Town Plan and Zoning votes to undo 2024 Opportunity Housing amendment

January 5 meeting reopens zoning policy debate as commission restores prior language

The Woodbridge Town Plan and Zoning Commission met on Monday, January 5, 2026, for its first meeting of the new year, with a single substantive issue dominating both the public hearing and the Commission’s work session: whether to reverse the amendment to Section 3.2 of the Zoning Regulations — “Opportunity Housing” — that the Commission adopted in December 2024.

The meeting, held in the Senior Café of the Center Building, lasted a little over two and a half hours and was attended by more than 120 individuals. It included a public hearing, followed by extended Commission discussion focused on process, planning authority, and how zoning regulations should align with the Town’s broader policy framework.

Public hearing on reverting Section 3.2

The public hearing concerned a Commission-initiated proposal to revert Section 3.2 of the Zoning Regulations to the language that was in effect prior to the December 2024 amendment. 

Staff outlined the procedural background, explaining that the January 2026 action was intended to reconsider the December 2024 vote and, if approved, restore the earlier version of the regulation. Commissioners emphasized that the proposal did not introduce new zoning language, but instead would undo changes adopted just over a year earlier. It was also noted that no new zoning applications or site development plans were before the Commission.

A list of correspondence received was read into the record and included 25 items submitted. Public comments were made by 30 individuals at the meeting, addressing both substance and process. Details of all correspondence and speakers are included in the meeting minutes available on the Town website. Some speakers raised concerns about the pace and clarity of recent zoning changes and their potential impacts, while others urged the Commission to proceed cautiously and ensure that any housing-related amendments are clearly grounded in adopted planning documents.

Commission discussion: authority, timing, and planning alignment

During the work session, Commissioners engaged in a detailed discussion of the Commission’s role in shaping housing policy versus implementing adopted plans. Several members questioned whether the December 2024 amendment had moved ahead of — or without sufficient connection to — the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), which was itself in the process of being updated in late 2024 and throughout 2025. Read more in previous articles: BOS rejects draft POCD, and: Newly adopted POCD now in effect.

Commissioners also discussed how zoning text amendments will intersect with the work of the Board of Selectmen, the Town’s newly created Housing Commission, and with broader regional planning considerations. Questions were raised about whether zoning regulations should be adjusted incrementally or only after a more comprehensive policy framework is in place.

A recurring theme was process. Commissioners weighed how quickly zoning text should be amended, how much public understanding and engagement should precede regulatory changes, and whether reversing course roughly a year after adoption risked undermining public confidence — or, alternatively, reflected responsiveness to concerns that had emerged since the 2024 amendment was adopted.

Vote restores pre-2024 zoning language

Following discussion, the Commission took up the proposed action to revert Section 3.2 to its pre-December 2024 language. The motion framed the January 2026 vote as a corrective step, restoring the prior regulatory framework while allowing additional time for policy discussion, planning alignment, and public engagement around Opportunity Housing concepts.

The Commission voted unanimously to approve the reversion, effectively nullifying the December 2024 amendment and reinstating the earlier version of the regulation.

Additional business

In other business, the Commission approved a schedule of regular meeting dates through January 2027, received reports related to regional planning activities and the non-defunct Ad Hoc Housing Committee, and heard the Zoning Enforcement Officer’s report.

Looking ahead

The January 5 meeting highlighted continuing tensions between housing policy goals, zoning implementation, and public process in Woodbridge. With the POCD update recently completed and housing affordability remaining a regional and statewide concern, further discussion of Opportunity Housing and related zoning policies is expected.

TPZ meetings are open to the public and recordings can be viewed on the town’s YouTube channel, WGATV79. Click below to watch the full January 5, 2026 meeting recording.