The Gulf Breeze City Council is seeking public input on a proposed ordinance limiting vehicle storage in city rights-of-way.

Residents seeking the tighter regulation want to prevent damaged or unused vehicles from becoming eyesores and detracting from their neighborhoods' appearance, but the proposal is not without critics."Government's involved a little too much in our affairs already,"  Anthony Cunningham, a Shoreline Drive resident, said at the council's workshop meeting Dec. 2.  "When is it going to stop? If we're not hurting anybody, why can't we just be left alone?"City Administrator Edwin "Buz" Eddy explained that the proposed amendment would apply only to city rights-of-way, but other residents complained that distinction hadn't been made clear.Mayor Beverly Zimmern earlier in the meeting told residents nothing had been decided."This is our first attempt to codify these proposals,"  she said.  "It is not the intent of this council to legislate the appearance of anyone' s residence."At Monday's council meeting, staff presented a proposed ordinance that would prohibit the storage of boats, vehicles and utility trailers for more than 72 hours on the city's rights of way in neighborhoods. The city also is considering limiting to two the number of boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and vehicles on an individual's private property. Stored vehicles (those that don't move for 72 hours or more) would have to be maintained and have current registrations or licenses.The council has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed amendment at its next committee meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at City Hall, 1070 Shoreline Drive. Surveys on the issue are available at City Hall, and residents also may express their opinions by phone or e-mail. For those contacts and more information, including a link to the proposed ordinance and contact numbers, go to www.cityofgulfbreeze.com/index.html.The council also passed a resolution supporting TEAM Santa Rosa's position supporting offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico unless it negatively impacts any of the region's various military missions.