Showerthought: Overheard a zoning board member say 'density isn't the enemy'

I was at a city council meeting last Tuesday for a new condo project. One board member said density isn't the enemy, bad design is. Hit me hard since I sell homes in a town fighting every new build. Made me rethink how I talk to clients about crowded neighborhoods. Anyone else see NIMBY folks block good projects over fear?

2 comments

2 Comments

dixon.daniel10d agoMost Upvoted

I remember a meeting where a developer brought renderings of a townhouse project with parking tucked underneath and some green space. The board shot it down because they said it was "too much change" even though the town is literally running out of affordable places to rent. So the real question is, if density isn't the enemy then what exactly makes a board like that say no to something that looks decent and uses land smart? Seems like theyre just scared of anything new.

caseyc3010d ago

Man, that story is too familiar. It reminds me of the time our HOA board spent a whole meeting arguing about the color of the new mailboxes. Like, two hours. People were literally shouting about "keeping the historic character" while the shared driveway was crumbling into gravel. So yeah, boards get stuck on the small stuff because it's safe. They can argue about mailbox colors or grass height all day because nobody's life changes if you pick beige over tan. But a whole new building with parking and people? That's a real change. It means admitting the old way isn't working, and nobody wants to be the one who says "I was wrong about what this town needs." That's the real reason they kill these projects. It's not the density, it's the admission that things have to be different now.