Friday Video: Would Our Cities Be Better Off Without Public Hearings?

For obvious reasons, a lot of sustainable transportation advocates are re-focusing their energies on a local level right now and strategizing about how to give more people opportunity stop live to walkable, transit-rich neighborhoods — no matter what Washington is doing. And that’s why there’s no better time than the present to confront one of the most stubborn barriers to new housing, in-neighborhood services, bike lanes, bus lanes and more: the infamous public hearing.

In the latest video from the excellent Canadian series “About Here,” host and urban planner Uytae Lee unpacks why public meetings seem so important on paper — not least because of the legacy of destructive highway projects that didn’t require them — but end up being so undemocratic in reality. And then, he suggests a better process that might actually represent the will of the people, rather than just the handful of cranky neighbors who have the time, energy, and privilege to show up … or the politicians who often ignore them anyway.

It’s a great video (and check out the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of Friend of Streetsblog and “War On Cars” podcast host Doug Gordon getting shoved at 3:41.)