“Form Based Code” advocates always postulate the best of all worlds for their own plans; and the worst for everyone else’s. This follows the modern technique where one side of an argument also presents the case for the opposition – invariably to their detriment. [A real debate, like real public participation, is considered a dangerous throwback.]
These planners use the same arguments as dictators have always used: decision making by citizens is inefficient and contains too many varied and conflicting viewpoints for a properly directed society. And their vision of everybody rowing together under one authority does not preclude the use of galley slaves.
Like architectural drawings; where the buildings come first and the people are thrown in in later – Form Based Codes are all about power of codes; not the lives of people. Their vision is not about making people happy – it’s about making people conform.
In a time when the public has no meaningful say in policy making – it’s beyond foolish to increase the scope of government policy making power.
