(a) As used in this chapter:

(i) 'Conventional gutters' means curb and gutter or combined sidewalk, curb and gutter;

(ii) 'Drains' or 'drainage' means all surface sewers, drains, cross street valley gutters and all kinds of draining other than sanitary sewers or conventional gutters;

(iii) 'Engineer' means the city engineer, town engineer or any engineer employed by a city or town for local improvement work;

(iv) 'Improvement' means any lawful local improvement of any kind, which the governing body finds to be of special benefit to the property proposed to be assessed for the cost thereof;

(v) 'Streets' means streets, highways, alleys, roads and public ways.