Berkeley Township, New Jersey

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Berkeley Township is a township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, extending from the Jersey Shore westward into the New Jersey Pine Barrens. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 43,754,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> the highest ever in any decennial count and an increase of 2,499 (+6.1%) from the 2010 census count of 41,255,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 1,264 (+3.2%) from the 39,991 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>

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). Sections 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).<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. 201. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref> The township was named for John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, one of the founders of the Province of New Jersey.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 27, 2015.</ref>

History

Army officer Lt. Edward Farrow began buying up woodland in the 1880s with the idea of building a retirement community for former Army and Navy officers. Farrow built a railroad station, shops and even a resort hotel called The Pines with the idea of attracting people. But only 11 people ever built houses in what Farrow called "Barnegat Park," and eventually he went bankrupt.<ref>Moore, Kirk. "Grand plans for 'Pinewald-On-The-Bay' died in the Depression"Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore, Asbury Park Press, March 30, 2008. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>

In the 1920s, Benjamin W. Sangor purchased the area, intending to create a resort town catering to wealthy urban vacationers. Between 1928 and 1929, about 8,000 lots were sold in Pinewald, a "new-type, residential, recreational city-of-the sea-and-pines." It was to contain a golf course, recreation facilities, and estate homes.<ref>Schweiger, Tristan J. "Berkeley has had many names", Asbury Park Press, February 8, 2007. Accessed May 14, 2013.</ref>

The developers immediately began construction of the Pinewald pavilion and pier at the end of Butler Avenue. The Royal Pines Hotel, a $1.175 million investment facing Crystal Lake, was built on the site of an earlier hotel dating back to the days of Barnegat Park.<ref>Resort Development in the Twentieth Century, An Historic Theme Study of the, National Park Service. Accessed October 14, 2007.</ref> It was the focal point of the new community. The hotel was also used as an asylum, then later a nursing home now known as the Crystal Lake Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

The hotel was constructed by Russian architect W. Oltar-Jevsky in the early 1920s. Al Capone may have frequented its halls, perhaps even venturing beneath the lake in tunnels especially designed for smuggling alcohol during Prohibition. One newspaper article interviewed an unidentified man who claimed that "in the early 1930s the then Royal Pines Hotel was frequented by society's elite who, for $1.90 a drink, consumed prohibition liquor under the watchful eye of men who had guns strapped under their coats." In 1929, during the Great Depression, this resort community also went bankrupt.

Geography

File:Double Trouble cranberry bog.jpg

A cranberry bog within Double Trouble State Park, which straddles Berkeley Township and a smaller portion within neighboring Lacey Township in Ocean County

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 54.25 square miles (140.51 km²), including 42.72 square miles (110.64 km²) of land and 11.53 square miles (29.87 km²) of water (21.26%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

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 township's land area is within the federally designated New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve and 38% is within the State's Pineland Area, which is within the Pinelands National Reserve. Toms River forms the northern border of the township, Cedar Creek and Lacey Township form the southern border. The barrier island, on which South Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park are situated, is the township's eastern boundary.<ref name=TownCenter>Town Center Redevelopment Plan Template:Webarchive, Berkeley Township, June 10, 2009. Accessed October 31, 2016. "Berkeley shares its municipal border with Seaside Park Borough on the Barrier Island; Ocean Gate Borough, Pine Beach Borough, Beachwood Borough, South Toms River Borough and Toms River Township to the north; Manchester Township to the west in the Pinelands; and Lacey Township to the south. Berkeley technically shares a border with a two other municipalities – Island Heights and Seaside Heights. Both borders are considered inconsequential due to the fact that Island Heights is separated from Berkeley by the Toms River, and the Seaside Heights border adjoins Pelican Island, a small bay island separated from the Berkeley mainland by Barnegat Bay."</ref>

Holiday City-Berkeley (2010 Census population of 12,831<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Holiday City-Berkeley CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>), Holiday City South (3,689 as of 2010<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Holiday City South CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>), Holiday Heights (2,099<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Holiday Heights CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>) and Silver Ridge (1,133<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Silver Ridge CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places located within Berkeley Township.<ref>GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Ocean County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref><ref>2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref><ref name=CPH232>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref> The four CDPs are parts of Holiday City – Silver Ridge Park, an age-restricted adult planned community with separate communities, each with its own homeowners association and amenities.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located wholly or partially within the township include Barnegat Park, Barnegat Pier, Bayville, Benders Corners, Berkeley Heights, Crossley, Double Trouble, Dover Forge, Glen Cove, Glenside Park, Good Luck Point, Holly Park, Manitou Park, Pelican Island, Pinewald, River Bank, Silver Ridge Park, Silver Ridge Park West, South Seaside Park, Stony Hill, Union Village and Zebs Bridge.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed November 29, 2014.</ref>

The township borders the Ocean County communities of Barnegat Light, Beachwood, Island Heights, Lacey Township, Manchester Township, Ocean Township, Pine Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, South Toms River and Toms River; The township completely surrounds the borough of Ocean Gate.<ref name=TownCenter/><ref>Areas touching Berkeley Township, MapIt. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref><ref>Ocean County Map Template:Webarchive, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

The township is one of 11 municipalities in Ocean County that are part of the Toms River watershed.<ref>Toms River Watershed, Barnegat Bay Partnership. Accessed July 3, 2022.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 41,255 people, 20,349 households, and Template:Round families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 23,818 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was Template:Round% (39,129) White, Template:Round% (723) Black or African American, Template:Round% (46) Native American, Template:Round% (466) Asian, Template:Round% (5) Pacific Islander, Template:Round% (465) from other races, and Template:Round% (421) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were Template:Round% (2,028) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 20,349 households, 12.2% had children under the age of 18; 45.8% were married couples living together; 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 43.3% were non-families. Of all households, 39.3% were made up of individuals and 30.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.63.<ref name=Census2010/>

11.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 15.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 43.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 81.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 78.6 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $43,049 (with a margin of error of +/− $1,988) and the median family income was $58,230 (+/− $2,406). Males had a median income of $54,959 (+/− $3,373) versus $40,935 (+/− $2,531) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,168 (+/− $1,017). About 5.2% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Berkeley township, Ocean County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 39,991 people, 19,828 households, and 12,174 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 22,288 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 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.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Berkeley township, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Berkeley township, Ocean County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 13, 2012.</ref>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Government

Local government

Since July 1, 1983, Berkeley Township has been governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government plan D, as adopted based on direct petition.<ref>"The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities, July 2007. Accessed September 23, 2013.</ref> The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this 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 is comprised of the Mayor and the seven-member Township Council, which has three members elected at-large and one member elected from each of the four wards. The mayor and the members of the Township Council are elected to four-year terms of office on a partisan basis in staggered elections held as part of the November election in odd-numbered years, with the respective terms commencing on January 1; the mayor and the three at-large seats come up for election together every four years, with the four ward seats up for election two years later.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 49.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

Template:As of, the Mayor of Berkeley Township is Republican John A. Bacchione, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.<ref name=Mayor>Mayor's Office, Berkeley Township. Accessed June 3, 2024.</ref> Members of the Berkeley Township Council are Council President Keith A. Buscio (at-large; R, 2027), Council Vice President Angelo Guadagno (Ward 2; R, 2025), Douglas E. Bowens (at-large; R, 2027), James J. Byrnes (Ward 1; R, 2025), Sophia Gingrich (Ward 4; R, 2025), L. Thomas Grosse Jr. (at-large; R, 2027) and Michael Signorile (Ward 3; R, 2025).<ref name=Council>Council Members, Berkeley Township. Accessed June 3, 2024. "Under the optional Municipal Charter Law (Faulkner Act) effective July 1, 1983, 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."</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Berkeley Township. Accessed June 3, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanProfile>Township of Berkeley, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed June 3, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanOfficials>2024 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated April 2, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=Ocean2023>General Election Results November 7, 2023 Official Results, Ocean County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Ocean2021>2021 General Election Official Results, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In September 2020, the Township Council appointed Michael Signorile to fill the seat running through December 2021 that had been held by Judy Noonan until she resigned from office as she was moving out of the township.<ref>Lundy, Chris. "New Berkeley Councilman Sworn In", The Berkeley Times, September 1, 2020. Accessed July 1, 2022. "Michael Signorile was sworn in as the newest member of the Township Council.... He takes the spot on the council originally held by Judy Noonan, who had been on it for 10 years. Noonan resigned in August and moved to Manchester.... Since Noonan is a Republican, the township's Republican party chose her replacement.... Signorile will have to run in the Nov. 3 election. If he wins, he will fulfill the rest of Noonan's term, which ends Dec. 31, 2021."</ref> Signorile served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Ocean2021/>

In January 2015, the Township Council selected Anthony DePaola from among three candidates recommended by the municipal Republican committee to fill the at-large seat that expiring in 2015 that had been held by Robert G. Ray, who had resigned earlier that month.<ref>Miller, Patricia A. "Township Council Taps Anthony DePaola To Replace Robert G. RayDePaola was sworn in at Jan. 12 meeting in Town Hall.", Berkeley Patch, January 12, 2015. Accessed January 14, 2015. "Anthony DePaola - who holds a number of positions in Berkeley Township - was sworn into the Township Council as a councilman-at-large to replace Robert G. Ray, who resigned earlier this month."</ref>

In November 2012, James J. Byrnes and Kevin M. Askew won the remaining 14 months on unexpired terms of office. Byrnes had been appointed to the Ward 1 seat to fill the vacancy of Karen Davis following her resignation from office, while Askew had been appointed to fill the vacancy of Carmen F. Amato Jr. in Ward 2 after he had taken office as the township's mayor.<ref>Miller, Patricia A. "Byrnes And Askew Coast To Easy Wins In Township Council Races; Both win one-year unexpired terms on the governing body", BerkeleyPatch, November 7, 2012. Accessed August 26, 2013. "Byrnes - the former longtime president of the Berkeley Board of Education - was appointed to the Township Council Ward 1 seat in January, to replace Karen Davis, who resigned because of health reasons. Askew was also appointed to the Ward 2 seat in January, to replace Carmen F. Amato Jr., who was elected mayor in November 2011."</ref>

Federal, state, and county representation

Berkeley Township is located in the 2nd and 4th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 9th 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>

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 30,403 registered voters in Berkeley Township, of which 8,348 (27.5%) were registered as Democrats, 7,946 (26.1%) were registered as Republicans and 14,095 (46.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Ocean, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 73.7% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 83.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 56.5% of the vote (11,858 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.5% (8,931 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (202 votes), among the 21,208 ballots cast by the township's 31,431 registered voters (217 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.5%.<ref name="2012Elections">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.3% of the vote (13,617 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.3% (9,564 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (295 votes), among the 23,761 ballots cast by the township's 32,340 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.5%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 54.5% of the vote (12,862 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 44.3% (10,442 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (201 votes), among the 23,593 ballots cast by the township's 31,675 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.5.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref>

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|65.5% 18,572	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|33.2% 9,409	1.3% 245
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|63.6% 18,146	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|35.0% 9,976	1.4% 322
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|66.5% 15,201	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|31.1% 7,108	2.5% 563
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2012<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|56.5% 11,858	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|42.5% 8,931	1.0% 202
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2008<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 24, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|57.3% 13,617	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|40.3% 9,564	1.3% 295
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 24, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|54.5% 12,862	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|44.3% 10,442	0.6% 201

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.5% of the vote (11,301 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 21.3% (3,102 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (181 votes), among the 14,992 ballots cast by the township's 31,059 registered voters (408 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 48.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.3% of the vote (11,112 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.6% (5,464 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.5% (811 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (175 votes), among the 17,838 ballots cast by the township's 31,397 registered voters, yielding a 56.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Ocean County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 25, 2012.</ref>

Education

The Berkeley Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.<ref>Berkeley Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Berkeley Township School District. Accessed February 5, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through six in the Berkeley Township School District. Composition: The Berkeley Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Berkeley Township."</ref> As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,479 students and 201.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Berkeley Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Berkeley Township Elementary Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2019.</ref>) are Bayville Elementary School<ref>Bayville Elementary School, Berkeley Township School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref> with 499 students in grades Pre-K–4, H. & M. Potter Elementary School<ref>H. & M. Potter Elementary School, Berkeley Township School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref> with 629 students in grades Pre-K–4, Clara B. Worth Elementary School<ref>Clara B. Worth Elementary School, Berkeley Township School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref> with 663 students in grades Pre-K–4 and Berkeley Township Elementary School<ref>Berkeley Township Elementary School, Berkeley Township School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref> with 574 students in grades 5–6.<ref>Public School Directory 2021-2022, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Berkeley Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades 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.<ref>Central Regional School District 2016 School Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 14, 2017. "The Central Regional School District is located in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township and draws from the constituent districts of Berkeley Township, Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Seaside Heights, and Seaside Park."</ref> Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Central Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.</ref>) are Central Regional Middle School<ref>Central Regional Middle School, Central Regional School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref> with 842 students in grades 7 and 8 and Central Regional High School<ref>Central Regional High School, Central Regional School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref> with 1,568 students in grades 9–12.<ref>Our Schools, Central Regional School District. Accessed January 21, 2020.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Central Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Central Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> The high school district's board of education is comprised of nine members, who are directly elected by the residents of the constituent municipalities to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year.<ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Central Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education, June 30, 2018. Accessed January 21, 2020. "The School District is a Type II district located in the County of Ocean, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members appointed to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three members’ terms expire each year."</ref> Seats on the high school district's board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with Berkeley Township allocated five of the board's nine seats.<ref>Board Members, Central Regional School District. Accessed February 5, 2022.</ref>

Media

The Asbury Park Press provides daily news coverage of the township, as does WOBM-FM radio. The township provides material and commentary to The Berkeley Times, which also covers news from Beachwood, Ocean Gate, Pine Beach and South Toms River as one of seven weekly papers from Micromedia Publications.<ref>The Berkeley Times Template:Webarchive, Micromedia Publications. Accessed July 26, 2016. "First published in 1996. Serving Berkeley, Beachwood, Pine Beach, Ocean Gate and South Toms River in Ocean County, New Jersey"</ref>

WOBM-FM radio started broadcasting from Bayville in March 1968. The station relocated to studios in Toms River in 2013.<ref>Michaels, Shawn. "WOBM Is Moving – Join Us For A Look Back At Nearly 45 Years", WOBM-FM, January 20, 2013. Accessed March 21, 2023. "Townsquare Media has designed and constructed a new state of the art facility in Downtown Toms River (8 Robbins Street) and we are very excited to begin the new chapter for your 'Hometown' Station 92.7 WOBM. WOBM went on the air March 1, 1968 in these Bayville studios ....in the middle of a snowstorm!"</ref>

Transportation

File:2020-07-16 12 48 15 View south along New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) at Exit 77 (Berkeley) in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg

The southbound Garden State Parkway in Berkeley Township

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by The Ocean County Road Dept., Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Ocean County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>

The Garden State Parkway is the primary access route, with two exits, exit 77 and exit 80 serving the township.<ref>Garden State Parkway Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated August 2014. Accessed February 18, 2023.</ref> U.S. Route 9 runs through the eastern-middle part of the municipality while Route 35 passes through briefly and ends at the park road for Island Beach State Park. A small section of Route 37 also passes through Berkeley Township, near its junction with Route 35.<ref>Ocean County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 18, 2023.</ref>

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers local bus service between the township and Atlantic City on the 559 route.<ref>Ocean County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 26, 2010. Accessed August 9, 2012.</ref><ref>Ocean County Transit Guide, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed June 26, 2015.</ref>

Ocean Ride service is provided on routes OC1, OC2, OC7 and OC8.<ref>Ocean County Bus Service, Greater Mercer TMA. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Berkeley Township include:

• Tom DeBlass (born 1982), practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial artist signed with ONE Championship<ref>Bakan, Josh. "National Bullying Prevention Month Comes To Berkeley, CR Schools", Berkeley, NJ, Patch, October 10, 2019. Accessed July 16, 2020. "Tom DeBlass, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner from Berkeley, is giving a sportsmanship presentation to Central Regional's fall sports teams."</ref>
• Jazmyn Foberg (born 2000), artistic gymnast who was the 2014 US Junior National All-Around and Uneven Bars Champion<ref>Wall, Karen. "All That Jazzy: Berkeley Gymnast Wins National Championship; Jazmyn Foberg, 14, earns all-around title at U.S. Junior National Championships", Berkeley Patch, August 23, 2014. Accessed October 12, 2015. "Berkeley gymnast Jazmyn Foberg is the new junior national gymnastics all-around champion."</ref>
• Al Leiter (born 1965), former MLB pitcher who played for both the New York Mets and New York Yankees<ref>YES Announcers: Al Leiter, New York Yankees analyst, YES Network. Accessed January 25, 2015. "Leiter is a native of Bayville, N.J."</ref>
• Mark Leiter (born 1963), retired Major League Baseball pitcher<ref>Edelson, Stephen. "Learning to cherish their Time", Asbury Park Press, February 4, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Toms River players William Fleury, 12, Alex Civitello, 12, and Christian Wood, 12, listen to Mark Leiter, a former major league baseball player who grew up in Berkeley Township, on Tuesday during the Little League state championship banquet at the Berkeley Little League Complex in Bayville."</ref>
• Phil Longo (born 1968), American football coach who is head coach for the Sam Houston Bearkats football team<ref>"Coach", Daily Record, December 13, 1988. Accessed September 15, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Longo, 30, was born in the Jersey Shore community of Red Bank and grew up in Bayville, where he attended Central Regional High."</ref>
• Megan McCafferty (born 1973), author best known for her series of books about Jessica Darling, a witty teenage heroine<ref>Ervolino, Bill. "Jessica's a step behind her author", The Record, September 9, 2007. "Like her heroine, McCafferty knows her way around the Garden State, having grown up in Bayville before moving to Brooklyn and Manhattan and then getting married and settling in -- ahem -- Princeton."</ref>
• Herbert Irving Preston (1876–1928), private serving in the United States Marine Corps who received the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Boxer Rebellion<ref>Private Herbert Irving Preston, USMC Template:Webarchive, United States Marine Corps History Division. Accessed January 25, 2015. "Born: 6 August 1876 or 1878 in Berkeley, New Jersey"</ref>
• Augusta Huiell Seaman (1879–1950), author of children's literature<ref>"Augusta Seaman, Author Since '07; Writer of Many Children's Books Dies at 71--Serials Appeared in St. Nicholas", The New York Times, June 5, 1950. Accessed July 1, 2022. "Mrs. Francis Parkman Freeman, author of many children's books under the name of Augusta Huiell Seaman, died today at her home on Island Beach."</ref>

External links

• Berkeley Township website