NIMBY Meets Maxwell Smart

A rollicking look at NIMBYism as seen through the metaphor of the Get Smart TV show.

"Mel Brooks, writer for Get Smart, assigned the character Maxwell Smart the title of Agent 86. The 86 comes from the saying 'to eighty-six something.' Meaning, everything that Agent 86 engaged turned into a disaster. The rise of the NIMBY industry in America has seen countless real estate projects get 86'd."

"One of the show's recurring gags was the Cone of Silence. Max would insist on following CONTROL's security protocols (notice & hearing); when in the Chief's office he would insist on speaking under the Cone of Silence -- two transparent plastic hemispheres, which were electrically lowered on top of Max and the Chief -- which invariably malfunctioned, requiring the characters to shout loudly in order to be understand one another.

The Cone of Silence can no longer keep the lid on development in the community. Land use professionals who try to keep their projects close to the vest are foolishly underestimating their opponents and usually empowering community grapevines."