Raise the Hammer

@A Smith... Perhaps you've tried to talk to LIUNA? I promise you, you'd have more effect asking a brick wall to move out of your way than getting them to budge on their ideas of revitalizing downtown (i.e. letting buildings crumble and then "redeveloping" with parking lots etc). The reason we have zoning bylaws is to allow people to do what they want but not WHERE they want. If said "investor" wants a parking lot...by all means make one but not downtown where it's a proven fact that doing so is detrimental to the health of downtown. Perhaps you believe that humanity is "good" and that given the option the person who put this parking lot in place would have built an amazing building...chances are that you'd be terribly wrong. And since when is a parking lot a viable "business" for downtown? If you want to build a parking lot at least do it right! Make a parkade or underground parking with ground level occupancy for stores and shops and perhaps a floor or two of apartments don't pave the ground and set up a hut. That's insane.
Democracy is what now? Letting everyone do whatever they want without worrying about governments or elected officials stepping in? WHere I come from, that's called anarchy. In a democracy, governments are supposed to enact things that are for the greater good of the society and city they represent. Perhaps you can explain to me how building parking lot does that? You mention property rights...and they exist. However zoning bylaws are put in place to make sure that the individual exercising his right in a closeminded manner isn't able to damage the city's overall goals. You're empty arguments are typical of misinformed individuals who feel that they should be able to do whatever they want regardless of the outcome for the society they live in. Get real!