The township is located on Long Beach Island, a barrier island along the Atlantic Ocean whose summer population swells to as much as 130,000, including part-time residents and tourists.[20] In October 2012, Long Beach Township was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, with township mayor Joe Mancini estimating that potential costs to repair the damage estimated as high as $1 billion across Long Beach Island.[21] As a result of the storm surge, flooding and high winds, dozens of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. After the waters receded, streets were left covered with up to four feet of sand in some spots.[22] Governor Chris Christie issued a mandatory evacuation order on October 28, and it remained in place until a full 13 days after the storm.[23] The township established a Sandy Relief Fund to assist residents in their recovery from the hurricane.[24]
According to the United States Census Bureau, Long Beach township had a total area of 22.036 square miles (57.073 km2), including 5.444 square miles (14.099 km2) of land and 16.592 square miles (42.974 km2) of water (75.30%).[4][18]
North Beach Haven (with a 2010 Census population of 2,235[27]) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Long Beach Township.[28][29][30] Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include the Long Beach Island communities of Bay Vista, Beach Haven Crest, Beach Haven Gardens, Beach Haven Heights, Beach Haven Inlet, Beach Haven Park, Beach Haven Terrace, Brant Beach, Brighton Beach, Haven Beach, High Bar Harbor, Holgate, Loveladies, North Beach, North Beach Haven, Peahala Park, South Beach Haven, Spray Beach, and the Dunes.[31][32]
The township is divided into four discontiguous land areas. The most populous, with most of the named places, is located north of Beach Haven and south of Ship Bottom. The Holgate section is south of Beach Haven; most of it is a wildlife preserve. Loveladies and High Bar Harbor form the northernmost, between Harvey Cedars and Barnegat Light. North Beach and Frazier Park north of Surf City and south of Harvey Cedars.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $77,396 (with a margin of error of +/- $15,929) and the median family income was $95,417 (+/- $12,507). Males had a median income of $69,922 (+/- $25,066) versus $59,688 (+/- $18,587) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $63,020 (+/- $9,706). About 2.3% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.[42]
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census[15] there were 3,329 people, 1,664 households, and 1,038 families residing in the township. The population density was 627.3 people per square mile (242.1/km²). There were 9,023 housing units at an average density of 1,700.1 per square mile (656.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.53% White, 0.24% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. HispanicorLatino of any race were 2.10% of the population.[40][41]
There were 1,664 households out of which 12.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% 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 2.50.[40][41]
In the township the population was spread out with 11.7% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 17.9% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 36.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.[40][41]
The median income for a household in the township was $48,697, and the median income for a family was $59,833. Males had a median income of $41,681 versus $31,528 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,404. About 3.8% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.[40][41]
Government
Local government
Long Beach Township has been governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government, by a three-member Township Committee, since 1936.[43][44] Commissioners are elected to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis in nonpartisan elections, with all current commissioner's terms of office ending on December 31, 2016.[3] The Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance in February 2011 shifting the nonpartisan elections from May to November, beginning as of the November 2012 election.[45]
On August 12, 2009, Commissioner DiAnne Gove was selected by Republican county committee members to fill the remainder of the term of Daniel Van Pelt in the General Assembly representing the 9th legislative district after Van Pelt had resigned after being arrested on corruption charges.[51]
Federal, state and county representation
Long Beach Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District[52] and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.[8][53][54] Prior to the 2010 Census, Long Beach Township had been part of the 3rd Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.[55]
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,955 registered voters in Long Beach Township, of which 544 (18.4%) were registered as Democrats, 1,215 (41.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,195 (40.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[61] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 96.9% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 107.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).[61][62]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.3% of the vote (1,166 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.8% (632 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (16 votes), among the 1,844 ballots cast by the township's 3,027 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 60.9%.[63][64] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 61.3% of the vote (1,441 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.8% (865 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (26 votes), among the 2,351 ballots cast by the township's 3,132 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.1%.[65] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.1% of the vote (1,499 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 35.6% (847 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (20 votes), among the 2,377 ballots cast by the township's 3,128 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.0.[66]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 81.4% of the vote (1,267 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 17.7% (275 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (15 votes), among the 1,570 ballots cast by the township's 2,960 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 53.0%.[67][68] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.7% of the vote (1,167 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 27.9% (512 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.6% (121 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (14 votes), among the 1,833 ballots cast by the township's 3,041 registered voters, yielding a 60.3% turnout.[69]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 66.33 miles (106.75 km) of roadways, of which 54.41 miles (87.56 km) were maintained by the municipality and 11.92 miles (19.18 km) by Ocean County.[81]
Public transportation
Ocean Ride local service is provided on the OC9 LBI North / South route.[82][83][84]
The LBI Shuttle operates along Long Beach Boulevard, providing free service every 5 to 20 minutes from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. It serves the Long Beach Island municipalities / communities of Barnegat Light, Loveladies, Harvey Cedars, North Beach, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Long Beach Township, Beach Haven and Holgate.[85]
^Eftimiades, Maria. "Long Beach Island Journal; When Summer Ends, Residents Take Back Their Way of Life", The New York Times, September 9, 1990. Accessed November 10, 2012. "That spirit is echoed throughout this 22-mile island, which connects to Manahawkin by four bridges across Barnegat Bay. And although tourism drops considerably in the off-season (according to the 1980 Census, there are 13,000 year-round residents), the population grows to about 130,000 in summer."
^Hutchins, Ryan. "Long Beach Island officials shocked at extent of damage from Hurricane Sandy", The Star-Ledger, October 31, 2012. Accessed December 24, 2013. "'You go back and look at images of '62,' said Long Beach Township Mayor Joe Mancini, referring to another devastating storm.... The cost of rebuilding is staggering: It will take at least $700 million to remake this 18-mile strip of land, an estimate that could certainly surpass $1 billion as more is learned, Mancini said as he surveyed the damage on the southern tip of the narrow barrier island."
^Township Code - Chapter 20: Municipal Elections, Long Beach Township. Accessed September 9, 2014. "§ 20-1. Elections in November. The election of members of the Board of Commissioners in the Township of Long Beach shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every four years commencing with the year 2012 pursuant to the authority set forth in N.J.S.A. 40:45-7.1. § 20-2. Terms of Commissioners. All Commissioners in office on the date of the regular municipal election in November of 2012 shall be extended to January 1, 2013. Such Commissioners shall serve until their successors have been elected and qualified and sworn into office on or before 12:00 noon January 1, 2017.
^Elected Officials, Township of Long Beach Township. Accessed June 28, 2015.
^Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^LAN Associates. Study of School Consolidation Long Beach Island, New Jersey, Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, January 21, 2011. Accessed September 25, 2013. "The Long Beach Island Consolidated School District serves the needs of the citizens of Long Beach Island including the communities of Barnegat Light Borough, Long Beach Township, Harvey Cedars Borough, Surf City Borough, and Ship Bottom Borough. The remaining community of Beach Haven at the south end of the island currently has its own school. The Long Beach Island Consolidated Schools serve children from the age of pre-school through sixth grade after which the students attend Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin."
^Southern Regional High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 2, 2016. "Located in Manahawkin, the Southern Regional School District draws from the constituent districts of Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Stafford Township, as well as the tuition sending district of Ocean Township (Waretown).
United States
New Jersey
