New Jersey Supreme Court Allows South Seaside Park Deannexation from Berkeley Township

The New Jersey Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of allowing South Seaside Park, a small barrier island community geographically separated from Berkeley Township by over 13 miles and seven municipalities, to deannex from Berkeley and seek annexation by neighboring Seaside Park. The Court found that Berkeley Township’s Planning Board acted arbitrarily and unreasonably by failing to conduct an impartial review of the deannexation petition and colluding with township officials to oppose it. Residents argued that the long and inconvenient commute to Berkeley's mainland for municipal services, often taking up to 45 minutes in summer, justified their desire to join the closer Seaside Park community, with which they share social and economic ties. While Berkeley Township would lose some tax revenue, the Court agreed this would be partially offset by savings in services no longer required. The decision ends a decade-long legal battle that began with a 2014 petition signed by over 60% of South Seaside Park voters and now requires approval from Seaside Park to complete the transition. This ruling is seen as a significant victory for the South Seaside Park residents who sought better alignment with their community interests.