On March 21, 2012, Governor Snyder signed Substitute Senate Bill No. 778 into law, after it had been passed by the Michigan Senate and House.  This bill restricts and limits activities that can take place at public road ends, which terminate at an inland lake or stream.  This law states that a public road end may not be used for the construction, installation, maintenance, or use of boat hoists or boat anchoring devices.  Also prohibited are mooring or docking a vessel between 12 midnight and sunrise, and any activity that obstructs ingress or egress from any inland lake or stream.  A road end may not be used for the construction, installation, maintenance, or use of a dock or wharf, other than a single seasonal public dock or wharf that is authorized by the local unit of government.  This law does not apply if a recorded deed, recorded easement or other recorded dedication expressly provides otherwise.

This legislation makes it a criminal misdemeanor to violate any of the provisions expressed in the law and any police officer could write an appearance ticket for a violation. A person found guilty of a misdemeanor is subject to a fine of not more than $500, and each 24 hour period in which a violation exists constitutes a separate violation. It would also be illegal to interfere with anyone who is properly using a public road end for ingress or egress to the body of water.  There are relatively few road ends that expressly allow dockage or boat mooring and it is estimated that those exceptions constitute less that five percent, and perhaps as low as one percent, of all public road ends at lakes in the state of Michigan.

The information contained in this article is taken from the spring 2012 issue of “The Michigan Riparian,” Volume 47 Number 2.  Submitted by Chuck Spencer