Peachtree City staff will be preparing new ordinances to address lake buffer violations along Lake Kedron and part of Lake Peachtree in addition to handling greenbelt violations for which rules already exist.

The Peachtree City Council Thursday night postponed a final vote on the staff recommendations for enforcement on the lake buffers, which in all cases except along the west side of Lake Peachtree include a 25-foot buffer that is required by state law.

In some cases, the buffers, extending up to 100 feet along the lake, must remain undisturbed. But a review by city staff indicates that some owners of lake-front property have intruded into those buffers by making paths that lead to chairs, tables and fire pits along the lake.

In some cases along Lake Kedron, homeowners have erected their own boat docks even though the county rules say boats can only be launched at the Kedron boat docks. The lake, which is a reservoir, and its buffer zones are owned by the county.

At Thursday’s meeting, several homeowners along Lake Kedron complained that they didn’t receive notice about a meeting that was previously held on the matter specifically for residents with questions about the buffers. And because homeowners along the east side of Lake Peachtree requested a two-week extension, the same was applied to the Lake Kedron issue.

Mayor Harold Logsdon noted that the city has already been working with several homeowners associations on the matter.

Although it appears restrictions will ultimately be brought forth for the east side of the city-owned Lake Peachtree, the west side was developed many years before any buffers were in place and those landowners have specific lake access rights, city officials said.

Dale Phenicie, who lives off Lake Kedron, said a letter sent by the city notifying residents of the regulations “made it sound like we were criminals” and he wondered why the matter was considered such a problem.

Officials said the city began investigating after getting complaints from the county about the buffer violations.

In any case, however, the city is not about to go issuing municipal court summonses over the matter immediately, said City Councilwoman Judi-ann Rutherford.

“It’s not a case of they’ll knock on the door and hand you a fine,” Rutherford said.