Politics & Government

Who Are Toms River's Dune Easement Holdouts?

Individuals, homeowners associations among Toms River's oceanfront holdouts

Daniel Nee, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

As the first nor'easter of fall 2013 approached, Toms River Township council members this week unanimously voted in favor of moving ahead with condemnation proceedings against those who have refused to sign easements allowing a federal beach and dune protection project to move forward.

As it currently stands, 72 percent of the township's oceanfront is either publicly owned or owned privately by a party that has signed the easement documentation, said Township Engineer Robert Chankalian. The 16 holdouts are made up of single property owners, most of whom do not live locally year-round, and homeowners associations.

The following property owners have not signed easements, according to a map drawn up by township officials:

  • Ocean Beach Surf Club Inc., Unit 1
  • Bay Beach Corp. (Ocean Beach Shores/John McDonough)
  • Ocean Beach Company (John McDonough)
  • Seacrest
  • Ocean Beach Pearl, LLC (Ocean Beach III/John McDonough)
  • Daniel and Kimberly Mercuri
  • Dune Condo Association
  • Royal Sands North Condo Association
  • Surf Cottages Homeowner Association
  • Scott Edrington
  • Dennis and Susan Lally
  • William and Rita Carafello
  • Michael and P. Bolin Trust
  • Bart Wenrich and Bonnie Simmons
  • Janine and Richard Hennion
  • Sand & Sea Development, LLC
In a few cases, such as with the Surf Cottages Homeowners Association, easements have been signed by other owners behind their properties. Chankalian said those easements would allow the township to construct a temporary dune that would run behind the properties that did not allow the easement.

In the case of Ocean Beach Shores, residents told Patch on Wednesday that despite residents voting overwhelmingly in favor of signing an easement, the beachfront is owned by McDonough, who has staunchly refused to sign.

Eventually, however, all of the easements that are not signed will become township property through the condemnation process.

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