Lumber River Development Corporation
The purpose of the Lumber River Development Corporation (LRDC) is to identify and develop regional and local projects that have an emphasis on housing, community development and the environment, and to seek funding for those projects or programs. The Corporation has a particular interest in projects that will make an impact throughout the five-county region it serves or in local projects that can be replicated or adapted for other parts of the region.
The Corporation is an outgrowth of the Lumber River Council of Governments (LRCOG), a voluntary association of local governments in North Carolina. State Law G.S. 160A-470-478 authorizes local governments to join together to form councils of governments such as the LRCOG. For tax purposes, councils of governments are treated in the same manner as cities and counties in North Carolina. In carrying out its mission, the LRCOG recognizes an increasing need for innovation to problem solving in its areas of concentration. The major reason for creating the Lumber River Development Corporation is to encourage innovative regional projects and programs and to obtain foundation or corporate support for these projects that the LRCOG could not apply for as a local government entity.
The Corporation's First Projects
The Corporation's first project involved a shared housing complex for the elderly called "Dogwood Place" that is funded by USDA-Rural Development. This project addressed a locally identified need for housing and can only be owned and operated by a non-profit development corporation.
The Corporation has also assisted the LRCOG with two environmental projects: 1) the Southern Coastal Plain Ground Water Program and 2) the Lumber River Basin Consortium. More about these two programs/projects can be found under the Water Resources section of the website.
Board of Directors and Staff
The Board of Directors is composed of the Chairman of the Lumber River Council of Governments, the five (5) county commissioner representatives of Lumber River Council of Governments and five (5) of the municipal representatives, no two of whom are from the same county, as elected by and from the municipal representatives on the Board of Directors of the Lumber River Council of Governments.
The Executive Director of the Lumber River Council of Governments serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the LRDC. The COG's Finance Director serves as the Secretary/Treasurer.
The Corporation's By-Laws can be accessed HERE.
Lumber Development Corporation
30 C J Walker Road
Pembroke, North Carolina 28372