Vancouver city council’s recent 9-1 vote to approve a major new mixed use development at the corner of Broadway and King-sway came at the end of one of the longest public hearings in re­cent history. Councillors heard more than 150 submissions during six public hearing sessions on the Rize proj­ect that stretched for 24 hours in total. The hearing highlighted the debate about which direction citi­zens want Vancouver to develop in the future. Few oppose the idea of more density at key transit locations like this one. Everyone agrees such changes must come through a community plan, provide benefits for the neigh­bourhood and respect the com­munity’s heritage. That’s where consensus ends. There are significant divisions of opinion on the appropriate height of new projects, even though height is almost always required to provide the benefits that neigh­bourhoods are seeking for cultural amenities or affordable housing.