Northvale, New Jersey

History

The borough of Northvale was formed on March 15, 1916, from the remaining portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1916. With the creation of Northvale, Harrington Township was dissolved. Portions of Northvale were transferred to create the borough of Rockleigh, as of March 13, 1923. The borough's name derives from its location and topography.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.298 square miles (3.362 km²), including 1.295 square miles (3.355 km²) of land and 0.003 square miles (0.007 km²) of water (0.20%).

The borough borders Norwood, Old Tappan and Rockleigh in Bergen County and Tappan (in the Town of Orangetown) in Rockland County, New York.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 4,640 people, 1,564 households, and 1,265 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,582.3 per square mile (1,383.1/km²). The borough contained 1,635 housing units at an average density of 1,262.3 per square mile (487.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 71.94% (3,338) White, 1.06% (49) Black or African American, 0.19% (9) Native American, 24.01% (1,114) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.14% (53) from other races, and 1.64% (76) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.15% (378) of the population. Korean Americans accounted for 16.3% of the population.

Out of a total of 1,564 households, 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the borough, 25.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 98.7 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 93.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $86,607 (with a margin of error of +/- $13,519) and the median family income was $89,125 (+/- $16,380). Males had a median income of $66,563 (+/- $14,582) versus $31,228 (+/- $7,496) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,404 (+/- $4,301). About 3.7% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 9 households in 2010, an increase of 50% from the 6 counted in 2000.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,460 people, 1,575 households, and 1,236 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,381.2 people per square mile (1,304.6/km²). There were 1,596 housing units at an average density of 1,210.0 per square mile (466.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.91% White, 0.76% African American, 0.07% Native American, 14.06% Asian, 1.17% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.73% of the population.

There were 1,575 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the borough the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $72,500, and the median income for a family was $81,153. Males had a median income of $50,901 versus $37,563 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,206. About 2.4% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Northvale is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Northvale, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Northvale is Democrat Stanley E. "Ed" Piehler, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Patrick Marana (D, 2016), Toni M. Macchio (D, 2018), Ken Shepard (D, 2017), Michael Small (D, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Roy Sokoloski (R, 2017) and Peter Sotiropoulos (R, 2018).

In December 2015, the borough council selected Michael Small to fill the seat vacated by Gloria Libby, who left office earlier that month to follow her employer, Mercedes-Benz USA, which had relocated its headquarters from Bergen County to Atlanta.

Federal, state and county representation

Northvale is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Northvale had been in the 39th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff). 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 37th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the General Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2015, the County Executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus; term ends December 31, 2018). The seven freeholders are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year, with a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Chairman Pro Tempore selected from among its members at a reorganization meeting held each January. Bergen County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chairwoman Joan Voss (D, 2017; Fort Lee), Vice Chairman Steve Tanelli (D, 2015; North Arlington) Chairman Pro Tempore John A. Felice (R, 2016; River Edge), David L. Ganz (D, 2017; Fair Lawn), Maura R. DeNicola (R, 2016; Franklin Lakes) Thomas J. Sullivan Jr., (D, Montvale, 2015; serving the unexpired term of office that had been occupied by James Tedesco before he was sworn in as County Executive) and Tracy Silna Zur (D, 2015; Franklin Lakes). Countywide constitutional officials are County Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale), Sheriff Michael Saudino (R) and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,699 registered voters in Northvale, of which 701 (26.0% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 560 (20.7% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,437 (53.2% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 58.2% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 77.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,100 votes (53.3% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 924 votes (44.8% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,064 ballots cast by the borough's 2,825 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.1% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,206 votes (54.9% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 949 votes (43.2% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 14 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,198 ballots cast by the borough's 2,798 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.6% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,188 votes (55.9% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 912 votes (42.9% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 14 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,125 ballots cast by the borough's 2,743 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.5% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.8% of the vote (876 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 32.6% (434 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (22 votes), among the 1,371 ballots cast by the borough's 2,739 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 842 votes (54.1% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 606 votes (38.9% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 73 votes (4.7% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 5 votes (0.3% vs. 0.5%), among the 1,557 ballots cast by the borough's 2,722 registered voters, yielding a 57.2% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

The Northvale Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Northvale Public School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 780 students and 43.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 18.1:1. As of the 2012-13 school year, Thomas Jefferson School (for grades K-4) and Nathan Hale School (for grades 5-8) were combined to create the Northvale Public School, as part of an effort to reduce costs associated with running two separate schools that shared a common campus and corridor.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, together with students from Harrington Park, Norwood and Old Tappan, along with students from Rockleigh who attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The school is one of the two schools of the Northern Valley Regional High School District, which also serves students from the neighboring communities of Closter, Demarest and Haworth at the Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest. During the 1994-96 school years, Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,287 students and 102.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1.

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 22.67 miles (36.48 km) of roadways, of which 20.11 miles (32.36 km) were maintained by the municipality and 2.56 miles (4.12 km) by Bergen County.

County Route 505 passes through Northvale.

Public transportation

Rockland Coaches provides service on routes 20/20T to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Saddle River Tours / Ameribus offers service on the 20 / 84 route to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.

In popular culture

The television show Ed, which ran from 2000–04, was filmed in Northvale. The interior and exterior shots for "Stuckeybowl" were filmed at the now closed and demolished bowling alley, formerly known as "Country Club Lanes". Housing for seniors ages 55+ now exists on the site.

In the 2008 USA Network series In Plain Sight, during the episode, Stan by Me, two FBI agents are murdered and a federally protected witness is kidnapped in Northvale.

Historic sites

Haring-Blauvelt House was built in 1810 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983.

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