Dear PoP – DC Ban on Roll-Up Garage Doors?

Photo by PoPville flickr user ewilfong

“Dear PoP,

I am looking at having a new patio and a garage door installed at my townhouse in Shaw. I received the email below from the landscaper, notifying me that DC passed a law in August prohibiting the installation of roll-up garage doors. Given the hundreds / thousands of roll-up doors in DC, could that possibly be true? Are any of your other readers familiar with this law?

Unfortunately the salesman at [redacted] I spoke with informed me that as of August of last year, there is a law prohibiting the installation of automatic roll up gates on residential property where it is not protected by an overhead carport like structure. He told me that they if they have any mechanical failures that they (or any manufacturer) would not replace any of the automatic components on the existing gates. This was enacted for some sort of liability issue. I imagine that you would still be able to find someone to install one but it seems that any type of warranty would not be honored. This is of course the situation as of now. A future solution may be reached.”

Whoa! Anyone else heard of this law? Does it make any sense?