Wyckoff Man Making Film About Long Road To Zoning Approvals

WYCKOFF, NJ — After Zachary Fox's father died of covid on Christmas Day 2020, he decided to move his family into his father's home in Wyckoff — the home he'd grown up in, where his mom now lived alone.

As he began renovating the home, he said, he ran into unnecessary roadblocks and frustrations while dealing with city boards.

Now, he says, he's going to make a documentary about his long road.

Fox grew up in Wyckoff and graduated from Don Bosco Prep School, he said.

He moved out, got married, and started a business based in Matawan.

After losing his father, he decided to come home.

"My dad was an amazing human being, one of my best friends," he said in an interview with Patch. "My mom wasn't going to be able to afford the house anymore. My wife and I decided to purchase it, and build a part of it out for her to live in."

Fox, the father of two children, met with town officials, he said, and basically told them: "I want to do this project. I've never done this before. What do I need to do?"

He used local contractors to streamline the process.

He said he followed the rules, but spent thousands in unnecessary costs. And then, he said, earlier this year — after more frustrations — a permit for his white fence was denied.

"Isn't that part of the American dream?" he asked, "Boy moves back into childhood home, puts white fence up..."

He alleges that mistakes were made surrounding his application for the 6-foot fence. Now, he says, he's refusing to remove it.

He said cronyism and conflicts have made it difficult to get approvals in town, and since he been speaking out about his saga, others have spoken up, too.

"Wyckoff has had the same cast of characters for 40 years," he said.

Fox said he wants to share what he's learned from the long road and red tape. He and business partners will begin filming his documentary next month.

"You would hope that during one of the most difficult times in your life, your town would be supportive, fair, transparent, and be there for you," he said.

When asked for comment by Patch, several officials said they could not comment on the specifics of Fox's case.

"This was never just a construction project," Fox said. "It was about keeping my family together, supporting my mother after the loss of my father, and rebuilding the home I grew up in, so that the next generation of our family could grow up there too."

People with something to contribute to the film can contact Fox at z.fox1124@outlook.com, he said.