                  </p>
               		
               
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                  (4)
                  </p>
               		
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                  Grammatical errors shall not vitiate, and a transposition of words and clauses may
                  be resorted to when the sentence or clause is without meaning as it stands.
                  </p>
               		
               
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                  (5)
                  </p>
               		
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                  Scrivener's errors shall be ignored.
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               <span class="ital">And; or.</span> "And" may be construed to include "or" and "or" may be construed to include "and"
               when such construction is not incompatible with the context.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Board.</span> The terms "board," "board of county commissioners" and "board of commissioners" mean
               the board of county commissioners of Jackson County, North Carolina.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Bond.</span> When a bond is required, an undertaking in writing shall be sufficient.
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Code.</span> The term "Code" or "this Code" means the Jackson County Code, as designated in <a href="" data-chunk-id="CD_ORD_CH1GEPR_S1-1HOCODECI" class="section-link" data-product-id="14666">section 1-1</a>.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Computation of time.</span> In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by this Code, the day of the
               act, event or default from which the designated period of time begins to run shall
               not be included. The last day of the period computed shall be included unless it is
               a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, in which event the period shall run until the
               end of the next day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday. When the
               period of time prescribed or allowed is less than seven days, intermediate Saturdays,
               Sundays and legal holidays shall be excluded in the computation. A half-holiday shall
               be considered as other days and not as a holiday.
               
               <p class="refstatelaw0" block_type="hang"><b>State Law referenceâ€” </b>
                  Similar provisions, G.S. 1A-1, Rule 6.
                  </p>
               
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               <span class="ital">County.</span> The terms "the county" or "this county" mean the County of Jackson, State of North
               Carolina.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Delegation of authority.</span> Whenever a power is granted to or a duty is imposed upon a public officer or public
               employee, the power may be exercised or the duty may be performed by a designated
               deputy of such officer or employee or by a person otherwise duly authorized pursuant
               to law or ordinance.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Following.</span> The term "following" means next after.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Gender.</span> 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.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">G.S.</span> The designation "G.S." appearing in the text or in the state law references shall
               refer to the General Statutes of North Carolina, as amended. Any reference to a state
               law or state act, whether by act number, location in the North Carolina General Statutes
               or by short title, is to such law or act, as amended.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Health officer.</span> The term "health officer" means the county health director.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Highway.</span> The term "highway" includes any street, alley, highway, avenue or public square,
               bridge, viaduct, tunnel, causeway and sidewalk lying within the highway right-of-way,
               dedicated or devoted to public use.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Joint authority.</span> 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.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">May; shall.</span> The term "may" is permissive and the term "shall" is mandatory.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">May not.</span> The term "may not" has a prohibitory effect and states a prohibition.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Minor.</span> The term "minor" means any person who has not reached the age of 18 years.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Month.</span> The term "month" means a calendar month.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Must.</span> The term "must" is to be construed as being mandatory.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Nontechnical and technical words.</span> Words and phrases shall be 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.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Number.</span> Any word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several
               persons and things as well as to one person and thing.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Oath.</span> 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, and in like cases the terms
               "affirm" and "affirmed" shall be equivalent to the terms "swear" and "sworn."
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Occupant</span> or <span class="ital">tenant.</span> The term "occupant" or "tenant," applied to a building or land, means any person
               who holds a written or oral lease of or who actually occupies the whole or a part
               of such building or land, either alone or with others.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Officers, boards, etc.</span> Whenever reference is made to a particular officer, department, board, commission
               or other agency, without further qualification, it shall be construed as if followed
               by the terms "of the County of Jackson," unless otherwise specifically provided. Any
               reference to an officer includes his designated representative.
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Official time standard.</span> Whenever certain hours are named in this Code, they mean standard time or daylight
               saving time as may be in current use in the county.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Owner.</span> The term "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.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Person.</span> The term "person" means any human being, any governmental or political subdivision
               or public agency, any public or private corporation or limited liability company,
               any partnership, any firm, association or other organization, any receiver, trustee,
               assignee, agent, or other legal representative of any of the foregoing or any other
               legal entity.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Personal property.</span> The terms "personal property" include every species of property except real property
               as herein defined.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Preceding/following.</span> The terms "preceding" and "following" mean next before and next after respectively.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Premises.</span> The term "premises," as applied to real property, includes lands and structures.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Property.</span> The term "property" includes real and personal property.
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Real property.</span> The term "real property" includes lands, tenements and hereditaments.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Reasonable time, reasonable notice.</span> In all cases where any provision requires any act to be done in a "reasonable time"
               or "reasonable notice" to be given to any person, such reasonable time or notice means
               such time only as may be necessary in the prompt execution of such duty or compliance
               with such notice.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Sidewalk.</span> The term "sidewalk" means any portion of the street between the curb and the adjacent
               property line intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Signature</span> or <span class="ital">subscription.</span> The terms "signature" or "subscription" include a mark properly witnessed when a
               person cannot write.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">State.</span> The terms "the state" or "this state" shall be construed to mean the State of North
               Carolina.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Street.</span> The term "street" shall be construed to embrace streets, avenues, boulevards, roads,
               alleys, lanes, squares, bridges, viaducts, tunnels, causeways, sidewalks lying within
               the street right-of-way, and all other public highways.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Swear, sworn.</span> The term "swear" or "sworn" shall be equivalent to the term "affirm" or "affirmed"
               in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Tenant</span> or <span class="ital">occupant.</span> The term "tenant" or "occupant," applied to a building or land, includes any person
               who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
               </p>
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               <span class="ital">Tense.</span> Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and
               present.
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Week.</span> The term "week" shall be construed to mean seven days.
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Written</span> or <span class="ital">in writing.</span> The term "written" or "in writing" shall be construed to include any representation
               of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
               </p>
            <p class="p0">
               <span class="ital">Year.</span> The term "year" means a calendar year.
               
               <p class="refstatelaw0" block_type="hang"><b>State Law referenceâ€” </b>
                  Similar rules of construction, G.S. 12-3, 153A-1.
                  </p>
               </div>