INCOG: SHAPING THE FUTURE

INCOG: Shaping the Future

Today’s communities face problems whose solutions often exceed the reach of a single local government. Crime, transportation, water and air quality, and solid waste disposal are among many issues that can more effectively be solved on a cooperative, areawide basis. Pooling human, financial and physical resources among cities and counties means less duplication and more efficient, effective solutions. Many of the cities and counties of northeastern Oklahoma have been cooperating for over 30 years through INCOG, a regional council of governments (COG). Today, INCOG is one of the largest and most comprehensive regional providers of services to the public and private sectors in the nation.

Regional Problems - Regional Solutions

INCOG provides local and regional planning, information, coordination, communications, implementation and management services to member governments and their constituent organizations, working through a voluntary assembly of area elected officials. The council of governments is not a unit of government, but a voluntary association that comes together to build consensus in solutions to regional problems. The information INCOG provides assists both the public and private sectors in decision-making and in solving local and regional problems.

INCOG seeks to develop policy consensus among its members to resolve regional problems. Member governments and special authorities then implement these plans and policies. INCOG staff assists by providing technical support and data, assessing local and regional problems, interpreting federal and state requirements when relevant and by presenting viable alternatives to members to solve identified problems.

INCOG is a service organization for local governments and their citizens. Services include:

Community Planning and Economic Development
Comprehensive Planning
Transportation Planning
Development Coordination
Environmental and Engineering Services
Research and Data
Mapping and Graphics
Public Safety Coordination

Basic services to member governments are provided through membership dues paid according to population and by other local funds paid for specific projects. Special services are provided at-cost. INCOG’s professional staff provides technical expertise, resulting in economies of scale which would normally be unavailable to most local governments.

INCOG is representative. It is made up of a General Assembly and a Board of Directors. The General Assembly, composed of one elected official from each member government, reviews and adopts plans, programs and budgets recommended by the Board of Directors.

The Board sets policy for the conduct of day-to-day activities of the council. Membership on the Board is based on population and includes elected officials and appointed citizens.

INCOG is one of a few councils of government in the nation that also staffs local and metropolitan planning commissions. It provides staff services to the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC) and to the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa County Boards of Adjustment. INCOG also serves more than a dozen other local planning commissions and boards of adjustment in cities and counties in the Tulsa metropolitan area.

INCOG offers a variety of information on governmental, legislative and other issues of public concern. A newsletter gives updated information on current issues and events. A list of publications is available at the INCOG offices.

INCOG’S SERVICE AREAS

Community Planning and Economic Development

Community planning and land development services for cities, towns and counties outside of the jurisdiction of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission are handled by INCOG Community Planning staff. These jurisdictions have a full-time planner in their communities, or share the services of a planner with another nearby local government. In this way, member governments are better able to process development proposals and develop and maintain their individual city comprehensive plans in a more cost-effective manner. The Community Planning staff meets regularly to coordinate planning studies and exchange information among area governments.

Communities seeking Community Development Block Grants; Home Investment Partnership Program Grants and other state and federal infrastructure development grants are assisted by INCOG. The staff helps prepare grant and loan proposals. These programs can be used to improve or develop basic community infrastructure; rehabilitate homes; clear dilapidated structures, junk and debris; house and equip rural fire protection efforts; and develop capital improvement plans. Economic development funds usually are in the form of grants or grant/loan combinations to cities or counties for infrastructure improvements to serve new or expanding businesses.

Comprehensive Planning

A master plan for future development of the metropolitan area is maintained by the Planning Services Division. The plan includes guidelines on appropriate land use (residential, commercial, office, industrial, public facilities, utilities, transportation, etc.). It is developed and maintained with public input, helping the region grow in an orderly manner. The Comprehensive Plan is updated on a continuing basis to reflect changing needs over time.

Transportation Planning

The Transportation Planning Division coordinates transportation planning in Tulsa County and parts of Creek, Osage, Rogers and Wagoner Counties. As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Tulsa Transportation Management Area, INCOG brings federal, state, and local governments and transportation modal agencies together in a cooperative effort to assess the region’s transportation needs and to develop comprehensive, multi-modal plans and programs which serve the needs of the local communities and are compatible with the state and federal transportation systems.

The transportation planning process, involves both long-term objectives and short-term implementation of projects. Long-term objectives are highlighted in the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Major Street and Highway Plan, which represents the ultimate roadway plan for the area, and the Long Range Transportation Plan, which identifies planned transportation improvements to be implemented within the next 20-25 years. Short-term projects are outlined in the Transportation Improvement Program, which identifies the projects to be undertaken during the upcoming three years.

Development Coordination

Requests for zoning and land division changes for Tulsa and unincorporated areas of Tulsa County are handled by the Land Development Services Division. The staff reviews zoning requests for compatibility with the Comprehensive Plan, development guidelines, zoning codes and physical characteristics of the surrounding area. Then, the staff makes recommendations to the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, an advisory board to the Tulsa City Council and Tulsa County Commission. After proper zoning is acquired, Land Development Services staff processes the platting of the tract, if necessary. These two services help ensure that the area develops according to approved guidelines. The staff also processes requests for zoning variances and special exceptions for the Tulsa City and County Boards of Adjustment.

Environmental and Engineering Services

The Environmental and Engineering Services Division helps local governments manage clean water and clean air programs. It offers engineering assistance to member governments by reviewing engineering plans and specifications, preparing bid specifications for public works projects, reviewing subdivision designs, and preparing studies on issues such as waste load allocations, stream modeling, utility rates, water distribution systems and sludge management as requested by member governments.

This division works with area governments, state agencies and the federal government to implement air and water quality programs, such as the award winning Ozone Alert! Program. INCOG members can request special studies, or use INCOG data and staff consultation when planning major projects.

Research and Data

INCOG members have access to up-to-date information on everything from population and housing counts to employment and labor force studies from the INCOG Research and Data Management Program. Customized marketing studies, demographic profiles and analyses are available for a fee, and special studies are done on request.

Mapping and Graphics

The Mapping and Graphics Division maintains a regional and local mapping program for an area of more than 1,000 square miles. Base mapping and aerial photographs assist communities in planning growth by showing where vital services, topographic features and utilities are located. These maps are free to all INCOG member governments and can be purchased by the public for a small fee. Digitized maps also are available showing census tracts, school districts, city boundaries, transportation zones and other geographic features.

The division also supports INCOG staff with charts, slides, displays and graphics for presentations and publications.

Public Safety

INCOG staff provides assistance to the regional Enhanced 911 board. The region includes approximately 20 jurisdictions, which now have a means for the immediate reporting of crimes in progress, fires and medical emergencies, to secure needed assistance.

Technical assistance in grant application writing also is provided to law enforcement agencies of member governments.

Rural Fire Coordination services are provided to over 60 fire departments in the region.

Public Participation

Citizens have a voice in the planning process through the Public Participation Program. For example, neighborhood associations are notified of rezoning and board of adjustment issues in their areas. Planning teams composed of members of neighborhood associations provide advice to the TMAPC on the Comprehensive Plan, zoning applications related to the plan and the capital improvements process.

Legislative Programs

INCOG monitors and actively supports legislation of concern to member governments. Each year, a legislative program pinpoints priorities in legislative activity and informs state and federal legislators about the importance of certain issues affecting communities in the region. The staff also provides assistance to the Legislative Consortium in implementing its legislative program.

INCOG

201 W. 5th St.

Suite 600

Tulsa, OK 74103-4236

For more information call 918-584-PLAN

Fax: 918-583-1024

E Mail: incog@incog.org