Toms River rules fight real estate solicitors

TOMS RIVER - Faced with persistent complaints from North Dover residents about harassment by real estate solicitors, Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher and the Township Council plan to add a "cease and desist" provision to the township's anti-soliciting ordinance.

Kelaher and Assistant Township Attorney Anthony Merlino discussed the proposed ordinance change in front of a crowd of nearly 1,000 people who packed Toms River High School North's auditorium for a meeting about forming a neighborhood watch group for the North Dover neighborhood.

For months, residents of the area roughly bounded by Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway have complained that real estate agents from nearby Lakewood who are seeking properties for sale have harassed and, in some cases, attempted to intimidate residents into selling their homes.

"I saw what was going on in my local neighborhood...and I just didn't think it was right," said Jim Tobia, a North Dover resident who helped organize the meeting and is working with the police department to build a neighborhood watch group for the area. "This can help us solve problems that we see happening in our community."

Black and white signs reading "Don't Sell! Toms River Strong" have popped up throughout the neighborhood, a formerly rural area of poultry farms where expensive homes sprouted in the 1990s and 2000s. The slogan was also emblazoned on T-shirts worn by several members of the crowd.

The township has issued seven real estate canvassing permits in the last several months, all for permission to solicit real estate sales in the North Dover area. Tremendous population growth in the Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood has led real estate solicitors to seek properties in nearby towns.

"This is a pretty bold step," Merlino told the crowd about the proposed revisions to the solicting ordinance, which is expected to be introduced at tonight's council meeting. "I don't know of any other laws like this in the state of New Jersey."

Merlino said the revisions are based on laws in existence in New York state. The township attorney and business administrator would be authorized to investigate real estate solicitation in Toms River and hold a public hearing to determine what types of solicitation are happening, and in which areas of the township.

After receiving information from the attorney and administrator, the Township Council could create a "cease and desist" zone in certain neighborhoods if it's found that residents of those areas are being repeatedly solicited by real estate brokers attempting to purchase their properties.

No real estate soliciting would be permitted in that zone for a period of up to five years.

Residents who live within the zone who still wanted to allow real estate solicitation would have to opt in by filing a statement with the township clerk's office.

Kelaher said the New York measure had survived several court challenges. The ordinance revisions also include limiting real estate soliciting to the hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no soliciting allowed on Sundays or six holidays, including Christmas and Thanksgiving.

A procession of the township's professional staff employees – from Clerk J. Mark Mutter to Planner Jay Lynch to Police Chief Mitchell Little – explained to residents what steps Toms River is taking to deal with issues relating to soliciting and code enforcement.

Mutter encouraged residents to sign up for Toms River's no-knock registry and brought members of the clerk's staff to the meeting to help people register. Nearly 8,000 homeowners have signed up for the registry since it began in 2006.

Last night, 300 more signed up.

Police spokesman Ralph Stocco urged residents to call police if real estate solicitors violate the provisions of the no-knock ordinance. "We have already begun issuing summonses and charging people for violating the no-knock ordinance," Stocco said, to cheers from the crowd.

For more information about the North Dover neighborhood watch, email trneighborwatch@gmail.com.

Jean Mikle: (732) 643-4050, jmikle@gannettnj.com