Regional planning organization

A Regional Planning Organization is a government body that guides the development of public and private resources in a manner that ensures public safety, well being and livability. Regional planning organizations take different forms and may also include a metropolitan planning organization or may be part of a multi-state or multi-government association. A regional planning organization develops plans that coordinate planning by groups of local governments and special districts that have common social, political, economic, cultural or other similarities.^[1] Generally this process takes the form of urban planning or one of its sub-disciplines such as land use planning, transportation planning, or environmental planning.^[2] Regional planning organizations exist in a variety of different formats. In some areas they are a part of another organizations such as a Regional Council of Governments.^[3]^[4] Regional planning organizations are sometimes also called regional development organisations as the need for planning often includes key economic development issues.