Signed into law on March 22, 2012, Michigan Public Act 56 provided statewide codification of twenty year old court rulings that limits public road ends to one seasonal public dock (if approved by the local unit of government and the issuance of an MI DEQ permit), forbids overnight mooring as well as the installation of boat hoists.
While it is reasonable to believe that that the new law of the land regarding the use of public road ends in Michigan may have initially met with some confusion on the part of local governments and their respective law enforcement agencies, we are nevertheless very concerned about several reports we have received regarding official refusal to enforce the law. In writing the law, the legislature did not include language that provides those who disagree with the law an “enforcement optional” clause. Public Act 56 is now MCL 324.30111b, and must be enforced by state, county, municipal and township law enforcement agencies.
If your local unit of government and/or your local law enforcement agencies have refused to enforce the law, we would like to hear about your particular set of circumstances and the various reasons you were provided by local officials for their lack of enforcement. We would like to believe that those disregarding the law remain confused about the definition of a “public road end that terminates at an inland lake” or other specific aspects of the law.
If you have encountered this unfortunate situation on your lakefront, please contact Scott Brown, Michigan Lake and Stream Associations Executive Director at e-mail: sbrown@mlswa.org .
Your cooperation may help eliminate confusion and assist in restoring law and order to public road ends at inland lakes throughout Michigan.