So-called "toy" mini-motorcycles, called pocket bikes, have been banned from public roads and all parking lots in Peachtree City.

The action came from the City Council Thursday night after learning of the danger of the low-riding devices, which are less than 18 inches tall and can be driven at speeds upwards of 20 miles per hour. Some of the pocket bikes, as they are called, can go much faster, officials said.

They were not allowed on the cart path system even before Thursday night's ban, but Police Chief James Murray noted that his officers have encountered several on the path system already.

In one case, a very young child about 8 or 9 years old was out on a pocket bike on the path system when his parents weren't home, Murray said.

"They're out on the cart paths unsupervised," Murray said, calling the pocket bikes "extremely dangerous."

The ordinance classified pocket bikes in a category called motorized play vehicles, which includes scooters, coasters or other "alternatively fueled vehicle" that's propelled by a motor engine.

The ordinance was approved unanimously, but it was tweaked after Councilman Stuart Kourajian said he wasn't comfortable with the ban on using them on private sidewalks and private parking lots.

"The question is, are these things inherently dangerous?" asked Councilman Murray Weed. "Let's get rid of them now."

The ordinance still includes provisions for stores selling pocket bikes to display and hand out notices that they can't be driven on public roads and cart paths.

The problem with the parking lot issue, however, is that council wants to keep large commercial parking lots from hosting pocket bike events. Kourajian said he felt if someone owns a large parking lot, such as in the industrial park, that person should be able to allow his son to ride and also his son's friends.

Kourajian agreed, however, that he didn't want to see large-scale events held in privately owned parking lots either.

Council may amend the ordinance at a later date as staff further researches that issue.