One would think that a homeowner would have the right to try to prevent errant golf balls from coming into his back yard. However, a New Jersey Judge has held that a homeowner still needs to abide by zoning and neighborhood rules when doing so.
A New Jersey man’s home backs up to the Manasquan River Golf Club. He devised a way to keep the golf balls out of his yard by building a 65 foot safety net in his backyard as protection from the flying golf balls. He was sued by borough officials, the golf club’s owners and neighbors to remove the netting.
The borough’s attorney said that property owners cannot erect a structure without proper permits and approvals. Here, the net was apparently 10 times the height that is allowed. Neighbors have been calling for the removal of the net for many months with a petition of more than 200 homeowners. The petition states, “The presence of this hideous mega-structure directly conflicts with the quaint and environmentally friendly image that the borough of Brielle prides itself on, as indicated on the borough’s own website.”
The Judge ruled that the net must be removed by March 12. If the net is not removed, the homeowner could face fines or jail time.
Read more about the lawsuit here.
