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East Lansing City Council might prohibit recreational use of roofs

June 25, 2015
Top left, philosophy junior Ryan Lemasters, education junior Eric Gates, per-nursing sophomore Morgan White and no-preference freshman Emily Wesley sits on the roof of 204 Beal Street on Saturday afternoon during St. Patrick's Day. Thousands of students crowd the streets of East Lansing in celebration of the holiday rooted in the Irish traditions. Justin Wan/The State News
Top left, philosophy junior Ryan Lemasters, education junior Eric Gates, per-nursing sophomore Morgan White and no-preference freshman Emily Wesley sits on the roof of 204 Beal Street on Saturday afternoon during St. Patrick's Day. Thousands of students crowd the streets of East Lansing in celebration of the holiday rooted in the Irish traditions. Justin Wan/The State News

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.

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