Jersey Shore residents blame dunes for flooding
MARGATE (WPVI) -- Owners of some Jersey shore homes are dealing with flooding after weekend storms.
But they say it's not the fault of Mother Nature; they're blaming the controversial dunes project from Fredericksburg Avenue to just south of Exeter Street.
An overflow of water created by heavy thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday flooded some homes.
Howard Rovner, a summer resident in Margate said, "The water is dirty, it's brown, there's bacteria in it."
And because the water hasn't fully receded, life guards Sunday, put these no swimming signs up to alert the public of the water's depth which in some areas is knee deep.
Ed Seibert of Margate said, "They had told us this water would percolate through the sand and this wouldn't be a problem, clearly it's a problem."
Excerpts from Judge Renee Bumb's February ruling reveal:
The city and residents "failed to prove this would create public nuisance."
And "At most set forth fears of increased drainage and ponding problems which are factually unfounded."
Resident Elaine Charney says their concerns fell on deaf ears.
When asked if she was a part of the suit to stop this? Charney said, "Yes everyone was. We voted twice."
Action News asked - Did this just prove all along what you had been saying in the first place?
"Of course, but it's pathetic, and it's changed the coast of NJ forever," Charney said.
Lisa Gottschaok of Margate said, "It's ridiculous. I don't know what they have to do, how they have to fill it in, something has to be done and quick."
For now residents wonder how long part of their beach, will be lake Margate.
The dunes project won't be finished until Labor Day.
Residents have to deal with this for rest of the summer, and because of that, residents are planning to address the Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday.
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