BERKELEY – The Township Council supported two bills that would impact de-annexation, when a section of a town leaves.
In the wake of the courts deciding that South Seaside Park can leave Berkeley, local officials are seeing how this rare circumstance can affect people in unforeseen ways.
South Seaside Park is literally south of Seaside Park, but is still part of Berkeley, at least for now. Seaside Park has to decide whether to take them in. If they don’t, then South Seaside Park will remain with Berkeley.
Residents are already concerned about taxes increasing. SSP makes up about 10.43% of the tax revenue for the township.
Both of the bills the council backed were sponsored by Senator Carmen Amato (R-9th), the former mayor of Berkeley.
One of them requires the public to vote on de-annexation if over 10 percent of property tax ratables is to be subject to annexation by other municipality.
The other bill states that if a liquor license is used by a business that joins a different town, then the original town can get another liquor license. Plainly speaking, if a bar in South Seaside Park then becomes Seaside Park, Berkeley can get another liquor license. This is important because towns are only allowed a certain number of licenses based on population. They cost a great deal of money, so Berkeley would lose that money if they lost a liquor license.
In other news, the council authorized permit documents with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding an easement at 44 Cove Road West.
Business Administrator Jay Delaney said that this is an easement that benefits the township and it was just a matter of signing off on it.
Councilman James Byrnes said he and Delaney are working on getting grants to pay for upgrades to the Historical Society building to make it accessible to those with disabilities.
The township is also applying for money from the State Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund for two properties. One of them is the former AT&T site, which had a building in the marsh off Bayview Avenue which was abandoned long ago. The other is a former gas station and service center on Route 9 just south of the post office.
