A group of Brielle residents who live near a golf course says that they are annoyed by a large net a neighbor installed to catch golf balls.

Tricia Housen says that she has been living in her home – with its gorgeous views of the Manasquan River - for almost 20 years. She says that the Manasquan River Golf Course has always been a part of her backyard.

“Of course, we get balls here occasionally because we are right on the 12th fairway. We expect it. Expected it when moved in,” she says.

Housen says that she wasn’t expecting anyone to erect a large net to keep the balls off their property. She says that she and her neighbors consider it to be an eyesore and a safety hazard.

“That’s a 65-foot-high net. It’s a very, very high net. I don’t know if it’s going to fall down tomorrow,” Housen says.

Other neighbors say that the homeowner never got any permits or permission before building the net.

“My parents, when we were building the house, we had to go through a lot of rules and regulations…and I feel they just put that net up one day,” says neighbor Hunter Earle.

More than 200 have signed an online petition to take the net down and last fall the town planning board denied a variance that would have allowed the homeowner to keep it up.

“If everyone in this town put up whatever they wanted without asking and without following rules – it would be insane,” Housen says.

Last fall the Brielle Planning Board denied a variance that would have allowed the homeowner to keep the net up. And last month borough officials sued the homeowner to get him to take the net down. He countersued.

The Asbury Park Press reports that the homeowner sued the town and the golf course, claiming he has a right to protect himself. He demanded that the golf course make changes to the course.

News 12 New Jersey reached out to the homeowner and his attorney but did not hear back.

The mayor of Brielle and an attorney for the golf course say that they cannot comment on pending litigation.