General Info

The Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission (Southwestern Commission) is the council of government (COG) for North Carolina?s Region A, covering the western most part of the state; Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain Counties and the 17 municipalities therein.The mission of the Southwestern Commissionis to improve the quality of life in its seven county service areaby assisting local governments in reaching their goalsThe state is divided into 16 regions, each region encompassing a cluster of counties and towns. COGs blanket the entire United States and are alternatively known by many terms; regional commissions, councils of local government, area-wide planning districts, lead regional organizations, and economic development regions. Whatever the name, each is structured similarly and serves a similar purpose- to assist and provide technical support for local governments within the region, ensuring that they partner with one another toward regional goals.