West Alabama Regional Commission

Planning Documents

WEST ALABAMA Region and COUNTY METRICS

Infographic slides provide economic data for the collective region and Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties. Topics include Income, Education, Business, Key Facts, Employment and Commuters.

West Alabama Region and County Metrics 2023

Business Preparedness Toolkits

WARC has developed a Business Preparedness Toolkit and presentation that will help area businesses prepare for the effects of a disaster. The toolkits are tailored to each county and provide a sample preparedness and continuity of operations plan, support materials, and a listing of local emergency resources.

• Bibb County

• Fayette County

• Greene County

• Hale County

• Lamar County

• Pickens County

• Tuscaloosa County

• WARC Business Preparedness Presentation

 Planning Documents

Division C Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan March 24, 2021 – March 23, 2026

Appendix A – Participation

Appendix B – Dams

Appendix C – Flood zones (Bibb, Hale, Greene)

Appendix C – Flood zones (Pickens, Tuscaloosa)

Appendix D & E – Landside & Land Subsidence

Appendix F - Wildfire

Division E Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021-2026

Hazard Mitigation plans are required in order for participating jurisdictions to be eligible for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs and must be updated every five years. Counties in West Alabama are included in two Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation plans and one individual county plan.  Division C includes Bibb, Greene, Hale, Pickens and Tuscaloosa along with five counties in the Alabama Tombigbee Region -  Dallas, Marengo, Perry, Sumter, and Wilcox.

Division E includes Lamar County and six additional counties - Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Marion, and Winston in the North Alabama Council of Local Governments region, and Walker County within the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham.  Fayette County, while under the Division E footprint, prepared its own County plan.

West Alabama Economic Development Playbook 2022-2026
The West Alabama Economic Development Playbook serves as the District II Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the seven-county west Alabama Economic Development District (EDD) serving Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, and Tuscaloosa counties. Designed to bring the citizens, both public and private, together to create strategies to improve the District’s economy, the plan looks at the District’s population, economy, and resources and establishes goals for economic development for the five-year period of 2022-2026.

West Alabama Playbook Annual Update 2023

 Pandemic Recovery and Resiliency Plan The BETTER West Alabama Pandemic Recovery and Resiliency Plan is an economic impact study that summarizes local and regional assets, examines employment and business impacts as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The plan also considers post-pandemic opportunities for recovery in the areas of asset and infrastructure development; workforce and training; and business assistance and entrepreneurial support.

BETTER WEST ALABAMA ACTION PLANS

The BETTER Initiative provided an opportunity for communities that participated in the BETTER Leadership program to develop county and local level action plans. Over the course of several months in 2022 participants attended planning meetings with University of Alabama Center for Economic Development and WARC staff to identify projects of importance in their jurisdiction and develop their plans.

I-22 Corridor Strategic Development Plan

• Fayette County Strategic Development Plan

• Lamar County Strategic Development Plan

Strategic planning for the I-22 Corridor was carried out for a four-county region consisting of Fayette, Lamar, Marion and Winston counties. Funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission, a strategic plan for the multi-county area was completed in 2022 along with individual county level plans. The planning effort was led by The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED) with support from the West Alabama Regional Commission (WARC) and the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments (NACOLG). 

I-20/59 Corridor Study from Tuscaloosa to Mississippi
The West Alabama Regional Commission and the Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission prepared the study of the interstate corridor between Tuscaloosa and Mississippi for the Economic Development Administration. The study includes parts of three counties: Tuscaloosa, Greene and Sumter. Like previous studies of other interstate corridors, the report assesses the economic development potential of the area along the interstate and serves as a guide for local officials and economic developers. The study contains mapped and report data on area demographics, transportation, existing land use, wetlands and floodplains, slope and soils, cultural features and water and sewer infrastructure. The report also contains detailed information on available industrial parks and buildings and areas that have been evaluated for future development. The study was completed in March of 2004.

I-20/59 Corridor Study from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa
The purpose of the I-20/59 Corridor Study from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa was to assess the development potential of the area and serve as a guide for evaluating future infrastructure and economic development opportunities. The Study consists of mapped and report data related to area demographics, transportation, water and sewer infrastructure, existing land use, environmental and cultural features and soil constraints. The study also includes a Siting Criteria Matrix to be used for the analysis of potential industrial development sites and shows examples of the rating process. The report was prepared for the Appalachian Regional Commission by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and the West Alabama Regional Commission. The Study was completed in June of 2001.

WARC Solid Waste Needs Assessment
The Solid Waste Needs Assessment for the West Alabama Region provides a general overview of current solid waste collection practices and disposal facilities within the region. The assessment was prepared in accordance with Section 7 (Title 22, Chapter 27, Section 46) of Act 89-824 governing solid waste management.

Regional Information Documents

West Alabama Top Employers
Who are the 10 largest employers in each of the counties in the West Alabama Region? See information on area job providers, their sector/type, number of employees, and location. Data is sourced from Reference USA, local economic developers, and area employers.

Grant and Loan Guide for Local Governments in West Alabama

The grant and loan guide provides information on the most commonly used grant and loan programs for community and economic development activities. The guide focuses on programs available to counties and municipalities and provides Federal and State contacts, program details, grant cycles, and eligibility and funding level information.

West Alabama Mining and Manufacturing Directory
The West Alabama Mining and Manufacturing Directory provides listings of companies in Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties within 2017 NAICS sectors 21 (Mining) and 31-33 (Manufacturing). Please contact Cory Johnson at cory.johnson@westal.org for information.