Bolstering this existing effort is a 1999 initiative of the State, the Smart Growth Commission, that promotes clean water, open space preservation, affordable housing, and sustainable community development to improve the quality of life throughout the State. The Triangle J Council of Governments serves and the coordination agency for regional planning in the Triangle and will provide the Project Impact Coordinator functions. The RTP maintains a unique geographic, economic, and political presence in the Triangle region that naturally fosters collaboration between industries and businesses, educational institutions, health care, government agencies, transportation, utilities, and the residents that participate in the workforce of the Region. The interconnectedness of the RTP and the surrounding communities in unprecedented in any other Project Impact community, and the leaders of corporate offices located within RTP very much understand that the quality of life offered within the Triangle Region is inextricably linked with their ability to recruit and retain employees. Each of the three counties and all their municipalities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, several in the cost-saving Community Rating System.
All jurisdictions implement zoning, subdivision, and other development regulations.
The communities are part of the State's Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Initiative, and comprehensive watershed planning is underway for the Falls Lake and Jordan Lake watersheds. Regional land use and transportation planning is being coordinated to reduce hazard exposure and minimize negative impacts of ongoing urban development. The State of North Carolina is now developing a Small Business Risk Reduction Initiative. A variety of new initiatives will be explored as part of the Project Impact process for the Region.