New limits could soon be placed on drinking games at house parties, but the city's party noise ordinance may actually become less strict.

In fact, East Lansing might not even have a party noise ordinance for much longer.

The East Lansing City Council considered changes to the existing noise ordinance at its work session last night.

"I would like to make our decision and announce it before students leave," Mayor Pro Tem Vic Loomis said. "However, I want to make sure we make the best decision we possibly can."

Under the current law, party hosts can be issued tickets if two or more party indicators are present on their property. Those five indicators include a common source of alcohol, a live band, a charge for admission or to drink, speakers placed or directed outside, and more than one person on the premises for every 20 square feet of habitable space.

Offenders face penalties of a $1,000 fine or a $500 fine and three days in jail.

The version of the law that the council will consider next week adds outdoor drinking games in residential neighborhoods as a sixth party indicator.

It also eliminates jail time as a possible penalty, requiring community service instead — a change all council members, with the exception of the absent Mark Meadows, agreed they were comfortable with discussing.

The revised law won't even be called a "party noise penalty." With the council's blessing, Assistant City Attorney Tom Yeadon is looking for an alternate title, after East Lansing resident Nicole Ellefson suggested a name change might sound more friendly to students.

"Whatever the city does next, I think it's very important that we try to act in a way that does not seem imperialistic," said Ellefson, who has been meeting with MSU undergraduates to talk about the noise problem.

Students will have a chance to weigh in on the issue Tuesday during a public hearing. That hearing will be held on campus, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gold Rooms of the Union.

A handful of students attended last night's work session to testify.

"East Lansing must take into consideration that student life is different than family life," said interdisciplinary humanities senior Patrick Singler, who argued drinking games should not be restricted in student neighborhoods.

"I've found that unless students are completely unruly, students are not generally bothered by background noise," Singler said. "If no one complains, no penalty should be issued."

Earlier Tuesday evening, East Lansing's University Student Commission debated the proposed changes.

"Our main concern, I think, has really been making sure that only the worst of the worst parties are being punished by this," said Matt O'Toole, a member of the student commission.

The current draft of the changes would at least ensure the law could not be applied to small get-togethers — requiring that 50 or more people be gathered for the party noise penalties to apply.

City Council will likely revise that number to address large rooming houses, some of which are actually licensed for more than 50 residents. Finding an appropriate baseline for the party noise penalties to take effect was the main concern brought up by the student commission.

In January, the University Student Commission recommended the party noise penalties only apply during hours people are normally sleeping, but council members did not discuss that option.

Yeadon said it would not be difficult to add such a constraint to the law's language.

Steve Japinga, chairman of the student commission, said he would still like to see the time constraint considered, and said he doesn't think it's fair for people playing drinking games in their front yards during the day to be punished.

"They're not causing a problem; they shouldn't get a ticket," Japinga said.