Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.309 square miles (3.391 km²), including 1.284 square miles (3.325 km²) of land and 0.025 square miles (0.066 km²) of water (1.95%).

Wreck Pond is a tidal pond located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Wall Township and the boroughs of Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, and Sea Girt. The Wreck Pond watershed covers about 12.8 square miles (33 km²) in eastern Monmouth County.

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Lake Como, Sea Girt, Spring Lake and Wall Township.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Villa Park.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 4,713 people, 2,316 households, and 1,202 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,671.3 per square mile (1,417.5/km²). The borough contained 2,972 housing units at an average density of 2,315.1 per square mile (893.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.61% (4,553) White, 0.64% (30) Black or African American, 0.15% (7) Native American, 1.08% (51) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.47% (22) from other races, and 1.04% (49) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.29% (155) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,316 households, 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.1% were non-families. 41.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the borough, 16.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 32.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 83.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 81.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $72,083 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,741) and the median family income was $102,173 (+/- $13,664). Males had a median income of $80,819 (+/- $9,463) versus $56,615 (+/- $7,658) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,370 (+/- $4,154). About 1.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 5,227 people, 2,511 households, and 1,358 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,947.7 people per square mile (1,528.9/km²). There were 2,950 housing units at an average density of 2,228.0 per square mile (862.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.28% White, 1.11% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.

As of the 2000 Census, 32.7% of Spring Lake Heights residents were of Irish ancestry, the 16th-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and fifth-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 2,511 households out of which 17.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.9% were non-families. 41.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the borough the population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 29.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $51,330, and the median income for a family was $64,345. Males had a median income of $48,640 versus $40,363 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,093. About 4.2% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Spring Lake Heights 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 Spring Lake Heights, 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. Most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Spring Lake Heights is Democrat Thomas P. O'Brien, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Sara J. King (R, 2018), Christopher Campion Jr. (R, 2017), Arthur Herner (D, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term) Robert T. Merriken (R, 2018), James Robert Shuler (R, 2017) and Thomas Vorbach (D, 2016).

In January 2016, the Borough Council selected Arthur Herner from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Thomas O'Brien until he took office as mayor.

Federal, state and county representation

Spring Lake Heights is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Spring Lake Heights had been in the 11th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Christopher Smith (R). 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 30th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R, Lakewood Township) and in the General Assembly by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and Dave Rible (R, Wall Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; term ends December 31, 2014), Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. (R, Spring Lake; 2014), Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2016), John P. Curley (R, Middletown Township; 2015) and Serena DiMaso (R, Holmdel Township; 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk M. Claire French (Wall Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (Farmingdale) and Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (Middletown Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,635 registered voters in Spring Lake Heights, of which 976 (26.9%) were registered as Democrats, 1,106 (30.4%) were registered as Republicans and 1,549 (42.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 56.3% of the vote (1,481 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.6% (1,122 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (28 votes), among the 2,654 ballots cast by the borough's 3,811 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 64.4% of the vote (1,326 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 32.8% (676 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (20 votes), among the 2,059 ballots cast by the borough's 2,692 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 64.0% of the vote (1,427 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 30.1% (670 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (30 votes), among the 2,229 ballots cast by the borough's 2,873 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.6.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 71.5% of the vote (1,365 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.7% (491 votes), and other candidates with 2.7% (52 votes), among the 1,942 ballots cast by the borough's 3,831 registered voters (34 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.8% of the vote (1,144 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 23.3% (388 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.7% (95 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (11 votes), among the 1,663 ballots cast by the borough's 2,593 registered voters, yielding a 64.1% turnout.

Education

The Spring Lake Heights School District, located on a 12-acre (49,000 m²) campus, serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Spring Lake Heights Elementary School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 505 students and 35.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.4:1.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Manasquan High School in Manasquan, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Manasquan Public Schools. Manasquan High School also serves students from Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt and Spring Lake, who attend Manasquan High School as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective districts. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,012 students and 67.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.9:1.

Students from the borough, and all of Monmouth County, are eligible to attend one of the magnet schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District — Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Academy of Allied Health & Science, High Technology High School, Biotechnology High School, and Communications High School.

Spring Lake Heights students are also served by Saint Catharine School (grades K-8) in Spring Lake and St. Rose High School (9-12) in Belmar, which operate under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 18.78 miles (30.22 km) of roadways, of which 15.63 miles (25.15 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.48 miles (2.38 km) by Monmouth County and 1.67 miles (2.69 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 71 (Seventh Avenue) which traverses the borough, from Sea Girt in the south to Wall Township in the north. County Route 524 (Allaire Road) heads across Spring Lake Heights from Wall Township in the west to its eastern terminus where it meets Route 71 in the eastern portion of the borough. Route 35 just misses the northwest corner of the borough.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers train service at the Spring Lake station on the North Jersey Coast Line. NJ Transit bus service is available between the borough and Philadelphia on the 317 route, with local service offered on the 830 route.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Spring Lake Heights include: