City of Bridgeport | Code Of Ordinances/Charter

General Provisions

Title 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS Chapters: 1.01 Code Adoption 1.04 General Provisions 1.08 City Seal 1.12 General Penalty Chapter 1.01 CODE ADOPTION Sections: 1.01.010 Adoption. 1.01.020 Title– Citation– Reference. 1.01.030 Reference applies to all amendments. 1.01.040 Title, chapter and section headings. 1.01.050 Reference to specific ordinances. 1.01.060 Ordinances passed prior to adoption of this code. 1.01.070 Effect of code on past actions and obligations. 1.01.080 Constitutionality. 1.01.090 References to prior code. 1.01.010 Adoption. There is adopted the "Bridgeport Municipal Code" as compiled, edited and published by Book Publishing Company, Seattle, Washington. (§ 1 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.020 Title– Citation– Reference. This code shall be known as the "Bridgeport Municipal Code" and it shall be sufficient to refer to said code as the "Bridgeport Municipal Code" in any prosecution for the violation of any provision thereof or in any proceeding at law or equity. It shall be sufficient to designate any ordinance adding to, amending, correcting or repealing all or any part or portion thereof as an addition to, amendment, correction or repeal of the "Bridgeport Municipal Code." References may be made to the titles, chapters, sections and subsections of the "Bridgeport Municipal Code" and such references shall apply to those titles, chapters, sections or subsections as they appear in the code. (§ 2 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.030 Reference applies to all amendments. Whenever a reference is made to this code as the "Bridgeport Municipal Code" or to any portion thereof, or to any ordinance of the city codified herein, the reference shall apply to all amendments, corrections and additions heretofore, now or hereafter made. (§ 3 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.040 Title, chapter and section headings. Title, chapter and section headings contained herein shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify or in any manner affect the scope, meaning or intent of the provisions of any title, chapter or section hereof. (§ 4 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.050 Reference to specific ordinances. The provisions of this code shall not in any manner affect matters of record which refer to, or are otherwise connected with ordinances which are therein specifically designated by number or otherwise and which are included within the code, but such reference shall be construed to apply to the corresponding provisions contained within this code. (§ 5 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.060 Ordinances passed prior to adoption of this code. The last ordinance included in this code was passed September 19, 1994. Ordinances dated 2/6/95, 5/8/95, 5/15/95, 6/19/95, 7/24/95, 8/7/95 and 10/16/95, passed subsequent to ordinances adopted by September 19, 1994, but prior to adoption of this code, are adopted and made a part of this code. (§ 6 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.070 Effect of code on past actions and obligations. The adoption of this code does not affect prosecutions for ordinance violations committed prior to the effective date of this code, does not waive any fee or penalty due and unpaid on the effective date of this code, and does not affect the validity of any bond or cash deposit posted, filed or deposited pursuant to the requirements of any ordinance. (§ 7 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.080 Constitutionality. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this code is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this code. (§ 8 of ord. dated 3/18/96) 1.01.090 References to prior code. References in city forms, documents and regulations to the chapters and sections of the former city code shall be construed to apply to the corresponding provisions contained within this code. (§ 9 of ord. dated 3/18/96) Chapter 1.04 GENERAL PROVISIONS Sections: 1.04.010 How code designated and cited. 1.04.020 Definitions and rules of construction. 1.04.030 Catchlines of sections. 1.04.040 Amendments to code– Effect of new ordinances– Amendatory language. 1.04.050 Effect of repeal of ordinances. 1.04.060 Severability. 1.04.070 Altering code. 1.04.010 How code designated and cited. The ordinances embraced in the following chapters and sections shall constitute and be designated as "The Code of Ordinances, City of Bridgeport, Connecticut," and may be so cited. (Prior code § 1-1) 1.04.020 Definitions and rules of construction. In the construction of this code and of all ordinances of the city, the following definitions and rules of construction shall apply, unless they are inconsistent with the manifest intent of the governing body or the context clearly requires otherwise: Generally. The provisions of this code shall be liberally construed to effect the purposes expressed therein or implied from the expression thereof. In case of doubt or ambiguity in the meaning of such provisions, the general shall yield to the particular. Reference for interpretation and construction shall tend to further the accomplishment of the elimination of the particular mischiefs for which the provisions were enacted. Words shall be construed in their common and usual significance unless the contrary is clearly indicated. "City" or "the city" means the municipality of Bridgeport, created by the charter, in the county of Fairfield, state of Connecticut. "Common council" means the common council of the city. 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 a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded. "County" or "the county" means the county of Fairfield in the state of Connecticut. Delegation of authority. Whenever a provision appears requiring the head of a department or some other city officer to do some act or perform some duty, it shall be construed to authorize the head of the department or other officer to designate, delegate and authorize subordinates to perform the required act or perform the duty unless the terms of the provision or section specify otherwise. Gender. Words importing the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter. "General statutes" means the revision of 1958 of the General Statutes of the state of Connecticut and all amendments thereto, and may be abbreviated in this code as "G.S." "Governing body" means the common council or any subsequent duly and lawfully constituted governing body. Interpretation. In the interpretation and application of any provision of this code, it shall be held to be the minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety comfort, convenience and general welfare. Where any provision of the code imposes greater restrictions upon the subject matter than other more general provisions imposed by the code, the provision imposing the greater restriction or regulation shall be deemed to be controlling. Joint authority. 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 unless otherwise specifically provided. When any authority shall be given to any board or commission, a majority of the members thereof shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the exercise of the authority vested in it. Licensing power. Whenever in any ordinance of the city anything is prohibited to be done without the permission of any officer or board, such officer or board shall have the power to permit or license such thing to be done. "Month" means a calendar month. Nontechnical and technical words. Words and phrases shall be construed according to the common and accepted 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 according to such meaning. Number. A word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several persons or things, and a word importing the plural number may apply to one person or thing. "Oath" means and includes an affirmation 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." Officials, committees, etc. Whenever reference is made to any official, board, etc., by title only, such reference shall be construed as if followed by the words "of the city of Bridgeport." Reference to a committee shall be construed as referring and applying to the committee of the common council designated by such name or title. "Owner," applied to a building or land, means and includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership or joint tenant of the whole or of a part of such building or land. "Person" means and shall extend and be applied to associations, firms, partnerships and bodies politic and corporate as well as to individuals. "Preceding" and "following" means next before and next after, respectively. Public grounds, etc. Whenever the words "public grounds," "public squares," "public place" or "public places" are mentioned in any ordinance, such words shall severally be construed to mean any and every public ground, public square, public park or other public place within the city. "Sidewalk" means any area along and parallel to any street, between the building line and the street line of such street, which is paved as a sidewalk, intended for the use of pedestrians. "Signature" or "subscription" means and includes a mark when the person cannot write. "State" means the state of Connecticut. "Street" means and includes avenues, boulevards, courts, highways, roads, alleys, lanes, sidewalks, viaducts, bridges and the approaches thereto, and all other public thoroughfares in the city. "Tenant" and "occupant," applied to a building or land, means any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others. Tense. Words used in the past or present tense include the future as well as the past and present. "Written" or "in writing" means and includes any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise. "Year" means a calendar year. (Prior code § 1-2) 1.04.030 Catchlines of sections. The catchlines of the several sections of this code printed in boldface type 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 the sections, nor, unless expressly so provided, shall they be so deemed when any of such sections, including the catchlines, are amended or reenacted. (Prior code § 1-3) 1.04.040 Amendments to code– Effect of new ordinances– Amendatory language. A. All ordinances passed subsequent to this code of ordinances which amend, repeal or in any way affect this code of ordinances, may be numbered in accordance with the numbering system of this code and printed for inclusion herein. In the case of repealed divisions, articles, chapters, sections and subsections or any part thereof, by subsequent ordinances, such repealed portions may be excluded from the code by omission from reprinted pages affected thereby. B. All ordinances which amend or repeal any provision of this code shall set forth in full the sections or subsections to be amended or repealed and if to be amended shall indicate matter to be omitted from the revised section or subsection by enclosing the same in brackets and new matter by underscoring. (Prior code § 1-4) 1.04.050 Effect of repeal of ordinances. A. The repeal of an ordinance shall not revive any ordinances in force before or at the time the ordinance repealed took effect, unless it shall be therein so expressly provided. B. The repeal of an ordinance shall not affect any punishment or penalty incurred before the repeal took effect, nor any suit, prosecution or proceeding pending at the time of the repeal, for an offense committed under the ordinance repealed. (Prior code § 1-5) 1.04.060 Severability. If any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this code shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this code. (Prior code § 1-6) 1.04.070 Altering code. It is unlawful for any person to change or amend by additions or deletions any part of this code of ordinances or any ordinance of the city or to insert or delete pages or portions thereof, or to alter or tamper with such code in any manner whatsoever with intent that any provision of this code or other ordinance of the city shall be misrepresented or with intent to commit a fraud thereby. (Prior code § 1-7) Chapter 1.08 CITY SEAL Sections 1.08.010 Established– Description. 1.08.010 Established– Description. The seal of the city shall be as follows: in the center is an anvil supporting a shield, within which is a dexter arm suspending a hammer, and above which is shown the rising sun. Above the shield the American eagle, holding in his beak the motto "Industria Crescimus." On the right, a section of bridge and railroad train; on the left, a ship, steamboat, freight houses and elevator. In the foreground, a horn of plenty, cogwheel, fire engine and articles of machinery. In the background, views of factories, churches and other buildings. Encircling the whole are the letters and figures following: "Seal of the city of Bridgeport, Incorporated 1836." Such seal, represented as aforesaid shall be, and is established to be, the common seal of the city. (Prior code § 2-1) Chapter 1.12 GENERAL PENALTY Sections: 1.12.010 Penalty. 1.12.010 Penalty. A. Whenever in this code or any other ordinance of the city, or regulation promulgated by any officer thereof under authority vested in him by law or ordinance, any act is prohibited or is declared to be unlawful or an offense, or the doing of any act is required, or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful, where no specific penalty is provided or there is no statutory limitation to a lesser amount, the violation of such ordinance or regulation shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00). Except as otherwise provided in this code, each day any such violation shall continue shall constitute a separate offense. B. The imposition of any punishment under this chapter shall not prevent the enforced abatement of any unlawful condition by the city. (Prior code § 1-8)