The city council adopted the forum’s recommendation by a 7–2 vote. Two years later, a city audit found the policy increased housing units by 18% without significant traffic degradation. Citizen satisfaction with the process was 89%.
Hoby Buchanan (1965–2041) was a Rivermill city council member, high school civics teacher, and community mediator. Known for his ability to facilitate difficult conversations between developers, environmentalists, and low-income residents, Buchanan pioneered the “Rivermill Method” of consensus-building. His untimely death in a traffic accident galvanized local leaders to create a lasting institution in his name.