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Wyckoff, New Jersey
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Community The Fine Print
A homeowner built a fence and lost, 9-0, at a board most residents wouldn't guess handles fences — then sued. A mile away, another homeowner asked first and got a unanimous yes. Here's the local rule behind both stories, and the map of Wyckoff's two land-use boards you need before you build anything.
Public Safety
S1421 would require municipalities to formally budget for emergency medical services, potentially forcing the replacement of volunteer ambulance corps with paid staff.
A state bill requiring municipalities to budget for EMS could effectively end volunteer ambulance corps like Wyckoff's, where volunteers provide all emergency medical services at no cost to taxpayers.
Community
Three neighbors appeared in support as the board unanimously approved a second-story addition on a substandard corner lot — a project driven by the need to create an accessible first-floor bedroom suite for the homeowners' parents.
The owners of a substandard corner lot on Princeton Avenue won unanimous approval to add a second story, with the project designed to create first-floor accessible accommodations for the homeowners' aging parents and three neighbors appearing to support the application.
State & Local
New Jersey's affordable housing law cycles every ten years, and Wyckoff has been navigating its requirements since the 1980s. Here is the full picture of what the fourth round means for residents.
Wyckoff's affordable housing obligation cycles every ten years under a state Supreme Court mandate. The fourth round's overlay zones target commercial corridors and two financially strained church properties — and the fifth round begins in 2035.
Community
After four months of hearings that reshaped the project, the Planning Board unanimously approved a new retail building at the Cedar Hill Shopping Center — with conditions.
The Wyckoff Planning Board unanimously approved a new retail building at the Cedar Hill Shopping Center after a four-month review, with conditions addressing landscaping, driveway safety, and snow removal.
State & Local
The legal tool at the heart of New Jersey's affordable housing debate can override local zoning entirely. Here's how it works and what's at stake for Wyckoff.
Builder's remedy lets developers override local zoning in towns that haven't met their affordable housing obligations. Wyckoff is racing to meet a March 15th deadline to protect itself from this threat.
State & Local
An undersized lot on Auburn Street presented a clear hardship, the board found, as the owners received unanimous approval to add a second floor and covered front porch to a ranch-style home.
The owners of a Dutch Colonial ranch home on Auburn Street won unanimous approval to add a second story, with the board citing a clear hardship from the property's undersized lot.
Community
Three signature events and a full calendar of programming will mark Wyckoff's 100 years as an incorporated township.
Three signature public events — a formal gala in March, a Main Street street fair and fireworks in June, and a historic cemetery tour in October — anchor Wyckoff's year-long centennial celebration.
Infrastructure
Most of Wyckoff's 2026 road work is being paid for by county, state, and shared-service money rather than local property taxes — a condo association even bought its way onto the township's paving contract. But one long-planned project, Crescent Avenue, just slipped a year.
A roundup of Wyckoff's 2026 road program: the county's Wyckoff/Godwin Avenue repaving is done, Lawlins Road reconstruction is nearing completion, the township's resurfacing and ADA-ramp contracts were awarded July 21 with a condo association paying to piggyback on the public job, and Crescent Avenue turns out to be a longer multi-phase project than first expected, with construction now pushed to next spring.
Government
Zachary Fox is asking a judge to overturn the Planning Board's denial of his 441 Ellis Place fence application, arguing the board lacked jurisdiction, treated him differently than other corner-lot homeowners, and produced a legally deficient resolution.
Zachary Fox filed a lawsuit against the Wyckoff Planning Board on July 17, 2026, seeking to overturn its denial of his 441 Ellis Place fence application on jurisdictional, procedural, and selective-enforcement grounds.
Wyckoff, New Jersey
A regular roundup of town government, schools, and the stories that shape our community — free, no spam.
SubscribeBushda Recommended as Indian Hills Athletics Director
Superintendent Shauna DeMarco recommended Matthew Bushda, a 20-year Indian Hills teacher and administrator who is also an alumnus and…
Two Teachers Named District's First AI and Technology Specialists
Cindy VanderMolen and Michael Paravati were recommended as the district's first AI and technology instructional specialists. Both will…
Board to Consider Retroactive Diploma for Vietnam-Era Veteran
The board is set to award a retroactive Ramapo High School diploma to Edward Peplig, who left school to serve in the U.S. Navy during the…
Ramapo Elevator Down, Facilities Committee Reviews Scoreboards and Trees
The Finance and Facilities Committee reported the elevator at Ramapo High School is out of service and needs a motherboard replacement,…
Aging Sewage Plant Costs District $75,000 a Year
The Finance and Facilities Committee said an outdated sewage treatment plant is costing the district approximately $75,000 annually in…
District Recoups $612,650 Reselling Laptops
Business Administrator Matt Bouldin said the district has taken in $612,650 so far reselling its three-year-old laptop fleet, offsetting a…