N.J. town drops controversial plan to seize church, replace it with park, after backlash

Toms River officials have abandoned a plan to seize a property belonging to a local church, ending a months-long battle that drew widespread opposition.

Mayor Daniel Rodrick said Wednesday that his administration will no longer pursue acquiring Christ Episcopal Church’s nearly 11-acre Washington Street site after a township poll showed most residents opposed the move.

“I ran for office because I wanted to represent the people of Toms River and what they wanted,” Rodrick told the Asbury Park Press. “Given the majority of the public do not support the acquisition, we will not be moving forward.”

Rodrick said his poll found 63% of respondents opposed acquiring the church, while 37% supported it.

At its Aug. 27 meeting, the township council voted unanimously against pursuing the purchase of the property, which Rodrick had once envisioned as a waterfront park with soccer fields and pickleball courts.

The plan was part of a broader downtown redevelopment effort that has been in the works for years, officials said.

The mayor had previously argued the township was “confident” it could legally take the site through eminent domain — a process that allows the government to pay fair market value without the owner’s consent — and believed the church would be a willing seller.

But church officials said they never intended to sell the property and vowed to fight any condemnation attempt.

Christ Episcopal’s attorney, Harvey York, called the township’s effort retaliation for the church’s proposal to build a 17-bed homeless shelter in Toms River — the first of its kind in Ocean County.

The Zoning Board rejected a variance for the project in June. And on Tuesday, York said church leaders decided not to appeal the decision, citing in part the township’s threat to seize the property.

Christ Episcopal Church has been part of Toms River for 160 years. Its outreach office, which opened in July 2023, provides meals, clothing and other support to residents in need.

The 10.8-acre property, valued at nearly $2.5 million, is owned by the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.

The council’s vote capped months of tension between township leaders and church officials.

In April, the council narrowly advanced an ordinance to allow acquisition of the church property and three nearby marinas through eminent domain, but a final vote was never held. The controversial plan was put on hold in June after backlash, when Rodrick said he would poll residents.

Thousands of supporters rallied in support of the church. As of Friday, a change.org petition had collected nearly 9,500 signatures, while a GoFundMe to cover legal expenses raised more than $25,000.

The Rev. Lisa Hoffman, minister of Christ Episcopal, said she and other church leaders expressed relief after the council vote but remain cautious.

“I will breathe another sigh of relief when we receive the document memorializing the resolution and finally be able to exhale when January 1, 2026 has come and gone,” Hoffman said in a message to parishioners.

“While I know it is hard to trust those members of the council and the mayor who have been a part of the misguided attempt to take our church home away from us, it is time for the healing to begin,” she wrote.