The futility of having a discussion on a major development proposal, BRA edition

Harry Mattison notes the BRA holds a meeting tonight about the proposed Lowe's, based on a 687-page draft report that he doubts any normal person could really understand even if they actually read it:

... In other communities, developers have agreed to fund an independent study conducted by and for the community. Even Harvard agreed to fund a $150,000 independent study in exchange for the Phase One wavier from the State. ... And all of this would be so much easier, less contentious, and more meaningful if the BRA had followed through with this idea for a neighborhood planning initiative. It sounded great 3 years ago, but then it silently vanished leaving us to these ad-hoc and uninformed debates. ...