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

The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter.

The singular number includes the plural and the plural the singular.

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

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 be a Sunday, a legal holiday, or a day on which the offices of the City are closed, that day shall be excluded.

“Writing” and “written” shall include printing, typewriting and any other mode of communication using paper or similar material which is in general use, as well as legible handwriting.

“And” may be construed as meaning “or,” and “or” as “and,” if the sense requires and indicates such meaning.

Whenever a specific time is used in this Code, it shall mean the prevailing and established time in effect in the State of California during any day in any year.

Any citation or a statute, law or ordinance contained in this revision shall be deemed to refer to such statute, law or ordinance as amended, whether or not such designation is included in the citation.

“Chapter” shall mean one of the major divisions of the Code identified by a Roman numeral and divided by subject matter.

“Section” shall mean a major subdivision of a chapter.

“Subsection” shall mean a subdivision of a section, identified by a decimal number.

“Paragraph” shall mean a subdivision under a subsection, identified by an alphabetical letter or Arabic number.

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