Planning

Comprehensive Planning And Zoning

The Planning Department provides technical assistance to member governments for a wide array of planning activities; including comprehensive planning, land use planning, and development of zoning ordinances and maps. The staff assists local governments throughout the region with the development of comprehensive plans and land use plans that meet the requirements of the 1994 Local Government Comprehensive Planning Enabling Act. The Planning Enabling Act was established to consolidate existing planning legislation and to provide a standard method for communities to develop comprehensive land use plans. Staff also assists Local Planning and Zoning Boards to receive the certification training required by the Planning Enabling Act.

Demographic Research And Studies

The Planning Department provides services for socio-economic research and assists local governments with varied studies. Staff can create custom demographic profile reports that include population estimates and projections, income data, housing data, and consumer buying power data, among many other categories. The planning staff can also assist with housing studies, historic preservation surveys, business plans, trend analyses, locating funding sources for projects, and grant application development.

Other Planning Department responsibilities include transportation planning, Census 2010 partnership, hazard mitigation planning, strategic planning, GIS and mapping, and economic development.

For more information call the Planning Department at 803.649.7981.