Thomas Griepenburg v. Township of Ocean (073290)

Plaintiffs, landowners Thomas and Carol Griepenburg, challenge the validity of a series of ordinances enacted by defendant, Township of Ocean (the Township). The ordinances rezoned a large tract of land, including most of plaintiffs’ property, from residential and commercial use to an Environmental Conservation district (EC district), thereby restricting future development of their property. The trial court dismissed plaintiffs’ challenge. In doing so, the court applied the criteria for assessing a zoning ordinance’s validity established in Riggs v. Township of Long Beach, 109 N.J. 601,…