When it comes to development approvals, the rules aren’t always as clear-cut as they seem. This essay dives into a real-life planning commission meeting where two similar projects—just a block apart—got very different treatment. One developer was required to add costly brick to match the neighborhood, while the other was waved through with a sleek, modern design. What gives? The answer lies in how individual planners and commissioners interpret the rules, a concept explored in Street-Level Bureaucracy. As this story shows, when discretion comes into play, fairness isn’t always guaranteed—and sometimes, it just comes down to luck.
Episode music: Covert Affair by Kevin Macleod
License code: JVEUZMVSQP4E1IEM
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