It shouldn’t take years and years for property development progress in a city like Somerville, but it does.

Without bringing up the obvious Assembly Square issue and how long that’s taken to get to the point it’s at today, think about how long the debate will rage without much physically being done in Davis Square or Union Square as far as long term development of properties is concerned, then throw the possibility of transient living quarters into the mix.

Now move away from all that hustle and bustle in the squares and ask Stephen Smith of KSS Realty Partners how he feels about developing his 5-acre property in our fair city.  Sure, to your face he will tell you he is happy to work with the community, but watch his body language two and a half hours into a light to medium grilling by some silly ‚ÄúBowl and Board‚Äù Committee, and you have to feel bad for him for a minute ‚Äì just a minute until you do the math and realize he and his partners will make a lot of money when all is said and done.

Maybe Smith is right, developing in this city is like being lost in “the dark woods of Somerville,” but that’s just the way it is.