Peachtree City officials are hoping to convince residents to avoid staking out their favorite fireworks viewing spots for the July 4 celebration.

They’re asking everyone to wait until the mid-afternoon to lay out their blankets, tarps and chairs. But it’s only a request and there will be no enforcement, said Carolyn Stanton of the Peachtree City Recreation Department.

When city officials first announced the request, the recreation department got a number of calls from residents about the problem. Some callers said the request will make some people stake out their spots even earlier, Stanton said.

One of the most prime viewing spots is in the Dover Square area across Ga. Highway 54 from City Hall, Stanton said. Open areas around Lake Peachtree are also among the most popular, including areas near the spillway and the Battery Way boat docks.

Last year, the Battery Way boat dock area was covered with blankets and tarps July 3 by people wanting to “save” a prime viewing spot along Lake Peachtree, officials said.

Citizens told Stanton that the Battery Way area gets so crowded that some people have had their hands and feet run over by golf carts. Residents in the area say that some people get there as early as two or three days before the 4th to save their spots, Stanton said.

“They said Battery Way is absolutely a madhouse,” Stanton said.

Part of the problem is because the city’s tree canopy around the lake has grown over the years, eliminating some of the viewing spots. That forces people to find other areas to congregate, she added.

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