Editing Woodbridge, Connecticut (section)

== History ==

Woodbridge was originally called "Amity", having been carved out of land originally belonging to [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]] and [[Milford, Connecticut|Milford]] as an independent parish in 1739. In 1742, the Rev. Benjamin Woodbridge was ordained in Amity, and it is after him that the modern town was named. Woodbridge was incorporated in 1784.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoEyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA335|year=1903|publisher=Connecticut Magazine Company|page=335}}</ref>

In 1661, the town was the location of one of the hideouts of the "[[List of regicides of Charles I|Regicides]]"—three of the judges who signed the death warrant for King [[Charles I of England]]. The ruins of their hideout can be found on the nearby [[West Rock]] ridge, which runs along the town's eastern border.

[[Thomas Darling]] (1720–1789), a tutor at Yale College and later an entrepreneur in New Haven, moved to town in 1774. His home is now the [[Darling House Museum]], operated by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society.<ref>[http://www.woodbridgehistory.org/ "History" web page], Amity & Woodbridge Historical Association website, retrieved February 6, 2008,</ref> The original farms of Woodbridge were located in the area of the West River Valley known as [[The Flats (Woodbridge)|The Flats]].
<!--[http://westrivervalley.wordpress.com/ The Flats]".-->

In the modern era, Woodbridge has undergone significant [[suburbanization]].

Following the onset of the [[George Floyd protests|2020 George Floyd protests]], Woodbridge and other affluent towns in [[Connecticut]] have faced criticism from certain civic organizations alleging the practice of [[exclusionary zoning]]. In early 2021, local housing advocacy group Open Communities Alliance called upon Woodbridge to amend its [[Zoning|zoning codes]] to allow for more housing developments, and enable more low-income and minority residents to live in the town.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Prevost |first=Lisa |date=2021-02-26 |title=A Push for Zoning Reform in Connecticut |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/realestate/connecticut-zoning-reform.html |url-status=live |access-date=2022-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922005315/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/realestate/connecticut-zoning-reform.html |archive-date=2022-09-22 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The group cited that just 0.2% of Woodbridge’s land area permits two-family dwellings.<ref name=":0" /> In response to efforts by the group, Woodbridge's Town Plan and Zoning Commission approved a revision in June 2021 to the town's zoning rules to allow for multi-family homes and ADUs on 2% of the town's land.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thiel |first=Bettina |date=2021-06-24 |title=Zoning Opens Door to Affordability Concept |url=https://woodbridgetownnews.com/zoning-opens-door-to-affordability-concept/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407203229/https://woodbridgetownnews.com/zoning-opens-door-to-affordability-concept/ |archive-date=2022-04-07 |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=Woodbridge Town News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Jacqueline Rabe |date=2021-06-08 |title=Woodbridge zoning officials take a small step toward affordable housing |url=http://ctmirror.org/2021/06/08/woodbridge-zoning-officials-take-a-small-step-toward-affordable-housing/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=[[CT Mirror]] |language=en-US}}</ref> The Open Communities Alliance voiced disappointment regarding the scale of the change,<ref name=":1" /> and filed a lawsuit alleging Woodbridge was in violation of Connecticut's Zoning Enabling Act and Fair Housing Act in August 2022 in a case which has attracted statewide attention.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monk |first=Ginny |date=2022-08-30 |title=Lawsuit claims Woodbridge zoning policy violates civil rights law |url=http://ctmirror.org/2022/08/30/woodbridge-ct-zoning-policy-housing-law-lawsuit/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=[[CT Mirror]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-08-30 |title=Civil Rights Group Sues Woodbridge Over Zoning Practices |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/civil-rights-group-sues-woodbridge-over-zoning-practices/2862011/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=[[NBC Connecticut]] |language=en-US}}</ref>