Beachfront residents in Long Beach Township, N.J. are going head-to-head over their little slip of paradise.
Years of repeated pounding from strong Atlantic waves has eroded the sands along the barrier island between Barnegat Inlet and Little Egg Inlet.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and township would like to reclaim land back from the sea and install 22-foot high dunes along the beach to prevent further damage. But some residents are afraid to sign off on the project.
"I just don't want to let any permanent or long-standing structure in front of my house," says Dan Lundy.
Lundy is one of more than 200 homeowners who’ve refused to give the project the green light, according to officials.
For the project to move ahead, every property owner must sign a Dead of Easement to allow work to begin.
The township's mayor believes residents are afraid the project will lead the way for development in front of their homes.
"I'm frustrated about the misinformation," Mayor Joseph Mancini said.
He's not alone. Pro-reclamation residents like Bill Kunz have been trying to convince his peers that the replenishment is a good thing.
"It's an issue we need…protecting these homes," he said. "Some of these homes are near devastation."
The mayor is hoping residents like Kunz will be able to persuade the holdouts. He's even entertained publishing a list of homeowners who are blocking the project, which is set to start in the fall.
"I think the neighbors should know exactly what's going on with the beaches that they pay taxes for," Mayor Mancini said. "And they should know who's signed and who hasn't signed."
Opposing residents say that would be unfair and cheapen their credible concerns.
"I'm disturbed about that because I think he's painting the people that have legitimate concerns like mine as being greedy," Lundy said.
The project will add 11 million cubic yards of sand to the 18-mile long island, according to the Army Corps. They plan to add an additional 2 million cubic yards every seven years.
Officials say the project won't create a risky drop-off or hinder sandbars.
"These people should be identified," Kunz said. "I believe that every oceanfront owner has a responsibility to the people behind them."
An attorney who represents some of those against the project says officials are using gutter tactics to pressure residents.
Mayor Mancini says the lawyer is giving misinformation and scaring the parties involved. He also says he's considering the use of eminent domain to get the project rolling.
