Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board

Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board
Name	Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board
Abbreviation	STC
Formation	1968
Type	Regional planning agency
Headquarters	Binghamton, New York
Region served	Broome County, Tioga County
Leader title	Executive Director

Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board is a regional planning and development organization serving parts of New York State. It coordinates planning, economic development, transportation, environmental management, and grant administration across counties in the Southern Tier. The board works with federal agencies, state authorities, municipal governments, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations to advance infrastructure projects, public transit, land use planning, and community development initiatives.

History

The board was established in the late 1960s amid statewide efforts such as the New York State Department of Transportation reorganization and the federal Economic Development Administration programs to create regional entities like the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the Genesee Transportation Council. Early collaborations included projects with State University of New York at Binghamton, regional offices of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and county administrations in Broome County, New York and Tioga County, New York. Over decades the board engaged with initiatives associated with the Interstate Highway System, the New York State Thruway Authority, and environmental laws following the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act to shape regional infrastructure and water resource planning.

Governance and Organization

The board operates under a policy framework similar to metropolitan planning organizations and regional councils such as the Genesee Transportation Council and the Capital District Transportation Committee. Its governing body comprises elected officials from municipal and county governments, representatives from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, local chambers like the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, and appointees from academic partners including Binghamton University. Administrative functions mirror practices from the Council of Governments (United States) model with committees on transportation, environmental review, and economic development, and staff roles aligned with federal program requirements from the Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Programs and Services

Programs include transportation planning related to the Federal Highway Administration requirements, transit assistance linked to the Broome County Transit operations, and infrastructure grant administration for projects funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the Economic Development Administration. Services extend to comprehensive planning, zoning technical assistance often coordinated with county planning departments, environmental review consistent with New York State Department of State guidance, and brownfield remediation planning similar to programs run by the Environmental Protection Agency. The board also facilitates workforce development collaborations with entities such as New York State Department of Labor and regional workforce investment boards.

Regional Planning and Projects

Regional initiatives have included multimodal freight studies referencing corridor connections to the Norfolk Southern Railway, riverfront redevelopment along the Susquehanna River, and downtown revitalization projects similar to those funded through the HUD Community Development Block Grant program. The board has coordinated hazard mitigation planning in line with the Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines and watershed projects working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. Transportation projects have intersected with state routes and connections to Interstate 81 and Interstate 86, and have supported bicycle and pedestrian planning consistent with national best practices from the National Association of Development Organizations.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include federal grants from the Federal Highway Administration, formula funds administered by the New York State Department of Transportation, competitive awards from the Economic Development Administration, and state grants tied to programs administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Partnership networks involve county governments such as Broome County, New York, municipal governments like the City of Binghamton, regional economic development agencies, nonprofit organizations including community development corporations, and academic partners such as Binghamton University and the State University of New York system.

Impact and Performance

The board’s performance metrics have tracked transportation project delivery comparable to regional councils like the Broome County Metropolitan Planning Organization and economic indicators such as job creation figures used by the Economic Development Administration. Outcomes include completed infrastructure improvements, coordinated hazard mitigation plans consistent with FEMA standards, and assisted applications securing Community Development Block Grant allocations. The board’s regional plans have informed local comprehensive plans, supported brownfield cleanups akin to EPA-funded efforts, and helped leverage state investments from programs administered by the New York State Department of Transportation and the New York State Department of State.

Membership and Service Area

Membership includes elected officials, county planners, municipal planners, and representatives from agencies such as the New York State Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration, and regional economic development corporations. The core service area encompasses Broome County, New York and Tioga County, New York, with collaborative work reaching adjacent jurisdictions and metropolitan areas linked by corridors to Scranton–Wilkes-Barre and the Binghamton metropolitan area.

Category:Organizations based in New York (state)