Historic District Commission to seek city guidance on Zoom policy; verbally OKs expedited roof repair pending inspection

The Norwich Historic District Commission on its October meeting discussed meeting format for 2026 and whether to continue hybrid (Zoom/in-person) meetings. Chair Regan Minor said she will consult the city manager about available Zoom accounts and scheduling conflicts, and report back to the commission. Commissioners generally favored keeping the third-Wednesday 5:30 p.m. meeting time and expressed support for hybrid access to preserve applicant accessibility.

Why it matters: The commission routinely hosts public hearings that involve applicants who may not be local or who cannot attend in person; access to remote participation affects fairness and the number of applicants who come forward to apply rather than work without permits.

Hybrid meeting discussion

Chair Regan Minor said she had received unclear direction from the city about Zoom and hybrid meetings and would "go to the top" to clarify. (Chair quote: "I will certainly have that conversation with the city and report back to you guys.") Commissioners described past problems with double-booked city Zoom accounts and asked the chair to seek clarity on whether the city…