I was wondering if it would be feasible to remove the whole housing part of city building. Instead of picking where to place huts and learning civic to build houses why not just have an action like roadbuilding. You click on growth and the city grows and expands as long as you have enough prestige and food resources. If you don't click on growth the city still grows at a much smaller pace. Leave the city planning to deciding where to put all the other types of buildings like barracks and librarys and schools etc..

Just a thought and might make it flow a little better and have less of a click fest and tedium.