At the work session on June 23, the East Lansing City Council set a date for action on an ordinance that would prohibit the use of roofs for recreational uses. 

The action will potentially come to a vote at the next city council meeting on July 7.

Members of City Council said this ordinance would ensure the safety of residents in East Lansing.

According to a memo sent to council from City Manager George Lahanas, at this time public safety can request someone get off a roof, but there is nothing in law that can require this action. The ordinance would make any violation a misdemeanor in the disorderly conduct code and would be enforced by East Lansing police.

“The goal is getting compliance and people not on roofs anymore in large numbers due to a risk of a collapse,” Lahanas said.

The city manager cited risk of injury and pointed to an example of an incident which occurred in March where a garage roof in San Luis Obispo, Calif., home of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, collapsed and injured nine students as his reasoning behind this ordinance.