Foothills Regional Commission has acted as a pioneer in the field of Agricultural development by writing Farmland Protection Plans and providing examples of how other Councils of Government can prioritize the preservation of their farmland.
The Federal government has decided to classify broadband as a utility and prioritize the creation of broadband infrastructure. They have decided to open the door for multiple broadband related grants to bring a reliable internet connection to rural areas. Foothills Regional Commission is working to help each of our member governments to administer this money.
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy is the document that guides the Community and Economic Development department of Foothills Regional Commission based on interactions with the community to assess current assets and future need.
The Foothills NC HOME Consortium is a group of governments coming together to receive Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds from HUD. Participating jurisdictions include McDowell County, which is serving as the lead entity, Cleveland County, Polk County, Rutherford County, City of Kings Mountain, City of Shelby, City of Marion, Town of Old Fort, City of Saluda, Town of Forest City, Town of Rutherfordton, and Town of Spindale.
Foothills Rural Planning Organization (RPO) provides transportation planning and mapping/GIS support to McDowell, Polk and Rutherford counties.
The Foothills Regional Commission’s Community and Economic Development team is working to update the Town of Forest City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) responsible for national policy and programs that address America’s housing needs, that improve and develop the Nation’s communities, and enforce fair housing laws. HUD’s business is helping create a decent home and suitable living environment for all Americans, and it has given America’s communities a strong national voice at the Cabinet level.
Since the Fall of 2017, Foothills Regional Commission has been working with member governments to develop a parks and recreation master plans. The development of these plans has involved establishing parks and recreation steering committees, researching the jurisdiction’s current and future conditions, analyzing the current state of the park systems, gathering substantial public input from park users and the steering committees, and developing a set of recommendations to help guide future growth of the park systems.
The Community & Economic Development Department at Foothills Regional Commission is conducting a housing study for Polk county to determine the housing needs and inform future planning efforts in the county. This study is being sponsored by Dogwood Health Trust.
