You mean, be decided by referendum? Which are possible to manipulate by dumping lots of money, although referenda may reduce backroom payoffs. Noneless, the politicians who decide or approve rthese things are supposed themselves to be democratically elected. There some problems and disadvantages.
What unit decides the referundum? This is not aa question to which there is an obvious answer, Here in Chicago the expansion of O'Hare airport is an issue and will require condemnation of certain houses in nearby neighborhoods. Is the electorate Schaumberg and Rosemont -- the people some of whose houses are at stake? Is it Will County, where O'Hare is Located? Is it the Collar counties of Chicago, all of which use the airport? The state of Illinois? Etc.
Also, condemnations are quite common and routine. Pipelines companies need easement to runa pipe through some farmland, the land is condemned, etc. There's some litigation about the price but it's basically an issue between the taker and the property owner. To politicize every such issue by calling for a vote on each issue would be a heavy burden on economic development and on the electorate. And you would end up with something like the Cook County ballot, which, with the elected judges that you literally need a guidesheet to know ho to vote for even if you are a lawyer, looks like the phone book. Put every condemnation issue on the ballot, not only will you delay development to whenever it is possible or convenient to hold an election, but you will simply space out the electorate. What the hell do I know about whether some farmland in Will Countyu should be condemned for a pipeline?
So it's not so simple or obviously excellent.
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