I am amused that the architect called townspeople out for being Republicans, because in a "democracy" people are free to do whatever they want.

In fact, the more powerful the demos (the people) the less individual freedom we each have. When folks get to vote on zoning laws, sumptuary laws, paint colors, etc., then individual freedom shrinks.

Democracy merely means "people vote". It says nothing about freedom.

These are, at best, orthogonal.