Lower Township, New Jersey

History

Lower Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships established by the Township Act of 1798.

Portions of the township were taken to form Cape Island Borough (March 8, 1848, now known as Cape May city), Cape May Point borough (created April 19, 1878, restored to Lower Township on April 8, 1896, recreated April 6, 1908), Holly Beach (April 14, 1885, now part of Wildwood city), South Cape May (August 27, 1894; restored to Lower Township after the borough was dissolved on April 30, 1945), Wildwood Crest (April 6, 1910) and North Cape May (March 19, 1928; restored to Lower Township after it was dissolved on April 30, 1945). The township's name came from its location when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Middle Township and Upper Township were created.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 31.015 square miles (80.327 km²), including 27.740 square miles (71.846 km²) of land and 3.275 square miles (8.482 km²) of water (10.56%).

Diamond Beach (2010 Census population of 136), Erma (2,134), North Cape May (3,226) and Villas (9,483) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Lower Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bennett, Cold Spring, Cold Spring Inlet, Ephraims Island, Fishing Creek, Higbees Landing, Miami Beach, Schellingers Landing, Sewells Point, South Cape May, Sunset Beach, Town Bank, Weers Landing and Wildwood Gables.

Lower Township borders Middle Township, Wildwood City, Wildwood Crest Borough, Cape May City, West Cape May Borough, Cape May Point Borough, the Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 22,866 people, 9,579 households, and 6,351 families residing in the township. The population density was 824.3 per square mile (318.3/km²). The township contained 14,507 housing units at an average density of 523.0 per square mile (201.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.24% (21,549) White, 1.99% (456) Black or African American, 0.16% (37) Native American, 0.62% (142) Asian, 0.04% (10) Pacific Islander, 1.20% (275) from other races, and 1.74% (397) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.24% (969) of the population.

Out of a total of 9,579 households, 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the township, 19.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females the census counted 90.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 86.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $51,101 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,460) and the median family income was $62,587 (+/- $7,438). Males had a median income of $50,572 (+/- $3,361) versus $35,978 (+/- $2,297) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,175 (+/- $1,295). About 6.6% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 22,945 people, 9,328 households, and 6,380 families residing in the township. The population density was 813.0 people per square mile (313.9/km²). There were 13,924 housing units at an average density of 493.4 per square mile (190.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.26% White, 1.39% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.

There were 9,328 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $38,977, and the median income for a family was $45,058. Males had a median income of $35,201 versus $24,715 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,786. About 5.3% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Lower Township operates within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Council-Manager form of government which was adopted in 1984. The council is composed of five council members (Mayor, Council Member-at-Large, and three Ward seats), each elected on a partisan basis to four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two seats (mayor and council at-large) or the three ward seats are up for election every other year on an alternating basis as part of the November general election.

The Mayor presides at all Council meetings and has a voice and vote in the proceedings. Powers are limited to those expressly conferred by the Charter. The Manager serves the Council for an indefinite term of office and may be removed by a majority vote of the Council. The Manager is the chief executive and administrator of the Township.

As of 2016, members of the Lower Township Council are Mayor Michael E. Beck (I, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Norris Clark (I, 2016), 1st Ward Council Member Thomas Conrad (R, 2018), 2nd Ward Council Member David Perry (R, 2018) and 3rd Ward Council Member Erik Simonsen (R, 2018).

Erik Simonsen won a special election in November 2013 to fill the seat of Glenn Douglass, who had resigned two months earlier and whose seat had been filled on an interim basis by Jackie Henderson.

Federal, state and county representation

Lower Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 1st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township) and in the General Assembly by Bob Andrzejczak (D, Middle Township) and R. Bruce Land (D, Vineland). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Cape May County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Director and another to serve as Vice-Director. As of 2015, Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton (Middle Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio (Sea Isle City, 2015), Kristine Gabor (Upper Township, 2017), E. Marie Hayes (Ocean City, 2016), and Will Morey (Wildwood Crest, 2017). The county's constitutional officers are Sheriff Gary Schafer (Middle Township, 2017), Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard (Ocean City, 2017), and County Clerk Rita Fulginiti (Ocean City, 2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 14,612 registered voters in Lower Township, of which 3,000 (20.5%) were registered as Democrats, 5,902 (40.4%) were registered as Republicans and 5,702 (39.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 52.6% of the vote (5,493 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 46.2% (4,823 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (120 votes), among the 10,534 ballots cast by the township's 15,217 registered voters (98 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 52.2% of the vote (5,831 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 45.1% (5,040 votes), with 11,177 ballots cast among the township's 14,435 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 54.3% of the vote (5,951 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 44.1% (4,830 votes), with 10,961 ballots cast among the township's 14,709 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.5.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.8% of the vote (4,909 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.6% (1,913 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (115 votes), among the 7,142 ballots cast by the township's 14,910 registered voters (205 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 51.6% of the vote (3,712 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 40.1% (2,882 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0% (433 votes), with 7,190 ballots cast among the township's 14,989 registered voters, yielding a 48.0% turnout.

Education

The Lower Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's four schools had an enrollment of 1,826 students and 138.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.16:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Memorial School (PreK and K; 425 students), Carl T. Mitnick School (1 and 2; 451), Maud T. Abrams School (3 and 4; 474) and Charles W. Sandman Consolidated School (5 and 6; 476).

The Lower Township School District participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows non-resident students to attend the district's schools without cost to their parents, with tuition paid by the state. Available lots are announced annually by grade.

For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which also serves students from Cape May City and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point who attend the district as part of a sending/receiving relationship. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Richard M. Teitelman Middle School (grades 7 and 8; 524 students) and Lower Cape May Regional High School (9-12; 905).

There are also two private Catholic schools in close proximity to Lower Township, Cape Trinity Catholic (pre-K to 8) in Wildwood and Wildwood Catholic High School (9-12) in North Wildwood, both of which operate under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.

Transportation

Mile marker 0 of the Garden State Parkway is in Lower Township, at the intersection with Route 109. U.S. Route 9 passes through the township, as do Route 109, Route 162 and Ocean Drive.

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 179.10 miles (288.23 km) of roadways, of which 131.92 miles (212.30 km) were maintained by the municipality, 33.83 miles (54.44 km) by Cape May County and 6.87 miles (11.06 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 6.48 miles (10.43 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

NJ Transit offers bus service on the 313 and 315 routes between Cape May / Wildwood / Philadelphia, on the 552 between Cape May and Atlantic City, with seasonal service on the 319 route serving shore points between Cape May and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City's Midtown Manhattan.

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal is located in North Cape May. Operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the ferry makes the 17-mile (27 km) trip between Lower Township and Lewes, Delaware in 85 minutes, carrying passengers and vehicles. The Delaware River and Bay Authority operates a shuttle bus service that connects the ferry terminal with the Cape May Transportation Center in Cape May in the summer months and to the Cape May County Park & Zoo in July and August.

Points of interest

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lower Township include: