Beach Access Blocked By Homeowners

A $5 million project on Long Beach Island to restore the eroding beachfront is stymied by homeowners who don't want to allow easements through their property.

1 minute read

July 17, 2008, 7:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"The state cannot compel a group of homeowners on Long Beach Island to grant access to their beachfront property for a beach replenishment project on the fragile barrier island without first exhausting all its options, the Appellate Division ruled yesterday."

"'The core issue here is whether the state can force a private property owner, by way of preliminary injunction, to grant a perpetual public access easement without first following the procedures in the eminent domain act,' the ruling said. 'We are satisfied that the answer to this question is 'no.'

The impasse has virtually halted the beach replenishment project on Long Beach Island.

The Army Corps started work in Surf City in late 2006, but that project closed beaches early in the following spring just weeks before Memorial Day weekend. The sand pumped from the ocean floor onto the beach contained more than 1,000 unexploded World War I-era ordnance most likely dumped in the ocean before such offshore dumping was banned, officials have said."

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 in NJ.com

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

30 minutes ago - CNU Public Square

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1 - KQED

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.