Peachtree City

homeowners living on privately owned streets will be getting some help

from the city in maintaining those streets.

City officials

have agreed to help seal cracks and patch private streets at cost for

the homeowners associations typically responsible for the streets' upkeep.

The city also has agreed to include the private streets in its annual

street evaluation program.

Also, city

crews will help inspect any work done on the private streets by contractors.

Mayor Bob Lenox

said the assistance, which was approved by council Thursday night, will

help homeowners on private streets save a lot of money.

"You can

really double the life of the street and conserve their costs," Lenox

said.

Some homeowners

living on privately owned streets claim they were not informed they would

have to pay for the streets' maintenance when they purchased their homes.

A group of citizens sought the city's assistance with their street problems

at council's March retreat.

Jim Williams,

the city's director of developmental services, said maintaining streets

"can be an expensive proposition."

The homeowners

seeking relief initially wanted the city to take over all maintenance

and repairs on the streets, which city officials resisted because the

streets often aren't built to city specifications.