Council decides Thursday
An ordinance that would restrict July 4 “spot saving” prior to that morning will be voted on by the Peachtree City Council Thursday night.
The new rule is a reaction to the proliferation of tarps and blankets used along the parade route and also around Lake Peachtree and other areas for viewing of the annual fireworks bonanza. Because the tarps and blankets appeared several days in advance of the actual holiday last year, city officials saw the need to prevent such an occurrence this year.
One council member claimed that the number of tarps and blankets put out last year for several days in a row made the city look like “a shantytown.”
The ordinance would apply to tarps, blankets and any other items that are left out prior to the morning of July 4. Any such items left in city rights of way or on city property could be confiscated if they are left prior to the morning of the Fourth.
The ordinance keeps a ban on the use of items such as tents, stakes and barricades to save July 4 viewing spots, cited as potential hazards to motorists’ views and a tripping hazard for pedestrians.
City staff is suggesting to prepare for additional storage receptacles and dumpsters to store or throw away the removed items. At the same time, however, the city will not need to pay for additional care to restore the grass.
Last July 4 was on a Wednesday and the first “spot savers” came out Sunday, forcing a kind of tarp arms race for folks anxious to claim their fireworks and parade-viewing spots, city officials said. Those tarps and blankets damaged a fair amount of grass, city officials contended.
