Pine Valley, New Jersey

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Pine Valley was a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 21,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 9 (+75.0%) from the 2010 census count of 12,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 8 (-40.0%) from the 20 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref> Before its merger with the adjacent Borough of Pine Hill, Pine Valley was the third-smallest municipality by population in New Jersey, with 12 more residents than the nine residing in Tavistock (also in Camden County) and 14 more than the seven in Walpack Township (in Sussex County).<ref name=LWD2020Density/>

Pine Valley encompassed Pine Valley Golf Club, which regularly ranks highly on Golf Digest's list of America's 100 greatest courses.

The Borough of Pine Valley was created on April 23, 1929, from Clementon Township, one of seven municipalities created from the now-defunct township, and one of five new municipalities (including Hi-Nella Borough, Lindenwold Borough, Pine Hill Borough and Somerdale Borough) created on that same date.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 109. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref>

In 2021, the Borough finalized plans to merge with the adjacent Borough of Pine Hill, dissolving the Pine Valley borough government completely when the merger took effect on January 1, 2022. Pine Hill gained $20 million in taxable property and the famed golf club.<ref>Riordan, Kevin. "Humble Pine Hill gets ready to welcome the posh Pine Valley Golf Club as two N.J. boroughs become one", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 3, 2021. Accessed November 16, 2021. "Kennedy said that Pine Valley had sought the consolidation after a nonbinding 2020 referendum voters there approved, 10-0, because it 'has been experiencing some budgetary challenges.' Becoming part of Pine Hill will provide his constituents with “a sustainable municipal government,” said the Pine Valley mayor.... So far, Pine Hill seems to be taking in stride the prospect of gaining a few well-heeled residents, a $20 million tax ratable, and bragging rights to one of the finest golf courses anywhere."</ref> The merger of the two municipalities was the first in the state since Princeton was formed in 2013 from the former Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, New Jersey.<ref>Symons, Michael. "NJ about to subtract one of its tiniest towns in rare merger", WKXW, December 20, 2021. Accessed April 24, 2023. "Princeton borough and township voted to merge in 2011, after discussing the idea for a half-century."</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.97 square miles (2.51 km²), including 0.96 square miles (2.47 km²) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.04 km²) of water (1.55%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The borough bordered the Camden County municipalities of Clementon Borough and Pine Hill.<ref>Areas touching Pine Valley, MapIt. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities within Camden County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 12 people, 4 households, and 4 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 22 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 83.33% (10) White, 0.00% (0) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.00% (0) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 16.67% (2) from other races, and 0.00% (0) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.67% (2) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 4 households, 50.0% had children under the age of 18; 75.0% were married couples living together; 0.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 0.0% were non-families. Of all households, 0.0% were made up of individuals and 0.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.00.<ref name=Census2010/>

16.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 16.7% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 0.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 300.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 233.3 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

As of the 2010 Census, the borough had the second smallest population in the state, ahead of only Tavistock, which had a population of five.<ref>Staff. "N.J.'s population shifting to coast, south", USA Today. Accessed August 18, 2013.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 20 people, 8 households, and 7 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 21 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Pine Valley borough, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Pine Valley borough, Camden County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.</ref>

As of the 2000 Census, the borough was one of four municipalities with fewer than 50 residents among the 566 in the state, and its population of 20 was behind only Teterboro, where census officials counted 18 residents.<ref>Strauss, Robert. "Communities; Municipal Madness or 'Creative Localism?'", The New York Times, January 4, 2004. Accessed August 18, 2013. "But for the 20 residents of Pine Valley, the borough that surrounds the golf course, the cute A-frame building is police headquarters, next door to Steiniger Hall, the borough office building, where you can often find Robert Mathers, the clerk of Pine Valley, one of New Jersey's least-populous towns.... Four of them have fewer than 50 souls: Walpack (41) in Sussex County, Teterboro (18) in Bergen County and Pine Valley and Tavistock (24) in Camden County."</ref>

There were eight households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of eighteen living with them, 87.5% were married couples living together, and 12.5% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.71.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 40.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 150.0 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 114.3 men.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the borough was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $65,625. Men had a median income of $36,250 versus $52,500 for women. The per capita income for the borough was $23,981. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Government

Local government

Pine Valley operated under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government. The borough was one of 30 municipalities (of the then-565) statewide that used the commission form of government.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body consisted of three commissioners, who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to four-year terms of office in elections held as part of the May municipal elections. Each commissioner was assigned a specific department to head in addition to their legislative functions and one of the three commissioners was chosen to serve as mayor.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 42.</ref> Pine Valley has been governed under the Walsh Act, by a three-member commission, since 1942.<ref>"The Commission Form of Municipal Government" Template:Webarchive, p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 8. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

At the time of the borough's dissolution in 2022, the members of the Pine Valley Board of Commissioners were Mayor Michael B. Kennedy, Kendra L. Clark and Debra M. Kennedy all serving terms of office ending May 17, 2022.<ref name=Budget>2019 Municipal User Friendly Budget, Borough of Pine Valley. Accessed September 22, 2019.</ref> The three commissioners had run unopposed in the 2018 May municipal election.<ref>Wildstein, David. "Incumbents run unopposed in tiny Pine Valley and Teterboro Teterboro mayor beats his son by 1 vote", New Jersey Globe, May 9, 2018. Accessed March 3, 2020. "Pine Valley in Camden County had a population of 10 after the 2010 census, but NJ.com reported that there are 15 voters. Incumbents Michael Kennedy and Debra Kennedy each won 12 votes. Newcomer Kendra Clark, who ran for a Commissioner seat vacated by Jane Bromley, received 13 votes."</ref><ref>Meeting Minutes for June 19, 2018, Borough of Pine Valley. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref>

The three incumbents—Jane Bromley and husband-and-wife Michael B. Kennedy and Deborah Kennedy—were re-elected in May 2014 to four-year terms of office in an election held entirely by mail to minimize the costs associated with establishing a polling place for the borough's 14 voters.<ref>Comengo, Carol. "Medford Lakes, Pine Valley holding elections Tuesday", Courier-Post, May 12, 2014. Accessed October 23, 2014. "In Pine Valley in Camden County, three incumbent commissioners are seeking re-election to four-year terms without opposition — Mayor Michael B. Kennedy; his wife, Deborah Kennedy; and Jane Bromley. Pine Valley, one of the smallest municipalities in the state and best known for its exclusive golf course, does not have a polling place with a voting machine. Instead, voters receive a ballot in the mail and return it to the Camden County Board of Elections to save the expense of running an election for its 14 registered voters."</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

Pine Valley was located in the 1st Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and was part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref> Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 census, Pine Valley had been in the 6th state legislative district.<ref name=LWV2011>2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government Template:Webarchive, p. 63, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of fifteen registered voters in Pine Valley, of which three (20.0%) were registered as Democrats, ten (66.7%) as Republicans and two (13.3%) as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Camden, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 100.0% of the vote (nine cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono and other candidates who received no votes, among the nine ballots cast by the borough's thirteen registered voters, for a turnout of 69.2%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.7% of the vote (8 ballots cast), ahead of both Independent Chris Daggett with 18.2% (two votes) and Democrat Jon Corzine with no votes, with eleven ballots cast among the borough's fourteen registered voters, yielding a 78.6% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Camden County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref>

Education

Pine Hill is in the Pine Hill Schools, which operates Overbrook High School.

As an independent municipality, Pine Valley had a non-operating school district,<ref>13 Non-Operating School Districts Eliminated (Archive), New Jersey Department of Education press release dated July 1, 2009. Accessed December 26, 2009.</ref> Pine Valley Borough School District.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> At that time, public school students from Pine Valley attended the Haddonfield Public Schools for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade as part of a sending/receiving relationship, together with students from Haddonfield and Tavistock.<ref name=DataBook/> As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,749 students and 215.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Haddonfield School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Haddonfield Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Central Elementary School<ref>Central Elementary School, Haddonfield Public Schools. Accessed May 20, 2020.</ref> with 419 students in grades K-5, Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School<ref>Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School, Haddonfield Public Schools. Accessed May 20, 2020.</ref> with 367 students in grades K-5, J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School<ref>J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School, Haddonfield Public Schools. Accessed May 20, 2020.</ref> with 422 students in grades PreK-5, Haddonfield Middle School<ref>Haddonfield Middle School, Haddonfield Public Schools. Accessed May 20, 2020.</ref> with 659 students in grades 6-8 and Haddonfield Memorial High School<ref>Haddonfield Memorial High School, Haddonfield Public Schools. Accessed May 20, 2020.</ref> with 869 students in grades 9–12.<ref>Directions and Contacts, Haddonfield Public Schools. Accessed May 20, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Haddonfield Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 27, 2016.</ref>

Transportation

File:2018-10-09 11 52 47 View southeast along Club Road at Atlantic Avenue in Pine Valley, Camden County, New Jersey.jpg

Entrance to Pine Valley

All roads in Pine Valley are privately maintained by the golf course. There is only one public entrance, via Atlantic Avenue from neighboring Pine Hill. Template:-

Further reading

• Template:Cite web
• Template:Cite web
• Template:Cite web
• 1990 U.S. Census: Index map of Camden County, with Pine Valley on pages 25, 26, 32, and 33

External links

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