The South Alabama Regional Planning Commission is primarily a planning agency that operates in an advisory capacity to assist its member governments in community development. This is accomplished through a planning and decision-making process which includes data collection and analysis, identification of problems, evaluation of alternatives leading to a solution of the problems, the adoption of policies and strategies and their implementation. The Commission’s community development planning activities are tailored to meet the specific needs of its member governments and to maintain their eligibility for federal and state funds and other forms of financial assistance.
The basic planning services provided by the Commission are: Local Planning, Planning Advisory Services, Special Purpose Plans, Regional Planning and State Planning. The department also provides technical assistance to member governments in the areas of planning and land use.
The Community Development Department administers the Commission’s Geographic Information Systems service. Through financial support from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the federal government, the Community Development Department provides assistance with the analysis and formulation of strategies to enhance the infrastructure and economies of local communities and the Region. These include assistance with collection and analysis and formulation of economic development strategies. The department prepares the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the Region. The CEDS program covers a period of five years, with annual updates, and identifies projects and possible sources to stimulate the economy of the region.
The department assists local governments in preparing grant/loan requests, grants management and direct application for grant/loan funds. The Staff also provides Environmental Review services to our member governments to ensure compliance with federally funded projects. We are also the designated LDD for the Delta Regional Authority, which is a federally funded program in Escambia County.
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