From The President / CEO Steve Paterson
It is all around us and we do not see it .
May 22nd through 25th , I attended the ICSC ReCon trade show in Las Vegas , Nevada with our Mayor Pat Hallisey . This show is the mother of all shows , when it comes to economic development in the United States . Hundreds of companies were represented filling the Las Vegas Convention Center . This was an eye opening experience and how this world of high finance , site selection and development takes place and drives the commerce of every community in the country . No market is untouched . League City is one of those communities that everyone has an eye on currently . As one of the major real estate development companies shared , it has the two big ones we look for , high income and an educated workforce . Then there is the other factor location , location , location . Twenty miles from downtown Houston and twenty miles from Galveston Island , it has all the components for retail development , housing , corporate relocation and small business development in a highly desirable location .
We all get up every morning and head to school or work without the realization that there is an invisible force at work right around us each day . Unfortunately , we do not see it until a new sign goes up announcing a new store , a new company or a new business or shopping center that will be built . I used to wonder how that happened and now I know . Our exposure to that process , as I said earlier , was eye opening and enlightening to say the least . It also alarmed me . The fear I felt was one of lack of control . Decisions on what will be built and who will come are done in booths at a trade show more so than in our market or community . Once deals are finalized and financed , then they come to town for the approval process through planning and zoning . In short , our economic development future is pretty much out of our hands . The city sets up the zoning for development and decides whether a plot of land will be zoned commercial , residential or mixed use and then it is approved , which is fine . However , what gets built on it is not . Who comes to town and what gets developed and where is determined by folks in Dallas , Houston , Los Angles and other major developers ’ offices around the country , who represent hundreds of companies , franchises and manufactures looking to expand their presence in growing and desirable markets .
So what have we learned ? We need to be extremely proactive going forward in economic development , period , end of statement , take control of our destiny . Currently , we are in a reactive situation letting the invisible force around us determine our needs and benefitting greatly from it . What does this mean ? Highly profitable ventures like fast food restaurants and strip centers will be the name of the game for commercial development . That is unless , we change our approach and do so quickly . We need to choose who and what we want to be built and / or developed . If not , in ten years you will not be able to tell the difference between League City and Houston sprawl . We will be just be an extension of it . Tighter more definitive zoning must take place . The existing fifty percent of our town to be developed must have a calculated and well thought out plan , which will bring high paying jobs , wonderful community amenities and grow our commercial tax base to alleviate the burden which now is placed on residents . This in turn will create a brand for our city that will be a magnet for growth , which will propel us now and well into the future with an infrastructure that will create the most desirable place within the Houston market to live , work and play .
We will shortly welcome a new economic development director for our city and with the appointment of a county economic director late last year , these will both be positive steps in this direction . However , only if we take a proactive approach . Targeting who and what we desire must be a clear first step , with zoning in place to support it . A seamless and well thought out planning and zoning fast track program for developers and builders , which clearly defines how projects will be built with no ambiguity will be a second major step in this process . The third and most important step will be the need for economic incentives to be available to have a seat at the table to tell our story and define our own future . This will mean we will need to adopt as soon as we can , as a city united , a quarter percent sales tax to fund our efforts to be proactive . As the only city now in the Houston Metro market not to have this economic development tool , it puts us at a severe disadvantage in attracting and targeting the development we will need and desire going forward .
The downtown historical district redevelopment is a wonderful start in this process . Funding the engineering study is just the first step . Which businesses will take residence in the area will need to be determined , so the right mix of stores , residential and amenities are achieved , so the intended goal is reached . The City staff , County , elected officials and the Chamber of Commerce must and need to work together to provide the workforce , volunteers and support to make this a reality . More so now than ever , if we hope to take back the reins from the invisible force and chart our own future .