I feel like the only way for this to work is for an individual with the rights connections and background to pull together an all-star team for all of the areas

I feel like the only way for this to work is for an individual with the rights connections and background to pull together an all-star team for all of the areas of expertise needed for city designed. Then combine all of these experts with some strict policy barring corporations over a certain size from doing business there, and limiting the number of properties a singular entity, individual, or groups of entities can control. Add in some actual infrastructure design choices that physically limit the ability for large scale businesses to operate efficiently and maybe it would work? So basically combine physical infrastructure limitations with policy limitations to influence culture. Promoting only small lifestyle type businesses and limiting the ability for one person or business to dominate the landscape might be able to deter the city from becoming just like any other. Obviously designing and running a city is incredibly complex with an unknown number of variables so the probability of success if very low. Still something I like to daydream about occasionally.