AVALON – Vahan and Danielle Gureghian were to have their day in court on Monday Aug. 12. That was the day when the new property owners of 5609 Dune Drive, one of the borough’s most exclusive high dunes properties, would answer a summons from the borough alleging interference with the dunes. The Gureghians also received a state Department of Environmental Protection notice of violation of the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act.
The allegations are that the Gureghians installed and maintained a lawn area on previously undeveloped and conservation-protected dune area. They cleared more than 8,000 square feet of dune to install the lawn that surrounds a newly constructed residence.
Both agencies may issue fines and other penalties.
Assistant Business Administrator James Waldron told the Herald that the municipal court complaint dates back to when the borough dates the first violation, Oct. 20, 2023. He added at a Feb. 14 meeting of the Avalon Borough Council that the borough is seeking a daily penalty of up to $2,000 per day up to the final adjudication of the matter.
The issue was first scheduled for municipal court on June 3. Postponements pushed the date to Aug. 12, which now has also been postponed. Court officials say they do not yet have a new date for the hearing.
