SEASIDE PARK – Two listening sessions will be held for officials to hear from residents on whether they want to annex the South Seaside Park section of Berkeley.
The first meeting will be held Monday, November 10 at 6 p.m. and the second will be on Monday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m. Both will be held in person in the second-floor council chambers of the building located at Sixth and Central Avenues, Seaside Park.
The “Community Listening Sessions” will have a brief presentation by professionals hired by the borough who will describe the situation. Then, there will be an opportunity for the public to comment on what they heard and what they think about possible annexation.
Borough officials stressed that there will be no action taken at either of these meetings. They are just for the sharing of information.
South Seaside Park is a section of Berkeley that is between Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park. After a lengthy legal proceeding, the New Jersey Supreme Court decided that this neighborhood can leave Berkeley and petition to join Seaside Park.
The ball is now in Seaside Park’s court. It’s up to them to decide whether to accept their neighbors.
For decades, some residents in SSP have claimed that they are not treated as equals by the rest of Berkeley. Shore residents usually pay more in taxes than the mainland because it’s a desirable place to live. Some SSP residents have said they receive less services even though they pay more taxes. They feel that they have more in common with Seaside Park and might be better off there.
Seaside Park was part of Berkeley, too, until they became their own town in 1898. Seaside Heights – which had been part of Berkeley and Dover Township (now called Toms River) became its own town in 1913. That left South Seaside Park as a section of Berkeley.
The Berkeley Township Planning Board held 38 meetings from January of 2015 through February of 2019. During this time, they heard from a number of experts from both sides debating whether SSP should leave.
In 2020, the Planning Board issued a resolution suggesting that the Township Council deny de-annexation. The Council agreed. Then SSP challenged the council’s vote in court.
In 2022, Judge Marlene Lynch-Ford agreed with SSP that they should be allowed to de-annex.
The township appealed this decision. It was argued before the Supreme Court on April 29, and decided on July 10. The Supreme Court upheld the original decision. It opined that SSP has met their burden, proving that the trial court properly ordered de-annexation. The Supreme Court also said the Berkeley Planning Board failed to evaluate the merits of de-annexation objectively.
Berkeley Mayor John Bacchione said they will continue serving South Seaside Park until the borough of Seaside Park makes a decision.
