Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/24/06
BY CAROL GORGA WILLIAMSAND KAREN SUDOL
STAFF WRITERS
FREEHOLD — Owners of property in
an oceanfront section of Long Branch who are fighting the city's plan to acquire
their homes by eminent domain will have to wait a little longer, after a
Superior Court judge today reserved decision in the case.
Lawrence M.
Lawson, who is the assignment judge, said he would issue a written decision as
quickly as possible, but it could be as long as 30 days before he decides
whether the city may proceed in its efforts to acquire 20 homes in the Marine
Terrace, Ocean
Terrace, Seaview Avenue area, commonly called
MTOTSA.
"This is a hot matter,'' Lawson said in a crowded courtroom after
more than two hours of argument from Peter Wegener and William J. Ward, who
represent the property owners, and City Attorney James G. Aaron.
"It is a
very contentious matter,'' Lawson said. "Someone is going to win and someone is
going to lose.''
Lawson said he has an appointment tomorrow in Long
Branch and will try to tour the area in question.
Representatives from
the Institute for Justice, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that has been leading
the fight against eminent domain, were present this morning for a pre-hearing
rally on the south lawn of the courthouse, and Scott Bullock, a lawyer with the
institute, said his organization had helped prepare legal briefs and would
likely
seek to join the case to focus on constitutional issues.
Long
Branch "is one of the most -- if not the most -- egregious abuses of eminent
domain in the country,'' Bullock said.
Video was not available from the
rally or the courtroom because of breaking news.
Protecting Private Property (The PPP)
A Grassroots Citizens
Group
NO EMINENT DOMAIN FOR PRIVATE GAIN
732.222.6224 -
732.822.7161
www.protectingprivateproperty.com
Moratorium Now!
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
- Visit your group "AsburyPark" on the web.
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
