What is Land-of-Sky Regional Council?

Land-of-Sky Regional Council is a multi-county, local government planning and development organization in North Carolina.   It is one of 16 such organizations in the state and serves Region B, which includes the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania. Land-of-Sky Regional Council is made up of chief elected officials – mayors and county commission chairpersons and alternates – from member governments, one private representative of economic development interests in each county and two at-large members. Members meets monthly to plan programs and set policies and goals to benefit the entire region.

The Council’s mission is to assist local governments in the region by solving problems and administering programs that reach across county and municipal borders. The Council conducts projects that directly benefit local governments and the region’s citizens and also acts as a consultant to local governments. In certain situations, the Council acts as facilitator in helping local governments cooperate to achieve regional goals.

A professional staff of 58 carries out more than 50 separate projects and assist local governments in meeting regional goals.

The Local Government Services Department provides an array of planning development, grant writing, facilitation and project management services to our member local governments. They also coordinate and manage regional economic, community development, and the environment projects.

The Aging and Volunteer Service Department is comprised of the Area Agency on Aging and Volunteer Services. The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) helps to determine the needs of older adults and works with counties to plan services to meet those needs. The goal of providing these services is to enable older adults to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. The Volunteer Services Department connects today’s over 55s with the people and organizations that need them most. We help them become mentors, coaches, or companions to people in need, or contribute their job skills and expertise to community projects and organizations. Their contributions of knowledge and experience make a real difference to individuals, nonprofits, and faith-based and other community organizations throughout our region.

Public interaction and support is essential to the efficient operation of all regional programs and services. Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s staff and programs strive to include a wide array of partners and organizations representing the full spectrum of community interests. We encourage individuals and organizations who are interested in specific programs to contact the Council.