Peachtree City may soon begin enforcing no-trespassing buffer zones along Lake Kedron and the west side of Lake Peachtree.

For homeowners off Lake Kedron that would mean an end to being able to launch boats from their parcels, which is a violation of county regulations. Boats on the lake can only be launched at the publicly accessible boat docks, according to county restrictions.

Under a proposal that will be considered by the City Council Thursday night, city staff will conduct inspections of lots along both lakes so they can notify property owners in writing of buffer violations, which can vary from parcel to parcel.

Currently, code enforcement staff gives five to 10 business days to correct a violation, and then another 48-hour warning time frame before a citation is written, starting a review in the city’s municipal court.

According to city staff, buffer violations along the west side of Lake Peachtree must be grandfathered because those parcels existed even before Georgia adopted a 25-foot buffer along bodies of water.

In other cases along both lakes, some lots have the necessary 100-foot watershed protection buffer and the 150-foot impervious surface setback platted, while other lots do not have those limits delineated, officials said.

In some cases, violations have been found in city-owned greenbelt areas where it is illegal to do any clearing or make any improvements, officials have said.

In cases where the buffers and greenbelt have been violated, city staff is recommending allowing the ground cover to come back naturally so it can act as a filter keeping impurities and chemicals from the lakes.

Tree cover should be allowed to reestablish itself naturally without any digging, fertilization or pesticide use, according to the staff recommendation.

Both Lake Kedron and Lake Peachtree are used as reservoirs for drinking water. Lake Kedron is owned by the county, which leases Lake Peachtree from the city to use as a reservoir.

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