Town Spotlight

LACEY TOWNSHIP

BY ERIN MCFEETERS

New-build communities, shore homes with a water view, and ranch-style homes with a backyard of pine trees—Lacey Township has something for everyone.

We’re a small town and we have small-town ways about us, and we’re always there to help each other out,” said Lacey Township Business Administrator Veronica Laureigh. “People in the community know each other and want to know each other.

Lacey Township encompasses the communities of Forked River, Lanoka Harbor, Bamber Lakes, and more. The township is on the coast of Barnegat Bay, nestled in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and is the second largest township in Ocean County, just behind Jackson Township at around 83 square miles.

According to New Jersey Realtors® February 2021 housing market statistics, the median sales price for single-family homes in Lacey Township is $277,500, a 15.6 percent increase over last February. Prices in the adult community sector of the market are on the rise, as well. In February 2021, the median sales price was $465,000 for adult community properties, a 10.2 percent increase over last year and nearly $190,000 more than single-family homes in the area.

The township’s unique location along U.S. Highway Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway which makes it easy for residents to commute to work. According to the Lacey Township website, the Garden State Parkway also serves as a divider under the 1979 Pinelands Protection Act. The act designates the area west of the parkway as a preservation area and prevents development under the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978. All development in the area is regulated by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, an independent state agency with a mission to preserve and protect the Pinelands National Reserve.

Within the west section of the township is the small community of Bamber Lakes.

It’s nice and quiet and a real close-knit community,” said Director of the Popcorn Park Animal Refuge John Bergmann.

Popcorn Park Animal Refuge is an animal sanctuary and permanent home to exotics, wildlife, farm animals, and birds who could not be safely returned to the wild. According to Bergmann, since they began operating in 1977, Popcorn Park has rescued over 200 animals and counting.

I’ve been working in Lacey since 1977,” said Bergmann. “It has a very comfortable feel, and you get to know the merchants and business owners and develop a comradery.

While the west side is quiet and mostly preserved land, the east side of town is where 95 percent of Lacey’s approximately 30,000 residents live. With access to both forest and bay, community members have a variety of things they can do, according to Laureigh. On a clear day, check out Sunrise Beach Pavilion to enjoy the sea breeze and catch a glimpse of neighboring islands such as Island Beach State Park.

According to njparksandforests.org, “By water, the [Forked River State] marina is a leisurely 15-minute ride to the “BB” Buoy, Barnegat Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway. Barnegat Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean are easily accessible.

Even with access to beautiful coastal water, unlike other shore areas, the township doesn’t rely on summer tourism. According to Laureigh, Lacey has an influx during the summer, but the population increases by only about 5,000 residents. With hiking trails, youth sports organizations, and a multitude of programs for the community’s seniors, Laureigh describes Lacey as more of a year-round community.