The Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board is seeking public comments on a draft planning document.

Southern Tier West annually publishes a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy planning document, the official strategic economic development plan for Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties.

Southern Tier West prepares the strategy document using input from the three county planning and economic development departments, the three county Industrial Development Agencies, Jamestown, Dunkirk, Olean, traditional economic development project sponsors, communities around the region, agencies, Southern Tier West’s board and staff, the business community and the general public.

The 2018 CEDS is an annual revision of the 2015 CEDS, which was a new document prepared with input both from the above parties and also from a 75-person planning committee comprised of a diverse group of leaders and residents of the three county region.

The CEDS contains a comprehensive data-based analysis of the regional economy and assets, strategies for economic development, lists of proposed economic development projects, data, and maps.

Any resident of Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties can comment on the draft CEDS document. The draft CEDS may be found at www.southerntierwest.org. Comments on the draft CEDS can be made to Tom Barnes at 945-5301, ext. 2209 or tbarnes@southerntierwest.org.

Comments will be accepted through Oct. 15. All appropriate comments will be incorporated into a revised CEDS. The CEDS is reviewed and approved by the Southern Tier West board. The final CEDS document then is posted on Southern Tier West’s web site and is transmitted to the federal government, where it is used to guide federal investment in the three counties.