(Below are Selected Portions of the General Provisions of the Los Angeles Municipal Code)
Article 1, Chapter 1, Section 11.00. - Provisions Applicable to Code (d) Effect of Code on Past Actions and Obligations Previously Accrued
Neither the adoption of this Code nor the repeal hereby of any ordinance of this City shall in any manner affect the prosecution for violation of ordinances, which violations were committed prior to the effective date hereof, nor be construed as a waiver of any license or penalty at said effective date due and unpaid under such ordinance, nor be construed as affecting any of the provisions of such ordinance relating to the collection of any such license or penalty or the penal provisions applicable to any violation thereof, nor to affect the validity of any bond or cash deposit, in lieu thereof, required to be posted, filed or deposited pursuant to any ordinance, and all rights and obligations thereunto appertaining shall continue in full force and effect.
(h) Reference to Acts or Omissions Within this City
This Code shall refer only to the omission or commission of acts within the territorial limits of the City of Los Angeles and that territory outside of this City over which the City has jurisdiction or control by virtue of the Constitution, Charter or any law, or by reason of ownership or control of property.
(l) Validity of Code
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this Code is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Code. The Council of this City hereby declares that it would have adopted this Code and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one portion or more sections, subsections, clauses, phrases or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
(m) Violations of This Code, a Misdemeanor
(Amended by Ord. No. 150,560, Eff. 3/19/78.) It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any provision or fail to comply with any of the requirements of this Code. Any person violating any of the provisions or failing to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of this Code, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor (Added by Ord. No. 172,759, Adop. 8/6/99, Eff. 9/18/99.) unless that violation or failure is declared in that section to be an infraction. An infraction shall be tried and be punishable as provided in Section 19.6 of the Penal Code and the provisions of this section. Any violation of this Code that is designated as a misdemeanor, may be charged by the City Attorney as either a misdemeanor or an infraction. (Amended by Ord. No. 160,063, effective 7/28/85.) Every violation of this Code is punishable as a misdemeanor (Added by Ord. No. 172,759, Adop. 8/6/99, Eff. 9/18/99.) unless provision is otherwise made, and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period of not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Added by Ord. No. 172,759, Adop. 8/6/99, Eff. 9/18/99.) Every violation of this Code which is established as an infraction, or is charged as an infraction, is punishable by a fine as set forth in this Code section, or as otherwise provided in this Code, not to exceed $250.00 for each violation. Each person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this Code is committed, continued or permitted by such person, and shall be punishable accordingly. In addition to the penalties hereinabove provided, any condition caused or permitted to exist in violation of any of the provisions of this Code shall be deemed a public nuisance and may be summarily abated as such by the City. Each day that such a condition continues shall be deemed to be a new and separate offense.
Definitions and Interpretation: Sec. 11.01
(a) The following words and phrases whenever used in this Code shall be construed as defined in this Section unless from the context a different meaning is intended, or unless a different meaning is specifically defined and more particularly directed to the use of such words or phrases: “City” shall mean the area within the territorial city limits of the City of Los Angeles and such territory outside of this City over which the City has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any Constitutional or Charter provisions, or any law.
"Council" shall mean the City Council of this City.
"Oath" includes affirmation.
"Office" The use of the title of any officer, employee, or any office, or ordinance or Charter shall mean such officer, employee, office, ordinance or Charter of the City of Los Angeles, unless otherwise specifically designated.
"Shall" and "May" Shall is mandatory; May is permissive.
"Written" shall include, printed, typewritten, mimeographed or multi graphed.
(b) Grammatical Interpretation.
"Genders" Any gender includes the other genders.
"Singular" and "Plural" The singular number includes the plural, and the plural, the singular.
"Tenses" Words used in the present tense include the past and future tenses and vice versa.
"Use of Words and Phrases" Words and phrases used in this Code and not specifically defined shall be construed according to the context and approved usage of the language.
(c) Civil Code Provisions
The provisions of Sections 13 and 1645 of the Civil Code of the State of California are hereby adopted in the interpretation of words and phrases, unless otherwise provided herein.