BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY

'Berkeley Township' is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 39,991.
Berkeley Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 31, 1875, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township). Portions of the township were taken to form Seaside Park (March 3, 1898), Seaside Heights (February 6, 1913), Beachwood (March 22, 1917), Ocean Gate (February 28, 1918) Pine Beach (February 26, 1925), South Toms River (March 28, 1927) and Island Beach (June 23, 1933, reabsorbed into Berkeley Township in 1965)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 201.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Transportation

References

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 144.5 km² (55.8 mi²). 111.1 km² (42.9 mi²) of it is land and 33.4 km² (12.9 mi²) of it (23.12%) is water.
The Township is located in the central part of Ocean County along the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay, which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Approximately 72% of the Townships land area is within the federally designated New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. Approximately 38% is within the State's Pineland Area, which is within the Pinelands National Reserve. Toms River Township forms the northern border of the Township, Cedar Creek and Lacey Township form the Township's southern border. The barrier island, on which South Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park are situated, is the Township's eastern boundary^[1].
Holiday City-Berkeley (2000 Census population of 13,884), Holiday City South (4,047), Holiday Heights (2,389) and Silver Ridge (1,311) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Berkeley Township. Bayville is an unincorporated area located within the Township.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 39,991 people, 19,828 households, and 12,174 families residing in the township. The population density was 359.9/km² (932.3/mi²). There were 22,288 housing units at an average density of 200.6/km² (519.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.10% White, 1.30% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population.
There were 19,828 households out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 29.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.52.
In the township the population was spread out with 11.4% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 14.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 52.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66 years. For every 100 females there were 79.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,134, and the median income for a family was $40,208. Males had a median income of $41,643 versus $28,640 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,198. About 3.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Since July 1, 1983, Berkeley Township has been governed under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. The Township is governed by a Mayor who is elected for a four-year term and a seven-member Council elected on a staggered basis for terms of four years, with the respective terms commencing on January 1st; the Mayor and the three at-large seats come up for election every four years, with the four ward seats up for election two years later.
The members of the Berkeley Township Committee are:^[2][3]

★ Jason J. Varano, Mayor (D, 2007)

★ Anne M. Wolff, Council President and Councilwoman at Large (D, 2007)

★ Nathan Abbe, Council Vice President - Councilman at Large (D, 2007)

★ Peter J. Mustardo, Councilman at Large and Chairman of Board of Health (D, 2007)

★ Karen Davis, Councilwoman Ward 1 (R, 2009)

★ Carmen F. Amato, Jr., Councilman Ward 2 (R, 2009)

★ Glennon Depetris, Councilman Ward 3 (D, 2009)

★ John R. Napurano, Councilman Ward 4 and Vice Chairman of Board of Health (D, 2009)

Federal, state and county representation

Berkeley Township is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th Legislative District.^[4]

Education

The Berkeley Township School District serves public school students in grades K through 6. Schools in the district are Bayville School, Clara B. Worth School, and H & M Potter School, all of which serve K-4, and Berkeley Township Elementary School for grades 5&6.
Public school students in grades 7 through 12 attend the schools of the Central Regional School District, which serves students from the municipalities of Berkeley Township, Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. The total student population in the district is approximately 2,400, instructed by 200 staff members. The schools in the district are Central Regional Middle School for grades 7 and 8 (833 students), and Central Regional High School for grades 9 - 12 (1,494 students).

Transportation

The Garden State Parkway is the primary access route, with two exits in the Township. U.S. Route 9 and Route 37 run westerly from the Barrier Island to Route 70.

References

1. Berkeley Township General Information, accessed February 25, 2006
2. Berkeley Township Government, Berkeley Township. Accessed August 14, 2007.
3. 2007 Elected Officials of Ocean County, Ocean County, New Jersey. p. 2. Accessed August 14, 2007.
4. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 54. Accessed August 30, 2006.

External links

★ Berkeley Township website

★ Manitou Park Fire Company - Station 18, Berkeley Township Fire Department

★ Pinewald Pioneer Fire Company - Station 20, Berkeley Township Fire Department

★ Berkeley Township School District

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★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Berkeley Township Elementary Schools

★ Central Regional School District

★ Berkeley Branch of Ocean County Library