Citytank on what it means when the naysayers have their say

In case you missed it, a set of opportunity-creating policy changes was recently shot down by some pretty standard NIMBY tactics, with the usual assist from the Seattle Times. Dan Bertolet has the must-read summary of how it went down, and the questions it raises about us as a community

...Consisting of relatively modest, low-hanging-fruit tweaks to the land use code intended to enhance livability and the local economy, the proposal has generated an astounding amount of opposition, most recently with a crowd of naysayers at a Council hearing that succeeded in getting one major component of the proposal thrown out. 

The psychology behind this scenario is complex. The ugly legacy of urban renewal still casts its shadow, and at the core we’re dealing with a wariness of change that is basic human nature.  But while this attitude can be an obstacle to progress in many U.S. cities, here in Seattle it has festered with a mix of timid political leadership and an expectation that everyone must be not only heard but appeased, to form a singularly toxic political dysfunction that would be an entertaining intellectual curiosity if it wasn’t so potentially detrimental to the future of the City.... From: Just Say Nay | citytank

'via Blog this'