It took more than half a century, two trips to the New Jersey Supreme Court, and more planning board hearings than most people attend in a lifetime. But last Monday night, South Seaside Park, New Jersey finally got what it’s been fighting decades for: secession.
The Seaside Park Borough Council voted 6-0 to annex South Seaside Park, ending a 53-year campaign by residents of the small island community to break away from Berkeley Township—a mainland municipality they were geographically and culturally disconnected from.
Two Towns on the Same Island, Governed by Different Rules
The movement to secede was always rooted in geography.
South Seaside Park sits on the northern end of Barnegat Peninsula, wedged between Seaside Park to the north and Island Beach State Park to the south. It’s a narrow stretch of land—roughly half a mile long, 450 feet wide—home to a measly 400 year-round residents.
Despite being physically part of the barrier island, South Seaside Park was legally part of Berkeley Township, a mainland community separated by 2.5 miles of water and a 16-mile drive across the Mathis Bridge. Practically speaking, it never made sense.
Getting to Berkeley Town Hall meant a 40-minute round trip off the island. School-age children faced a 45-to-50-minute bus ride to elementary school. Snow removal lagged. Beach maintenance paled in comparison to its neighbors. Police response was slow.
Don Whiteman, president of the South Seaside Park Taxpayers Association led the charge to secede, according to The New York Times.
Whiteman is a second-generation fighter for the cause. His father started the original petition more than 50 years ago in 1973.
A first attempt to secede failed in 1981, when Seaside Park’s borough council voted 4-3 against annexation. The grievances simmered for three more decades until Whiteman picked up where his father left off in 2014.
This time, failure wasn’t an option.
The Money Behind the Fight
The fight to secede from Berkeley Township was never purely about the convenience. Taxes played a large part in the movement.
South Seaside Park represents just 1% of Berkeley Township’s population, but its property tax revenue accounted for more than 10% of Berkeley’s $62 million annual budget. Residents felt they were subsidizing a municipality that wasn’t holding up its end of the deal—and that they felt completely disconnected from.
For Seaside Park, the math works in the other direction. By incorporating the neighborhood, the borough could reduce its own tax burden by approximately 8%, according to a study cited during the annexation process.
The Fight Is Just Getting Started
Last week’s vote was a victory, but the mission isn’t over. Seaside Park and Berkeley Township now have roughly 60 days to negotiate the division of assets, debt, and tax revenue tied to the area. If no agreement is reached, a court-appointed panel could step in.
The stakes for Berkeley are significant. The township stands to lose control of assets including White Sands Beach, and officials have raised concerns about the financial hit. If Berkeley is able to sell off assets tied to the area, proceeds could potentially reduce annual debt service by as much as $11 million, according to WHYY. It would offer some relief to Berkeley taxpayers, but how much remains to be seen.
Following the vote, Berkeley Township Mayor John Bacchione congratulated Seaside Park, pledging to make the transition as smooth as possible. But, he also made clear that compensation for lost assets is non-negotiable.
A Win Decades in the Making
For Don Whiteman, the vote was personal—indicative of a victory that his father began fighting toward 53 years ago.
If the annexation is finalized, South Seaside Park will be unified with Seaside Park under a single municipality for the first time in more than 50 years. One barrier island, one town, one set of services.
For a community that spent half a century disconnected—both physically and culturally—from their own government, it was a long time coming.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.