Brevard City Council voted in favor of pursuing a federal grant “to develop local strategies for sustainable growth.” If awarded, up to $250,000 from the Community Development Block Grant, would improve infrastructure for the Cottages of Brevard, a proposed subsidized housing development for the elderly.

It will contain 13 structures and a clubhouse.

At the same meeting, council members passed a resolution proclaiming support for the Western North Carolina Livable Communities Initiative.

The initiative is a three-year project to develop regional and local strategies for sustainable development, economic prosperity and quality growth.

Got that? Now, for the nuts and bolts:

Land-of-Sky Regional Council is the coordinating agency for Western North Carolina under a new federal program that is a partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency, Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation.

As further elaboration, the federal government has made available a pot of $100 million to allow local governments to compete against each other economically (Horrors if it worked!). Local governments in the region will “develop a plan to foster economic prosperity through a regional vision that identifies possible projects and actions.” (Of course.) That will involve “an analysis of existing conditions” in the categories of, among other things, energy, economy, and land use. The Land of Sky Regional Council will coordinate grant applications.