Good stuff. Had to get some of the bickering out of the way first, I guess :-)

I agree about the money for services, practicalities need to be respected. I assume doing better in cities could lighten the load in other places, and that is where we can help the most people the fastest.

On the Democracy/Tyranny/Unanimity issue... A lot of regulation seems to be made for the "average person", and it can be difficult if you don't fit in that mold. From a democracy perspective I'd be happy if there were more (metaphorical) space for people who want to try something different, not just in the (disappearing?) unregulated boonies. I mentioned the Japanese federal zoning, but to be honest that does conflict with my tendency towards preferring more local control for most things, only passing control to higher authorities when all the localities agree. Tilting at windmills perhaps. But as a counterpoint I give you Switzerland! (I'm learning more about their more direct/local democracy, and it is interesting)

I still think that negotiating consensus should be the baseline goal in a democracy, trying to understand and accommodate those who strongly object if within the realm of possibility. I really want what I want, and I also want you to have what you really want.

Back to zoning... You threw out a number... I'm not sure if 99% approach zoning issues in the same way you would. You don't sound like a renter, or someone who moves frequently, or someone struggling to pay bills, or stuck with a bad landlord. Or someone having to deal with a corporate apartment complex putting the squeeze on them with valet trash charges and expensive bundled cable, or an unethical corpation falsely claiming damages against your security deposit. Or a 30 something millenial who doesn't fit the corporate mold and is worried to death about affording a place to live, a family, retirement, and loosing the rat race. Or someone who can only afford to live in a camper. Or someone who has to move back in with the kids to afford living on their social security check. Or one of those people outside Houston or Atlanta with a two hour commute. Or someone who doesn't have a car. Or someone down on their luck and would like a secure place to camp where they can get to a supermarket and a bus stop to get to work, and maybe a port-a-pottie, Or someone who lost their life savings all tied up in their house in 2009. or a multigenerational family. Coporations and rich developers can get variances for their profit optimized investments, but the little guy not easily. Well, you get the idea. I apologize, but I get worked up about all of that :-)

I don't know what the vote would be if more options were given to people. But there are a lot of people in a lot of places who are not happy with the way things are. Current zoning sometimes seems like a bad deal from some of these other perspectives, and I agree.

I'm still learning about all this stuff. Like I mentioned before, I am concerned about the financial incentives behind the status quo, and I'm also concerned about the impact to our culture. So many working families struggling even with two incomes, neighborhoods and neighbors replaced by commutes and strangers. The world has been changing fast. My grandfather was a steel worker, didn't finish high school, and owned an extra cottage near the lake and a retirement/rental in Florida. Zoning has such a huge impact on affordable housing (and transportation costs) for so many people. I assume that financiers and corporations aren't helping.

I imagine the basic supply and demand equation will be quite different in another decade or two when the demographically significant boomer generation are dying in large numbers. I think that we're lucky exception amongst developed countries to have a large millennial generation. The assumption is that birth rates will stay low. Maybe much of this will be a moot point.