TOMS RIVER, NJ – Mayoral hopeful Dan Roderick laid bare his vision for Downtown Toms River, distancing himself from the current administration’s plan for high-rise apartments and high-density residential buildings. Roderick said he believes the ongoing strategy is misguided, arguing that while it aims to boost commerce through increased foot traffic, the tax-free status of these apartments would impose an unfair burden on taxpayers and that adding more people to a downtown area with no real amenities isn’t going to solve any problems anytime soon.
Instead, he argued more apartments, with school tax exemptions like the large apartment building approved last week, will end with higher taxes for residents.
In his proposal, Roderick underscores the potential of Downtown Toms River as a destination, not just a residential hub. He suggests that the recently acquired rights to two new liquor licenses be confined to the downtown area, offering them at a minimal opening bid to attract business proprietors. The aim is to make the downtown lively beyond business hours, with these licenses acting as a catalyst to draw restauranteurs into the downtown district.
Roderick envisions transforming the current location of the aging Boatworks facility into an expansive pier similar to, but larger than the one in Belmar. He proposes the establishment of a township concession liquor license and a restaurant akin to the successful Red Fox Bar and Grill at Island Beach State Park, with additional liquor licenses on township property.
Roderick foresees a quadrupling of establishments serving alcohol, enhancing the downtown’s appeal for nighttime dining and events.
He also wants to see municipal boat and waverunner slips included at the new pier and Huddy Park, which could be leased annually, creating a buzzing marina center during the summer season.
He believes this and a new sprinkler park at Huddy would make downtown a hotspot during summer. Roderick proposes promoting Toms River downtown as a destination for boaters, with signs at Tices Shoal encouraging them to stop by for meals.
He has also mentioned bringing more entertainment and events into the Downtown area, even an outdoor seasonal ice rink. While Toms River has two ice rinks, they are indoors and have limited private ice hockey teams. Each rink is usually booked for hockey leagues, high school hockey practices, and daily games.
The seasonal outdoor rink would be downtown and open for public skating.
That downtown rink and waterpark could be funded through community development block grants, which would draw more visitors to the downtown area, skating in the picturesque beauty of the quaint village setting that would boost foot traffic during the winter months.
Furthermore, Roderick advocates for more fireworks displays and public events to draw people to the downtown area.
However, Roderick staunchly opposes any further apartment constructions and vows to revoke the current redevelopment plan, reiterating his vision of a downtown destination rather than a hub of high-rise apartments, especially taxpayer-subsidized ones.
Toms River has been grappling with the downtown area for decades, and so far, plans to bring in more residents have done little to help local businesses. In the last few decades, condos on the waterfront and an apartment building at the old American Legion site have not helped increase business in the downtown center.
Rodrick also stressed that for years, township leaders have emphasized the Downtown area while other areas of town could also see improvement, including Route 37 and Fischer Boulevard, commercial areas along a state highway that could be better utilized to attract more businesses. He said all of the township’s eggs should not be placed in downtown alone as Toms River offers plenty of opportunities for commercial businesses to establish themselves in the community.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Toms River officials eased the process of adding outdoor dining space, which proved very successful and lucrative for local restaurant owners. Now, that process is laden with red tape and roadblocks. Rodrick said that he would like to see the process made easier once again for restaurants township-wide and supports the ability for restaurants to continue providing outdoor dining outside of the weekly downtown nights out.
Rodrick said once downtown is established as a destination venue, then businesses will come on their own through free-market opportunities, but if the town continues subsidizing those projects and giving school tax breaks, it will compound school funding issues even more in the future.
The existing, now six-story apartment building will be not be paying school taxes but could be filled with young families with multiple children in the district and no revenue to cover the added expenses to the schools.
None of this can be done, however, if Rodrick is not elected mayor in November.
Today, he criticized his opponent, Ben Giovie, who has openly supported the existing redevelopment plan that includes up to twenty new apartment buildings, which can be approved up to twelve stories tall.
“Ben Giovine has openly supported and endorses the existing Downtown Toms River plan that starts with putting hundreds of apartment units in the downtown center,” Rodrick said. “That plan is not only reckless and dangerous, but the people of Toms River have been clear. That’s not what they want.”