Much of the contention has centered on the natural opposition between a property owner's rights and groups concerned about the environment - in this case, the several-miles-long strip of forested dune area in this Cape May County beach town.

Some of the protests, hearings and court proceedings have been unavoidable. But part of the process could have gone more smoothly if a law now proposed in the state Legislature had been in place when approvals to build the home were being sought.

Avalon officials said they opposed the Dune Avenue construction as early as 1999. Before construction began in 2006, Avalon's Environmental Commission objected to the size of the project as well as its effect on dunes, plants and wildlife. The state Department of Environmental Protection also initially opposed the plans. But the property owner took the DEP to court, and the situation was worked out in a settlement. The problem, however, was that Avalon officials said they knew nothing about the negotiations and had no input.

A bill that passed the state Senate Environmental Committee last week would require the DEP to notify municipalities of settlement negotiations with homeowners of properties in environmentally sensitive areas in coastal towns. The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic.