USA: Dock Road Homeowners Oppose Dredging Plan

Dock Road homeowners, fighting a planned dredge disposal site, are drawing a parallel to the 12-foot dike that would be built facing their houses, according to app.com.

“The critical point is that an appellate New Jersey court has recognized that a government project blocking an ocean view is a serious aesthetic — as well as economic — impact,” R. William Potter, the Princeton lawyer representing five Dock Road families, wrote in a letter urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to withhold permits for the creek dredging and disposal site.

A lack of easily used disposal sites has delayed a number of Shore dredging projects, notably the Shark River deepening that is critical for Neptune to redevelop its recreational waterfront. State officials are looking to the Eagleswood site as a reusable location that could help them manage dredging projects on the western shore of Little Egg Harbor.

“The Harvey Cedars case held that dune replenishment, which cut off the ocean view of the residents, was a compensable taking of property,” Potter said. “Instead of beach replenishment, its dredged material confinement, in this case.’’

“Their quality of life is going to be impacted forever in a bad way. They will be looking at it right across 24-foot wide Dock Road,’’ Potter said.

[mappress]

Dredging Today Staff, June 4, 2012;