“The code” or “this code” shall mean “The Code of the City of Sedona, Arizona,” unless the context indicates otherwise.

Council. Whenever the word “council” is used, it shall be construed to mean the common council of the city of Sedona, Arizona.

“Day” is the period of time between any midnight and the midnight following.

“Daytime” is the period of time between sunrise and sunset. “Nighttime” is the period of time between sunset and sunrise.

Department, Board, Commission, Office, Officer or Employee. Whenever any “department, board, commission, office, officer or employee” is referred to, it shall mean a department, board, commission, office, officer or employee of the city unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Gender; Singular and Plural. Words of the masculine gender include the feminine; words in the singular number include the plural and words in the plural number include the singular.

“In the city” or “within the city” shall mean and include all territory over which the city now has, or shall hereafter acquire, jurisdiction for the exercise of its police powers or other regulatory powers.

Joint Authority. All words purporting to give a joint authority to three or more city officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such officers or other persons unless it shall be otherwise expressly declared in the law giving the authority.

“Month” shall mean a calendar month.

“Oath” includes affirmation or declaration.

“Or” may be read “and,” and “and” may be read “or,” if the sense requires it.

“Person” shall extend and be applied to firms, corporations or organizations, as well as to individuals, unless plainly inapplicable.

“Personal property” includes every species of property, except real property as defined in this section.

“Preceding” and “following” mean next before and next after, respectively.

“Property” shall include real and personal property.

“Real property” shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments.

“Shall” is mandatory and “may” is permissive.

“Shall have been” includes past and future cases.

“Signature” or “subscription” includes a mark when the signer cannot write, such signer’s or subscriber’s name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer’s or subscriber’s name; but a signature or subscription by mark can be acknowledged or can serve as a signature or subscription to a sworn statement only when two witnesses so sign their own names thereto.

“The state” shall be construed to mean the state of Arizona.

“Tenant” or “occupant” applied to a physical structure or land shall include any person holding a written or an oral lease or who occupies the whole or part of such structure or land, either alone or with others.

Tenses. The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future includes the present.

Time – Computation. The time within which an act is to be done as provided in this code or in any order issued pursuant to any ordinance, when expressed in days, shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, except that if the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday it shall be excluded; and when such time is expressed in hours, the whole of Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, from midnight to midnight, shall be excluded.

Time – Reasonable. In all cases where any section of this code shall require any act to be done in a reasonable time or reasonable notice to be given, such reasonable time or notice shall be deemed to mean such time only as may be necessary for the prompt performance of such duty or compliance with such notice.

“Week” consists of seven consecutive days.

“Writing” includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement or record is required or authorized by this code, it shall be made in writing in the English language unless it is expressly provided otherwise.

“Year” shall mean a calendar year, except where otherwise provided. [Code 2006 §§ 1-3-2 – 1-3-30].