In March, Gov. Christie publicly lambasted oceanfront homeowners who refused to sign the easements necessary for dune projects. He called the holdouts “selfish” and threatened to name names. Despite the pressure from Christie and local mayors, there are are still beachfront property owners who have not signed easements. NJ Today Senior Correspondent Desirée Taylor spoke to Mantoloking Council President Steve Gillingham for a status report on where things stand with homeowners in his town.
Gillingham said he estimates there are five homeowners who have not signed easements, and the town is be prepared to use eminent domain.
“We’ve hired an attorney who is an expert in the exercise of eminent domain,” he said. “We’re prepared to use it if we have to. We’re still holding out hope that we won’t have to use it.”
Unlike Christie, Gillingham said it was never the town’s intention to publicly call out homeowners because it would serve no purpose.
“The people who have any influence over these folks already know who they are and they’re contacting them and trying to convince them to sign the easements,” said Gillingham.
According to Gillingham, there are a number of reason why these homeowners are refusing to sign.
“One is that they don’t want to lose their view, another reason is that they fear that the easement will open the way to some other development like a boardwalk or a Ferris wheel, and some of them may just be holding out for a cash settlement after eminent domain,” he speculated.
The fear that a dune project will lead to any kind of encroachment of homeowners’ property is unfounded, according to Gillingham.
“There is no intention of doing anything except putting a couple of bulldozers on there, moving some sand up and building a dune,” he explained. In fact, he said homeowners have nothing to lose and everything to gain
“When this project is over, they will have a much bigger beach than they started with,” Gillingham said. “They will have a protective dune to keep the ocean away in a storm and they’ll have a 50-year guarantee that they will remain there because the Army Corps of Engineers will come in periodically and replenish it.”
Hit hard by superstorm Sandy, Mantoloking has been slowly “repopulating,” with people moving back into their homes. But the repopulation, Gillingham said, is qualified.
“We’re still a closed community. You still need a pass to get in. You need a permit to repopulate, to move into your house. There are some qualifications, but there are probably 20 or more folks that have moved back in, and there’s more coming each time.”
Related: Christie Threatens to Name Homeowners Who Won’t Allow Protective Dunes