NJ: Initiative To Transform Lakewood Township Into a Thriving City

Lakewood Township has grown exponentially in recent years, both in population and economic activity

Transforming Lakewood Township into a City: Why It Matters

Lakewood Township has grown exponentially in recent years, both in population and economic activity. With this rapid development, the current township structure faces significant challenges in delivering essential services, maintaining infrastructure, and planning for future growth. This petition aims to transform Lakewood into a city, which would bring numerous benefits to residents, businesses, and the overall community.

Key Benefits of Becoming a City
1. Improved Local Governance
Transitioning from a township to a city would provide Lakewood with a more streamlined and effective form of government. City governance often allows for better representation, more transparency, and greater accountability. This would enable faster decision-making and better responsiveness to the needs of the community.

2. Enhanced Public Services
As a city, Lakewood would have increased access to state and federal funding for essential services such as public safety, sanitation, road maintenance, and public transportation. This would result in a higher quality of life for residents through better infrastructure and amenities.

3. Stronger Economic Development
City status would likely attract more businesses and investors due to the improved infrastructure, better planning capabilities, and a more stable governance structure. This would lead to job creation, increased property values, and a more vibrant local economy.

4. Better Urban Planning
With the pressures of a growing population, Lakewood needs long-term planning for housing, traffic management, and green spaces. As a city, Lakewood would have more resources and authority to implement comprehensive urban planning strategies to manage growth effectively.

5. Local Autonomy
Currently, many decisions affecting Lakewood are influenced by county or state authorities. Achieving city status would grant Lakewood more autonomy over issues such as zoning, education, and development, empowering local leaders to prioritize the community’s unique needs.

Why Now?

Lakewood has reached a critical point in its development. The township structure, designed for smaller populations and lower-density areas, struggles to keep pace with the needs of a rapidly expanding community. Residents deserve a government structure capable of addressing current challenges and planning for a sustainable future. This petition reflects a collective desire for positive change and a brighter future for Lakewood.

Call to Action

We invite all residents, business owners, and stakeholders to join the movement by signing and sharing the petition. Together, we can take this important step toward transforming Lakewood into a thriving city that meets the needs of today while preparing for tomorrow.

#LakewoodDeservesBetter #CityStatusNow #TransformLakewood

The petition calls to merge Lakewood and the surrounding New Jersey townships which are located in Ocean County, including Toms River, Jackson, Brick and Manchester into one city.
To Sign The Petition: Click Here

Update: FrumNews has been informed by elected officials that Howell, NJ, is not considered to be included in this proposal—since Howell is part of Monmouth County while Lakewood/Jackson/Brick/Toms River/Manchester and nearby neighborhoods are all part of Ocean County, NJ. It’s simpler with less bureaucracy to merge townships which are already located in the same county into a city—than a town that’s under a different jurisdiction and county like Howell.

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57 Comments

  • Brick Resident 01/31/2025 | ב' שבט התשפ"ה

    Brick is a big No way…

  • CTL 01/31/2025 | ב' שבט התשפ"ה

    YES!!!!!! An idea whose time has come.

  • Lcr 01/30/2025 | א' שבט התשפ"ה

    If I wanted to live in a city I would have moved up north. Live our area alone don’t like it move

  • Opposing petition 01/24/2025 | כ"ד טבת התשפ"ה

    Why is there no petition to sign if your against it only if your for it?

  • Homeowner 01/21/2025 | כ"א טבת התשפ"ה

    Not interested in Jackson merging with Lakewood.

  • Concerned Toms River resident. 01/19/2025 | י"ט טבת התשפ"ה

    No, no, no!

  • United Jersey 01/15/2025 | ט"ו טבת התשפ"ה

    I think this is a great proposal. BUT this isn’t just about Lakewood, it’s about all the towns in Ocean County getting “City status” the townships will stay mostly the same, the only difference would be more involvement from a state and federal level to better each location. Better roads, infrastructure, Lighting, snow removal, public transportation.

  • Toms River resident 01/14/2025 | י"ד טבת התשפ"ה

    Thats a BIG no for Toms River .

  • Financial Impact? 01/12/2025 | י"ב טבת התשפ"ה

    What are the costs of transitioning to a city, and how would they be covered? Would taxes increase?

  • Mrs.K 01/12/2025 | י"ב טבת התשפ"ה

    NO WAY!

  • Resident 01/12/2025 | י"ב טבת התשפ"ה

    No way! I’ll never sign this!

  • Jackson resident 01/11/2025 | י"א טבת התשפ"ה

    As a school bus driver, I see many kids missing out on busing daily. Making Lakewood a city would improve infrastructure, expand busing, and provide real benefits to working families—safer streets, better transportation, and more services for everyone.

  • Resident of Brick 01/11/2025 | י"א טבת התשפ"ה

    Never would sign this!

  • This is the stupid idea I have ever heard. 01/11/2025 | י"א טבת התשפ"ה

    This is ridiculous and so out of touch for surrounding towns they are trying to merge. As someone who grew up in Jackson and know all these towns ion personal levels and still having loved ones living in these towns.

    These area are suburbs for a reason. Jackson alone has so much undeveloped land. Geographically speaking it makes zero sense and none of the towns resembles cities by definition, population standards, economic activities slightly, infrastructure.

    It will hurt business so much in the long run. And many small businesses can’t afford any hiccups dying these times. And don’t get me started on how it will increase Taxes in the area ESPECIALLY property taxes.

  • Dor 01/10/2025 | י' טבת התשפ"ה

    Toms River should stay the way is!!
    No No No!!

  • Ocean County 01/10/2025 | י' טבת התשפ"ה

    Do this and i move

  • Brick resident. 01/10/2025 | י' טבת התשפ"ה

    Brick don’t want the illegal immigrant criminals that invaded the USA & are hanging out in downtown Lakewood, cities attract migrants, we are not looking for that.

  • Frustrated with the Idea your trying to implement 01/10/2025 | י' טבת התשפ"ה

    I do not feel merging with these other towns will help the community.
    I lived in Lakewood for 22 years abed had to move because there taxes jumped triple almost quadruple
    I could not afford that anymore.
    Also the other towns are struggling themselves adding all those towns still will not help with all the building and the over population that is already in all these towns
    there’s way too many people now
    Again merging is not the answer.

  • Jackson resident 01/10/2025 | י' טבת התשפ"ה

    It’s already one big city now anyway, traffic is a nightmare, might as well include Howell in with the merger.

  • Concerned Ocean County Resident that pays taxes 01/09/2025 | ט' טבת התשפ"ה

    Stop building and have residents continue to pay taxes to their own town, we don’t want a change.

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