[Small Business Forum on June 9, 2025.] [00:00:12] WELL, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE AND WORKSHOP TODAY. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR VERY BUSY SCHEDULES, ESPECIALLY AS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, TO BE HERE TO LEARN ABOUT OUR NEW SMALL BUSINESS TOOLKIT AND DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER IMPACT SMALL BUSINESS IN LEANDER. WE REALLY WANT THIS TO BE AN OPEN FORUM WHERE YOU CAN SAY FREELY WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER EMPOWER OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. ONE WAY IS THROUGH THIS TOOLKIT THAT'S GOING TO GET ROLLED OUT TO YOU, BUT ANOTHER WAY IS TAKING THE FEEDBACK FOR THINGS THAT ARE WORKING IN YOUR PARTICULAR BUSINESS, OR THINGS THAT MAYBE ARE A CHALLENGE THAT THE CITY CAN HELP WITH. WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE. PARTNER WITH SMALL BUSINESS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT HELP GROW SMALL BUSINESS IN OUR AREA. AND NOT BE A HINDRANCE. SO THAT'S REALLY OUR GOAL IN HAVING THIS WORKSHOP AND HAVING THIS ROUNDTABLE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE ON A MONDAY EVENING. SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. SO MY NAME IS NICOLE THOMPSON. I'M THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE CITY OF LEANDER. AND I'M GOING TO DO A BIT OF AN INTRODUCTION OF EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE TODAY ON THIS PANEL. WE WANT TO START WITH OUR SPEAKERS. WE HAVE BRIDGET BRANDT FROM THE LEANDER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SHE IS THE PRESIDENT AND SHE IS HERE. SO THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. WE ALSO HAVE DINO VALERA. HE IS THE OWNER OF SHARK'S BURGERS. AND IF YOU KNOW, YES, THEY'RE HERE IN LEANDER WITH TWO LOCATIONS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE LOCATIONS IN KYLE AND IN BUDA. RIGHT. AND HE'S BEEN IN BUSINESS HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND BIG COMMUNITY ADVOCATE FOR US. WE ALSO HAVE STAFF HERE. SO IF YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE STAFF HERE THAT CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. WE HAVE OUR ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND INNOVATION COORDINATOR, KEN JASEK. OH MY GOD, WE'VE BEEN PRACTICING THIS. OKAY, I HAD TO GET THE PHONETIC PHONETIC SPELLING OF HIS LAST NAME SO I COULD GET IT. THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT. WE ALSO HAVE ROBIN GRIFFIN, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HERE AT THE END OF THE TABLE. THANK YOU. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE RANDALL MALIK, OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW I SAW OUR CITY MANAGER COME IN. HE'S SITTING BEHIND SO I CAN'T SEE HIM. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE. SO IF YOU'RE ON THE LEANDER COUNCIL, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND SO YOU CAN BE RECOGNIZED? THERE WE GO. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. OH, I DIDN'T SEE YOU COME IN EITHER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. AND RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO KENT, WHO CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT. AND BEFORE I DO THAT, I'M SORRY. I MEANT TO REMIND YOU, IF YOU DID NOT SIGN IN, IF YOU COULD REMEMBER ON YOUR WAY OUT TO SIGN IN, THERE'S A SIGN UP SHEET IN THE LOBBY IF YOU NEED WATER OR SOMETHING TO DRINK. WE DO HAVE IT IN THE COOLER IN THE BACK. IF YOU LET US KNOW, WE'LL GRAB YOU SOMETHING. IF YOU NEED IT THERE. AND JUST AS A REMINDER, OUR CITY SECRETARY WENT TO GO MAKE SOME MORE COPIES OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS PACKAGE SO EACH ONE OF YOU CAN HAVE IT. BUT WE ALSO ARE VERY EXCITED FOR SOUTH STAR BANK TO BE HERE. THEY DO SBA LENDING. THEY HAVE FLIERS THAT ARE HERE. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THEY ARE HERE IN THE BACK AND THEY CAN ANSWER THAT FOR YOU AS WE GO ALONG WITH THIS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS. AND IF YOU NEED TO GET TO THE LADIES OR MEN'S ROOM, IT IS OUT IN THE HALLWAY TO THE LEFT. ALL RIGHT. AND HERE COMES DORA WITH THOSE FLIERS. YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. SO THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON AT THE CITY OF LEANDER. AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ENTERING A NEW ERA. AND THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE HERE IN THE CITY. AND ONE OF THEM IS TO HELP SUPPORT YOU. ALL RIGHT, SMALL BUSINESSES AND REALLY HELP DIVERSIFY OUR LOCAL ECONOMY HERE. AND WHAT STAFF HAS PUT TOGETHER IS A SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE. AND THIS IS A STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO START A BUSINESS HERE IN LEANDER. AND SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO WALK THROUGH IT WITH YOU ALL. AND THIS GUIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. SO JUST MAKE SURE YOU ALL SIGN IN INTO THE SIGN IN SHEET AND PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ON THERE, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET THOSE THE ACTUAL DIGITAL GUIDE OUT TO YOU ALL. BUT REALLY, THE PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE IS, YOU KNOW, TO HELP US LEAD A NEW ERA FOR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE. AND I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT WE ARE THE NUMBER EIGHT BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. AND SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO CONTINUE CAPITALIZING ON THAT. I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT MOMENTUM AND ONE OF THEM IS HERE STARTING WITH Y'ALL. AND SO WITH THIS GUIDE, YOU KNOW, IT'S I TRY TO PUT IT IN THE MINDSET OF SOMEBODY WHO'S NEVER STARTED A BUSINESS BEFORE. WHERE DO YOU START. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA, BUT HOW DO YOU GET IT ACTUALLY GOING. AND SO IN HERE WE PUT IN RESOURCES HERE FOR YOU AT THE CITY AS PART OF MY ROLE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS TO HELP YOU ALL WITH ANY KIND OF [00:05:01] ISSUES YOU MIGHT FACE OR QUESTIONS OR UNCERTAINTY ON WHO TO GO TO. YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHO TO GO TO IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON WHAT YOU ALL ARE PLANNING TO DO, OR THINK ABOUT THE TYPES OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO IF YOU ALL HAVE JUST THOSE KIND OF GENERAL QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO PROVIDE YOU GUIDANCE WITH THAT AND KIND OF GET YOU THROUGH THE RIGHT AVENUES. MAYBE YOU NEED SOME HELP THROUGH THE CHAMBER AS WELL. CONNECT YOU WITH BRIDGET, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND MAYBE WITH OTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THE CHAMBER IS GREAT WITH THAT, WITH ALL THE CONNECTIONS AND KIND OF GETTING THEIR EXPERIENCE TOO. ON HOW OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE STARTED HERE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW YOU WANT TO START A BUSINESS, BUT REALLY FLESH THAT OUT AND THINK OF THE QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT DO I WANT TO SELL? WHAT KIND OF SERVICE AM I PROVIDING? WHO'S GOING TO BUY MY PRODUCT? WHO'S GOING TO BUY MY SERVICE? AM I GOING TO RUN THIS FROM HOME? YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF HOME BASED BUSINESSES AND WE HAVE CERTAIN CODE PROVISIONS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT AS PART OF THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. ARE YOU LOOKING TO RENT SPACE IN AN EXISTING BUILDING? WHERE'S THAT? THE A REALLY BIG KEY COMPONENT IS THAT IS WHERE IS IT LOCATED. RIGHT. WE WANT WE WANT YOU ALL TO BE SET UP IN AN AREA THAT'S GETTING TRAFFIC, AN AREA THAT'S GOING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ENORMOUS GROWTH THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR BUSINESS. SO THINKING ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND THEN ALSO FUNDING, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU NEEDING TO START UP? ARE YOU NEEDING A SMALL SPACE RIGHT NOW. ARE YOU LOOKING TO POSSIBLY BUILD A BUILDING IN THE FUTURE? AND SO THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF CITY REGULATIONS AND PERMITS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED OF THAT. SO REALLY KIND OF FLESHING THAT OUT. AND WE REALLY TRY OUR BEST TO REALLY MAP THIS OUT FOR YOU ALL. SO REALLY KIND OF BUILD YOUR BUSINESS PLAN AS YOU START THINKING ABOUT WORKING, CREATING A BUSINESS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THE SECOND STEP, YOU KNOW, FROM CREATING A BUSINESS IS THE STRUCTURE. EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS STRUCTURE YOU YOU ARE THINKING OF, LIKE SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, LLC S CORPORATION. AND SO WE PROVIDE JUST DEFINITIONS ON THERE FOR YOU ALL. AND WE HAVE LINKS TO THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WHERE THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD TOOLS FOR Y'ALL AND INFORMATION TO PROVIDE YOU ALL, AND ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS FOR YOUR STRUCTURE, FOR YOUR BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART IS REGISTERING YOUR BUSINESS NAME. YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE CHECKING ON WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, IF THAT BUSINESS NAME IS AVAILABLE, OR THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT HAS A SIMILAR TERM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THAT BUSINESS, AND REALLY FINDING SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE FOR YOU ALL AND THINKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO TRADEMARK RIGHT, ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO PROTECT THAT? AND, YOU KNOW, DOING SO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEEK LEGAL CONSULTATIONS. SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, FORMING THE BUSINESS IN YOUR MIND. AND THEN ALSO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ONLINE PRESENCE, RIGHT? ARE YOU GOING TO BE SELLING CERTAIN SERVICES OR JUST MARKETING YOURSELF ONLINE? YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A DOMAIN NAME THERE THAT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND NOBODY ELSE CAN USE. ANOTHER BIG STEP AS PART OF THIS PROCESS IS YOUR BUSINESS TAXATION AND INSURANCE. YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE A TAX ID. AND IF YOU'RE BUILDING A BUILDING, RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIABLE TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAXES. SO MAKING SURE YOU'RE GETTING REGISTERED WITH THAT, GETTING YOUR EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. WE PUT IN HERE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING SALES TAX AND HOW YOU REMIT THAT, GIVING YOU SOME HELPFUL LINKS TO THE COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE. AND THEN ALSO INSURANCE. RIGHT. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO INSURE YOUR BUSINESS. AND IT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESS STRUCTURE THAT YOU ALL SELECT. AND SO WE HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR Y'ALL AS WELL. AND YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM, STAFF TEAM HERE CAN HELP PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE TO YOU IF YOU'RE HAVING ANY QUESTIONS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MORE TAXATION OR LEGAL COMPONENTS YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME LEGAL EXPERTISE IN THAT DEPARTMENT. I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BUSINESS LOCATION. WE HAVE AN AMAZING TOOL ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGE, WHERE WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A SITE SELECTION AND A STORY MAP. AND SO WHAT YOU COULD DO IS YOU CAN GO ONTO THAT MAP, IT'S A VIRTUAL MAP, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT BUSINESS LOCATIONS, NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT'S COMING UP. AND IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR AREA THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, PLEASE REACH OUT TO RANDALL. HE AND OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NICOLE. THEY'LL DO A REALLY GREAT JOB AT HELPING YOU GUYS FIND THAT SELECTION FOR YOU. AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE REALLY GOOD INSIGHT, TOO, ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESSES ARE THERE. RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S ALREADY A POSSIBLE COMPETITION THERE OR SOME BUSINESS THAT MIGHT BE SIMILAR, MAYBE THAT'S NOT AN AREA YOU WANT TO GO INTO. MAYBE YOU WANT TO GO INTO AN AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN HELP KIND OF OFFSET THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND SO IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GREAT, USEFUL TOOL. WE ALSO HAVE DATA AVAILABLE. WE HAVE DATA THROUGH PLACER.AI. AND WE'RE ABLE TO CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF TRAFFIC THAT GO THROUGH. IT'S [00:10:05] REALLY INTERESTING. SO WE COULD REALLY ZONE IN ON SPECIFIC AREA. AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE A HEAT MAP. WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK THROUGH SPECIFIC TIME PERIODS, SPECIFIC LOCATIONS AND AGE DEMOGRAPHICS, AND WE CAN SEE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING CERTAIN AREAS. AND WE DO THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO A LOCATION FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAP THAT FOR YOU ALL AND SEE KIND OF WHAT AREA YOU'RE LOOKING AT, WHETHER IT'S HERE IN THE OLD TOWN AREA, OVER IN SOME OF THE OFF OF HEREAWAY. IT'S A REALLY GREAT TOOL, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT IT AND DEFINITELY GET THE INSIGHT FROM OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF ON THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES AND VISITORS THAT THEY'RE GETTING IN THAT AREA. ANOTHER BIG IMPORTANT ASPECT OF BUSINESS LOCATION IS UNDERSTANDING THE ZONING AND USE REGULATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING INTO AN EXISTING BUILDING. THERE MIGHT BE CERTAIN USES THAT MAY BE PERMITTED WITH THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION. AND THAT'S WHY OUR AMAZING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS THERE TO HELP GUIDE YOU ALL ON THAT AND REALLY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE TECHNICAL PIECES OF THAT. YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS WOULD YOUR WOULD FALL INTO THOSE USE CATEGORIES FOR THESE BUSINESS LOCATIONS. SO DEFINITELY LOOKING LOOK UP INTO THAT. AND WE PROVIDED LINKS IN THAT GUIDE TOO. THAT TAKES YOU STRAIGHT TO OUR CODE. AND IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF CAN HELP ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU ALL, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT. AND IF YOU'RE ALSO LOOKING AT RELOCATING, RIGHT, THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE TOO. SO JUST MAKING SURE YOU'RE KEEPING THOSE THINGS IN MIND AS YOU'RE GOING TO START A BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH OR JUST RELOCATE TO A DIFFERENT FACILITY, DIFFERENT BUILDING, OR IF YOU'RE CONSTRUCTING A NEW BUILDING, WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, AND THESE MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL AS YOU'RE BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF STARTING A BUSINESS. SO YOU HAVE THAT IDEA IN YOUR HEAD ALREADY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. YOU MAY HAVE A SITE ALREADY THAT YOU'VE PINPOINTED THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING, OR A LOCATION. YOU THINK ABOUT GOING TO. THESE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS ARE VERY CRUCIAL IN HELPING YOU GETTING THROUGH THE PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS BEFORE YOU GET THERE. SO IT'S I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I HAD A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO WANTED TO START A BUSINESS HERE, AND SHE WAS INTERESTED IN LOCATION. YOU KNOW, SHE STARTED BUSINESS BEFORE IN AUSTIN. BUT, YOU KNOW, CITIES HAVE CERTAIN PROCESSES. AND SO HAVING THAT FIRST STEP WITH HER AND TRYING TO HELP HER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AVAILABLE HERE AT THE CITY AND HELP DIRECTING HER TO ROBIN AND HER TEAM TO SET UP A REDEVELOPMENT MEETING AND KIND OF GETTING THEM PREPPED FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE GO INTO THESE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, THEY'RE FRESH, RIGHT? THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. THEY GO THERE WITH HOPES OF GETTING THE INFORMATION. AND SO AS FAR AS MY ROLE HERE, IF YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT PART, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME. AND I'M I'M HAPPY TO WALK THROUGH THAT WITH YOU. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE YOU MAY HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER, RIGHT, TO HELP YOU START YOUR BUSINESS. YOU MAY HAVE A AN ARCHITECT ALREADY, A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, SOMETHING WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION FROM YOU ALL. SO WHEN YOU GO INTO THESE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, WE CAN REALLY GET A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING OR RENOVATING AN EXISTING BUILDING, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOING TO A SPACE AND RENTING OUT A SPACE. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WORK WITH YOU ALL ON. SO AS YOUR BUSINESS SITE SELECTION, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE ABLE THAT YOU MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SCHEDULE THAT ONLINE. AND WE HAVE THAT LINK PROVIDED FOR YOU ALL. AND I WAS GOING TO SAY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU'RE STARTING A BUSINESS OR EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OR RELOCATING YOUR BUSINESS, YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THESE STEPS FIRST, BECAUSE YOU MAY DECIDE THAT'S NOT A LOCATION THAT IS MOST BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS, IT MAY BE TOO COSTLY, OR THE ZONING MAY NOT BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED IT TO BE, AND IT MAY BE TOO MUCH TIME NECESSARY TO GET IT TO WHERE YOU NEED IT TO BE. SO AS MUCH PRE-WORK AS YOU CAN DO AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY GO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY SIGNING CONTRACTS OR BUYING PROPERTY. IT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT. AND THAT WAS ONE REASON WE WANTED TO DO THIS, SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY HELP SOME FOLKS AVOID SOME MISSTEPS AND SOME LOST TIME AND ENERGY BY DOING SOME OF THIS WORK AHEAD OF TIME AND MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS FOR LEANDER, SPECIFICALLY BEFORE THEY GET STARTED. AND THAT'S A GREAT POINT, BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP MAKE THE PERMITTING PROCESS A LOT EASIER, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE GETTING ALL THAT INFORMATION ON THE BACK END FOR YOU ALL AND ON STAFF SIDE, WE'LL REALLY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S YOUR END GOAL. YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE YOU TRYING TO OPEN YOUR BUSINESS BY WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS IS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MIGHT ARISE? YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BUILDING A NEW BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ROADWAY IMPACTS THAT THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE CONDUCTED BECAUSE OF THAT. AND SO GETTING ALL THAT STUFF DONE ON THE FRONT END CAN REALLY HELP [00:15:03] THE NEXT STEP FOR YOU, WHICH IS GETTING THOSE PERMITS. WE DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO BE FILLING ALL THESE PERMITS AND APPLICATIONS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION. WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO JUST GO AHEAD, FILL EVERYTHING, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S ON THERE SO WE CAN MAKE IT A SMOOTH PROCESS DURING THE REVIEW. SO THAT WAY WHEN WE'RE SENDING OUT COMMENTS, THESE ARE JUST MINOR COMMENTS THAT WE CAN EASILY BE ADJUSTED, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOMETIMES INFORMATION FROM MANY CITIES FOR MANY CITIES GET LOST. IS THAT THAT PIECE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING PREPARED IN YOUR PERMIT APPLICATION. SO THAT WAY WE CAN EASILY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH YOU ALL AND NOT HAVE HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY. YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT PERMIT PROCESS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SIGN ORDINANCE AS WELL, AND WE PROVIDED A LINK TO YOU ALL ON SITE GUIDELINES AND OUR SITE REGULATIONS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR COUNCIL TO LOOK AT AS WELL. AND SO AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO GROW, RIGHT, MAYBE THE TYPES OF SIGNS AND STUFF WE NEED TO CHANGE AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL REVIEWS ON A PERIODIC BASIS. BUT WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL AS WELL. AND IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THESE THINGS, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE IN THIS GUIDE FOR YOU. SO AS YOU'RE STARTING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, I MEAN, YOU CAN ALREADY START THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT KIND OF SIGN YOU LIKE, RIGHT? YOU'VE SEEN SOME OTHER SIGNS IN OTHER CITIES, OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE LIKE GO AHEAD AND JUST GET THAT STUFF DOWN. SO YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN YOUR HEAD. AND THAT WAY WHEN YOU'RE COMING TO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP WALK YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND NOT HAVE TO HAVE ANY KIND OF CHALLENGES OR STUFF LIKE THAT DOWN THE ROAD. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO FIX AS MUCH AS WE CAN. SO THAT WAY YOUR PERMIT APPLICATIONS GO THROUGH A LOT MORE SMOOTHLY, YOU KNOW? AND THAT ALSO HELPS, TOO, WITH OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, MAKING SURE THAT YOU OPEN ON TIME, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOUR SERVICES AND WHATEVER YOU'RE SELLING, YOU KNOW, TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE ALL PREPARED FOR THAT. AND THEN WE DO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL OUR PERMITS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT RENOVATING, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN, WHAT ARE YOU RENOVATING? AND WE HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN BEFORE YOU GET THROUGH THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, PROCESS TO AVOID ANY KIND OF ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE, YOU KNOW, SO GETTING ALL THAT THINGS READY, RIGHT? YOU HAVE YOUR BUSINESS, YOU GOT YOUR SIGN, YOU GOT ALL YOUR SERVICES, YOUR PRODUCTS READY, YOU'RE READY TO OPEN. SO NEXT UP, GET YOUR UTILITIES READY. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WATER. MAKING SURE YOU HAVE POWER INTERNET MAKING SURE YOU HAVE GAS IF THAT'S NEEDED. YOU KNOW, AS PART OF YOUR AS PART OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN. ARE YOU HIRING EMPLOYEES? YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HIRING AN EMPLOYEE. YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, AND WE HAVE INFORMATION PROVIDED THERE FOR Y'ALL IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENT EMPLOYMENT REGULATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HIRING, YOU KNOW, A PART TIME PERSON OR JUST ONE FULL TIME PERSON FOR YOUR BUSINESS. AND SO SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS TO SUCCESS ON THE FRONT END. SO. YOU KNOW, EARLIER I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, FUNDING, RIGHT. THAT'S A BIG, BIG PIECE OF STARTING A BUSINESS. AND YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE INVESTING YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, FINANCES INTO STARTING YOUR BUSINESS. AND IT COULD BE YOUR DREAM BUSINESS. AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH SOME RESOURCES TO SOME FINANCIAL FUNDING OR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. AND SO WE DO HAVE LOCAL INCENTIVES HERE AT THE CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESS AND TYPE OF ECONOMY IT BRINGS IN, YOU KNOW, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CAN HELP DISCUSS ANY KIND OF POTENTIAL INCENTIVES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL HERE AT THE CITY. WILSON COUNTY ALSO HAS A REALLY GREAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP. AND SO THEY'RE ALSO INCENTIVES AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE COUNTY. SAME THING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY. MOST OF OUR COMMERCIAL BOOK IS IN WILLIAMSON, BUT WE DO HAVE COMMERCIAL STRETCHES IN TRAVIS COUNTY. IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY AND HOW IT'S LAID OUT, I'M HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO ME AND I'M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, HELP GUIDE YOU THERE. AND I'M SURE RANDALL AND ROBIN CAN AS WELL. BUT THOSE ARE LOCAL INCENTIVES AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU ALL MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT. IF YOU'RE STARTING A BUSINESS FOR THE FIRST TIME. START UP PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, AUSTIN, I FEEL LIKE IS THE EPICENTER OF STARTUPS HERE IN TEXAS, WITH LOTS OF NEW BUSINESSES GOING UP. AND SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO TOUCH ON A FEW OF THEM FOR YOU ALL. THE CAPITAL FACTORY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY THEY DESCRIBE IT AS A ECOSYSTEM THAT GIVES ENTREPRENEURS THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED, AND THEY ACTUALLY CAN CONNECT YOU WITH OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS HERE IN THE METROPLEX, WHICH IS GOING TO BE HUGE, BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE BUILDING YOUR CONNECTIONS NOT JUST HERE IN LEANDER, BUT POSSIBLY BRANCHING OUT TO NEW CLIENTELE IN THE METROPLEX AREA THROUGH THEIR CONNECTIONS. SO BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CAPITAL FACTORY, WE ALSO HAVE MASS CHALLENGE HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA, AND THAT HELPS CONNECT STARTUPS AS WELL. AND TECH RANCH IN AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, AS WELL. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF RESOURCES AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL ON [00:20:03] TOP OF THE CHAMBER THAT YOU ALL CAN EXPLORE AS YOU BEGIN TO START YOUR BUSINESS HERE. SOME STATE INCENTIVES CHECK OUT THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM OFFICE. THEY DO HAVE SEVERAL INCENTIVES AND FINANCIAL PROGRAMS DEPENDING ON YOUR TYPE OF BUSINESS. AND SO WE DID PROVIDE LINKS FOR YOU ALL ON THAT. A BIG PUSH RIGHT NOW AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL IS WORKFORCE. IF YOUR BUSINESS IS NOT ONLY GOING TO HELP THE ECONOMY BUT ALSO PRODUCE JOBS, THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO TAKE, TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY. AND I'VE BEEN ACTIVE AT THE CAPITOL AND THE WORKFORCE IS A MAJOR, MAJOR PRIORITY FOR THEM. AND SO I WOULD CHECK OUT THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION FOR WHAT THEY CALL THE JET GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS JOBS AND EDUCATIONS FOR TEXAS FOR TEXANS. ANOTHER BIG REGIONAL GROUP THERE CALLED WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ACTIVE, TOO, AT THE CAPITOL AND STATE LEVEL. SO COMING OFF THAT MAJOR WORKFORCE PUSH, THEY COULD BE A GREAT WORKFORCE FOR YOU ALL, TOO. AS YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY EMPLOYEES YOU MIGHT HAVE INITIALLY, OR IF YOU'RE THINKING LONG TERM, RIGHT, MAYBE YOU'RE JUST STARTING OFF SMALL NOW. BUT IF SOME OF YOU WHO ARE LONG TERM THINKERS LIKE I AM, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAP THINGS OUT IN LONG TERM. THAT COULD BE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR YOU. NOW, AS YOU BEGIN TO PLAN OUT AND PHASE OUT YOUR BUSINESS. SO MAYBE START WITH 1 OR 2 EMPLOYEES NOW. BUT WHAT IF THAT GROWS, YOU KNOW, TO 10 OR 20 AS YOUR BUSINESS GROWS? SO TEXAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IS A GREAT AVENUE FOR YOU ALL TO CHECK OUT AS WELL. IF YOU'RE A HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS PROGRAM, THAT'S ALSO A STATEWIDE HUB PROGRAM. AND YOU KNOW THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT CAN BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR EDUCATIONAL AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEY HAVE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, ETHNICITY, GENDER, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE STARTING BUSINESSES THAT FALL IN THAT QUALITY, THAT QUALIFY FOR THAT PROGRAM, THOSE ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL AS WELL. AND THERE'S ALSO FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE. I CHECKED IT OUT AND I WAS I THERE'S A LOT A LOT THERE THAT COULD BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU ALL. AND WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, OUR FORMER WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUDGE GRAVEL. HE'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE SBA PROGRAM NOW TOO. SO THERE IS A CONNECTION THERE AS WELL. AND I MENTIONED EARLIER, WORKFORCE IS A HUGE, HUGE PRIORITY FOR THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE LOCALLY THAT REPRESENTED LEANDER AS PART OF THAT CAN REALLY, YOU KNOW, HELP YOU ALL TO Y'ALL'S BENEFIT. AND THEN JUST SOME OF THE LAST FEW PAGES PROVIDE KEY CONTACTS FOR YOU ALL. IT HAS MY CONTACT INFORMATION, INFORMATION TO OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES PLANNING AND PERMITS AND BUILDING INSPECTIONS. OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JUST GENERAL QUESTIONS. THE CITY IS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP YOU AND ALSO OUR FABULOUS LEANDER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DOWN ACROSS THE STREET FROM US. BRIDGET WILL HELP ANYBODY. RIGHT. SO. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE RESOURCES FOR Y'ALL. SO IT'S THINGS WE KIND OF SUPERSCRIPTED SUPERSCRIPT IN THE GUIDE. WE HAVE ALL THOSE LINKS THAT YOU ALL WILL HAVE ACCESS TO. AND LIKE I MENTIONED WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. SO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR EMAIL DOWN IN THAT SIGN IN SHEET AND WE'LL FORWARD YOU THE DIGITAL COPY AS WELL. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, OR BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE AREA WHO WANT TO RELOCATE TO LEANDER. WE ALWAYS WANT TO SUPPORT THAT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN PREPARING THIS SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE FOR Y'ALL. SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION WITH THE PANEL ABOUT THAT TOOLKIT OR ANY CLARIFICATIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE ONE. YES. SO. I. THINK OKAY, OKAY. NOW OKAY. NOW OKAY. YOU'RE STAYING TOP TEN. YOU'RE STAYING OKAY. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TIME LIKE RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT. TIME HERE. SO. GREAT. OKAY. AND SO ONE THAT I WANTED. TO. [00:25:42] ALL RIGHT WELL GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE DFW COMMUNITIES AND SOME OF THOSE SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES, THEIR GROWTH PATTERN. AND THEN WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE FORESEE HAPPENING HERE. IT IS IT IS VERY SIMILAR FROM FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED THUS FAR, WE HAVE ABOUT 750,000FT■!S OF RETAIL SET TO CE ONLINE IN 26. SO QUITE A BIT OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMING THROUGH THE THROUGH THE PIPELINE. WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF INTEREST ON 183 AND REAGAN AS OUR PRIMARY CORRIDORS FOR GROWTH. WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW DEVELOPMENT HAS OCCURRED IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN REGION, IT'S BEEN IN AREAS OFF OF 183. YOU HAVE 45 DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS OCCURRED THERE. AND THEN, AS YOU MENTIONED, 1431 AND 183, IT'S BEEN THOSE MAJOR EAST WEST CONNECTIONS. AND WE HAVE A BIG PROJECT. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY ON WITH WITH HARAWAY. THAT WILL BE A MAJOR EAST WEST CONNECTION HERE INTO THROUGHOUT WILLIAMSON COUNTY, EVENTUALLY CONNECTING UP TO 35. SO I LOOK FOR HARAWAY TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF DEVELOPMENT AS AS WELL. VERY. SPECIFIC. I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY A GOOD AMOUNT OF NEEDS, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT FILLED BOTH WITH RETAIL NEEDS. WE HAVE RESTAURANTS RIGHT NOW FROM A RETAIL STANDPOINT, AUSTIN IS 97% OCCUPIED FROM THE EXISTING BUILDING. SO THERE'S BEEN A HUGE INFLUX OF DEVELOPERS COMING IN TRYING TO PUT SPACE ON THE ON THE GROUND TO, TO MEET THAT, THAT UNMET NEED. SO WE'RE SEEING A STRONG, STRONG INTEREST THERE. PART OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO BE ATTRACTING PRIMARY EMPLOYERS. SO FOR US HAVING OFFICE WAREHOUSE BUSINESSES AND USES IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO HERE ON JUST ON HERO WE MENTIONED THAT THAT EARLIER. BUT WE HAVE A GROUP CALLED FREE HILL WHO'S DEVELOPED A SPEC INDUSTRIAL PROJECT OFF OF HERO, ABOUT 250,000FT■!S. NOPE. YEP. SO WE'RE WE'RE A VERY HOPEFUL WITH THE AMOUNT OF LEADS THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY'LL START TO SEE MAJOR EMPLOYERS OCCUPY THAT THAT THAT SPACE. AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL NOTE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEDICAL OFFICE. THAT'S THAT'S HERE AS IS AS WELL. AND THE DEMAND THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING IN SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE NOW OCCURRING THAT WILL MEET THAT, THAT NEED. I WAS GOING TO ASK REAL QUICK BEFORE WE LEAVE FROM THAT, DIRECTOR GRIFFIN, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ZONING THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND OUR MASTER PLAN, I THINK THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION. HOW IS THE CITY MAPPED OUT AND WHERE DO WE HAVE LIKE AN EMPLOYMENT ZONE AND ALL OF THAT. SO SHE COULD TALK TO THAT FOR YOU. YES. SO WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT INCLUDES A FUTURE LAND USE MAP. AND THAT MAP, IT HAS AREAS LABELED AS EMPLOYMENT CENTER. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT RANDALL DESCRIBED. SO IT'S OFF OF RONALD REAGAN AND 183 A AND HEREAWAY THERE'S A BIG CHUNK WHERE WE'RE HOPING TO SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT FOR EMPLOYERS. IT ALSO HAS ACTIVITY CENTERS THAT SUPPORTS COMMERCIAL RETAIL TYPE USES. WE'RE ABOUT TO START OUR FIVE YEAR UPDATE. SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING THIS SUMMER WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE CHANGING WITH THE CITY. SO IT'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE, I THINK, TO PARTICIPATE. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. YOU HAD YOUR QUESTION. SO WE DO HAVE A SECTION OF OUR ZONING ORDINANCE THAT SPEAKS TO HOME BASED BUSINESSES. AND BASICALLY IT'S A BUSINESS WHERE YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT'S HAPPENING FROM THE OUTSIDE. SO WE'RE [00:30:03] LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING LIKE TAXES, A LOT OF ONLINE SALES OF GOODS. WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT RIGHT NOW. IT DOES HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED, SUCH AS LIKE A BEAUTY SALON, WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT DISRUPT THE NEIGHBORS. BUT IF YOU GO TO OUR COMPOSITE ZONING ORDINANCE, THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD LIST. AND IF YOU SHARE YOUR INFORMATION, I'D BE GLAD TO SEND IT TO YOU. YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT SINCE I JUST KNOW WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS. ALSO. SO. BUT YOU WOULD. CURRENTLY, YOU JUST NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH YOUR HOA. THAT SOMETIMES IS A CHALLENGE FOR HOME BASED BUSINESSES IN LEANDER. SO JUST CONFIRM THAT. I THINK ALSO WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU'RE FINE TOO. SO. I KNOW YOU MIGHT BE ASKING FOR A FRIEND, BUT I JUST ALSO KNOW THAT MAYBE YOU'RE NOT. YES. GO AHEAD. SO SPECIFICALLY REGARDING TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAPITAL METRO. AND SO WE ARE A PART OWNER IN THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND SO WE DO HAVE THE TRAIN THAT RUNS. WE OWN THE TRACKS FROM HERE UP INTO THE FIRST STOP. I BELIEVE IN AUSTIN THAT I FORGET WHAT THE I KNOW MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S CEDAR PARK, BUT IT'S TECHNICALLY AUSTIN LAKELINE. YES. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR PICKUP SERVICE THAT GOES AROUND THE CITY OF LEANDER. IT'S A SIX MILE RADIUS. I BELIEVE THAT IT GOT EXPANDED TO A USED TO BE LESS THAN THAT, AND IT WAS A SERVICE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT IS NEWER TO THE CITY. SO WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND THAT SERVICE. BUT AS FAR AS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. DO YOU HAVE A MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION? YEAH, WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY RESOURCE OFFICER. HIS NAME IS JOE BOB, AND HE HAS A LOT OF CONNECTIONS HERE IN THE AREA CAN HELP GUIDE PEOPLE. I ACTUALLY WE HAD A QUESTION I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK, SOMEBODY, AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO JUST MOVED TO THE AREA, WHO LIVES WITH HER DAUGHTER, BUT SHE NEEDS TO GET AROUND TO LIKE APPOINTMENTS OR SHOPPING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO HELP GUIDE HER TO THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, DIRECTION FOR THAT. SO WE DO HAVE A RESOURCE OFFICER WHO HELPS WITH THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. WE DO HAVE A TRANSPORTATION WORKSHOP COMING UP WITH THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE A HUGE, HUGE ENDEAVOR TO MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OUR PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, LINED UP WITH THAT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION IN THE FUTURE. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED ABOUT THE CAPMETRO SERVICE AND THAT PICKUP SERVICE. I LOOKED AT IT AND I WAS PLANNING OUT MY, YOU KNOW, MY TRIP BECAUSE I WANTED TO TEST IT OUT. AND SO THOSE ACTUALLY WITHIN THAT SIX MILE RADIUS DOES DROP YOU OFF AT SOME OF THE KEY ECONOMIC AREAS LIKE HERE, THE H-E-B AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND SO THEY ACTUALLY THE MAP OF THERE AS WELL. SO WE DO HAVE SOME RESOURCES HERE AT THE CITY TO HELP GUIDE PEOPLE AS WELL. AND SO THAT'S WITH TRANSPORTATION. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL TO REALLY FLESH OUT AND REALLY BUILD FOR THE FUTURE. SO. IT SHOULD BE OPEN. OPEN. YEAH. WE ALSO WE ALSO HAVE TWO NONPROFITS HERE LOCALLY THAT DO THAT, THAT ONE DOES MEALS AND ONE DOES ACTUAL JUST TRANSPORTATION. IF YOU WANT THOSE CONTACTS I CAN GET THOSE TO YOU AS WELL. AND I THINK SHE WAS ASKING THEY ALSO RUN A NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT COMPANY. AND SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS WITH SOME OF THOSE OTHER COMPANIES, AND REALLY WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE IT'S MORE HERE ARE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AS A RESIDENT IN THE CITY. AND YOU GO PICK WHICH ONE WORKS BEST FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, YES. THANK. YOU. SO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING. YOU HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE THAT IS HELPFUL. AND EXCITING. AND. SO. [00:35:16] YOU'RE NOT EXPECTING IT. AND I. AND. ALL OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE AND THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE. ACTIONSCRIPT. SO WE HAVE SET UP SOMETHING NEW IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. WE NOW HAVE A SENIOR PLANNER THAT'S SET UP TO BE A PROJECT MANAGER FOR A CASE. SO HE'LL FOCUS ON ONE DEVELOPMENT AND HE HELPS THEM THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, THEY'LL HELP YOU GET TO THE RIGHT PERSON. WE'RE ALSO DOING WHAT'S CALLED A COMMENT RESOLUTION MEETING. SO AFTER THE FIRST REVIEW COMMENTS, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER ALL THE COMMENTS WITH THE APPLICANT. AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A FOLLOW UP MEETING AT THE THIRD REVIEW TO HELP MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL ADDRESSED. AND WE'VE COMPLETED ONE SO FAR. AND IT WORKED AND HAPPENED IN THROUGH REVIEW. SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. YEAH, YEAH, I LEARNED ABOUT THAT AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE IT WILL REALLY HELP IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, FIRE DOING SOMETHING AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER PART OF THE PERMIT PROCESS SO THAT EVERYBODY IS SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE AND THAT YOU'RE GETTING A CONCISE SET OF GUIDELINES THAT YOU NEED TO FOLLOW, AND NOT HEARING ONE THING FROM ONE PERSON AND ONE FROM ANOTHER. SOMETIMES WE CAN BE IN SILOS DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO THAT'S SPECIFIC TO OUR AREA, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER SO THAT IT FLOWS BETTER. FOR YOU AS A BUSINESS OWNER TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS. WE KNOW TIME IS MONEY AND WE DON'T WANT YOU TO SPEND 11 MONTHS UNNECESSARILY WHEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS, AND HAVING THAT PROJECT MANAGER IS A WAY TO BE ABLE TO. IT IS. YES. I THINK WE'VE BECOME AWARE THAT THAT'S A CHALLENGE. AND REALLY TAKING THAT STEP TO ADD A PROJECT MANAGER WHO'S GOING TO OVERSEE ALL OF IT SO THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO COMMUNICATE WITH 5 OR 6 DIFFERENT PEOPLE IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. YEAH. WE'VE STARTED SO IT HASN'T HIT EVERY PROJECT, BUT ALL THE NEW ONES COMING IN, IT'S WORKING. SO WE'RE SLOWLY EXPANDING IT. YEAH. OKAY. SO THE IDEA IS IT'S GOING TO HELP WITH BOTH. RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY LAUNCHED WITH THE BRAND NEW PROJECTS, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SPREAD IT OUT AND DO EVERYTHING. YEAH. AND THEN I'M GOING TO JUST ADD ONE MORE THING. THEY'RE WORKING ON THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER BECKY ROSS IS ALSO THEY JUST STARTED A I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL CALL IT, A EXCELLENCE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME WITH THAT EXCELLENCE COMMITTEE. I KNEW IT HAD A PROPER NAME. THE PURPOSE, WHICH I DO KNOW FULLY THOUGH, IS THAT EXACT THING. SO PROJECTS LIKE YOURS, PROJECTS LIKE OTHERS THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR TO YOURS, HAVE REALLY KIND OF CREATED A NEED AND A DESIRE WITHIN THE COUNCIL TO START LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, WHAT ARE THINGS OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? I THINK ALSO IN THIS, AND I'LL TAKE KEN'S WORDS IN THE NEW ERA, WHICH I ALSO FEEL IS, YOU KNOW, COMING WITH ALL OF THE GROWTH AND ALL OF THE EXCITEMENT THAT IS LEANDER. I THINK EVERYBODY IS LOOKING AT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND HOW CAN WE REDUCE THIS TIME? HOW CAN WE CREATE BETTER PROCESSES? I WILL SAY YOU'VE GOT A TEAM THAT'S REALLY OPEN TO IT, AND THEY'RE ALL STARTING TO SEE THAT. AND I THINK YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF PROJECTS LIKE YOURS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT GOOD AND BAD. IS SO MUCH MORE. I DON'T KNOW. SO MUCH FUN. WELL THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE PANEL? YES. GO [00:40:05] FOR. IT. AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE RECORDS THAT I CAN SHOW. THANK YOU. ARE THERE. IS THERE THAT. SO IF A VARIANCE WAS GRANTED THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A PUBLIC HEARING. SO PROBABLY A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT CASE. AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOCATE THOSE BY ADDRESS. NOW IF IT WAS FROM THE 90S THAT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT STORY. BUT I MEAN THAT HAPPENS. WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE. ANOTHER OPTION WE HAVE IT'S CALLED A NON-CONFORMING USE DETERMINATION. SO IF YOU HAD A USE THAT EXISTED IN 1999 AND WE CHANGED OUR ORDINANCE IN 2005, YOU CAN DOCUMENT YOUR USE EXISTED UNDER A CERTAIN CODE, SO IT CHANGES WHAT'S REQUIRED. SO IF YOU'RE HAVING TO UPGRADE IT FOR SOME REASON. BUT WE DO HAVE OPTIONS LIKE THAT. YEAH. WELL I WANT TO ASK MISS BRIDGET SINCE SHE'S OVER THE CHAMBER, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE FACING IN LEANDER THAT YOU BECOME AWARE OF? I KNOW YOU GET TO TALK TO LOTS OF BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE HERE, SO WE'D LIKE TO HEAR SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU SO WE CAN KEEP TRACK. YEAH, I WELL, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS IT DEPENDS ON THE BUSINESS. SO THAT'S A IT'S A THAT'S A VERY COMPLICATED QUESTION BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE THE SAME CHALLENGES COMING FOR EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS. I WOULD SAY THE MOST COMMON ONE MAYBE. WELL NO THEY'RE TIE. THEY'RE TIE FOR THE TOP TWO I'LL GIVE YOU THAT TIE FOR THE TOP TWO IS GETTING OPEN. AND THAT IS NOT ALWAYS I KNOW WE'RE HERE FOR THE CITY. IT'S NOT ON THE CITY, THOUGH. IT'S JUST GETTING OPEN. PERIOD. AND SO MAYBE IT'S WE SEE CHALLENGES ACROSS THE BOARD. MAYBE IT'S THE ARCHITECT THEY CHOSE, MAYBE IT'S A BUILDER THEY CHOSE. MAYBE IT IS A PERMIT ISSUE. MAYBE IT IS A HIRING ISSUE. MAYBE IT'S A WHO KNOWS. BUT THE GETTING OPEN IS, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HURDLE AND REALLY PROBABLY REALLY COMMON HERE IN PARTICULAR, JUST BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A FAST GROWING CITY, WE EXPERIENCE NEW BUSINESSES OPENING AT A MUCH HIGHER GROWTH RATE THAN WE DO REALLY IN MOST OTHER PLACES WE DO MORE RIBBON CUTTINGS AT OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN A MONTH THAN SOME CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE DO IN A YEAR. AND SO IT'S JUST IT'S AN ABNORMALLY HIGH CHALLENGE. AND SO I THINK GETTING OPEN AND THEN AWARENESS THAT GOES WITH THAT. AND I'M GOING TO PUT ALL OF THAT INTO THAT ONE CATEGORY OF GETTING OPEN. BECAUSE LEANDER IS SUCH A BIG FOOTPRINT TO YOUR COMMENT, EVENTUALLY IT WON'T BE. THERE WILL BE EVERYTHING RIGHT BY YOU. YOU KNOW THAT IT IS. IT'S GOING TO BE COMING PROBABLY FASTER THAN EVERYBODY'S REALLY READY FOR, BUT THAT IT'S ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO WITH THAT. SO AWARENESS FOR THAT BUSINESS OPENING. AND SO THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF BUSINESS IN LEANDER OR AND NOT JUST LEANDER ANYWHERE, THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF BUSINESS ARE HARD BECAUSE I'VE OPENED BUSINESSES IN OTHER CITIES, AND IT'S A CHALLENGE. IT'S NOT THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO LEANDER, BUT IT IS A PROBLEM THAT WE SEE VERY COMMONLY HERE. THE SECOND CHALLENGE IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL PROBLEM, BUT IT IS ALSO MANAGING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS. IN LEANDER, PEOPLE DON'T QUITE GET WHAT IT'S LIKE TO OPEN A BUSINESS. AND WE HEAR THIS FROM ALMOST EVERY BUSINESS THAT OPENS WHEN IT DOES OPEN. HIRING AND KEEPING GOOD PEOPLE FOR THE VOLUME OF BUSINESS THAT THE BUSINESSES DO HERE. AND SO IT'S SORT OF THIS WONDERFUL CATALYST OF WE OPEN THIS BUSINESS AND WE FINALLY GOT IT OPEN, WHICH IS SO GREAT. WE JUST HAD THIS WITH AND I'LL USE CULVER'S AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT JUST OPENED. SOUTHSIDE MARKET IS ANOTHER GOOD ONE. THEY LITERALLY JUST OPENED. AND IN TALKING TO BOTH OF THEM, THEY BOTH HAVE HAD GROUNDBREAKING DAYS FOR THEIR CHAINS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. THEY'RE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS RIGHT HERE IN LEANDER. THEY BOTH OF THOSE BUSINESSES HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIGHT HERE FROM LEANDER, BUT THEIR GROUNDBREAKING DAYS AND SO THE CHALLENGE OF A GROUNDBREAKING DAY FOR BUSINESSES IS, I THINK AND THIS IS I COULD BE WRONG AND I SEE I'M BEING RECORDED. SO SOMEONE IS GOING TO GO BACK AND GO, WELL, SHE GAVE THE WRONG NUMBER. I AM MAKING THIS NUMBER UP. BUT SOUTHSIDE MARKET HAS SOME NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOUBLE DIGIT EMPLOYEES, BUT IT IS MORE EMPLOYEES THAN THEY'VE HAD AT MOST OF THEIR OTHER STORES BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF BUSINESS THAT THEY'RE DOING HERE. CULVER'S IS THE SAME THING. A LOT OF BUSINESSES LOW BAR. YOU GO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON. BUT THAT IS A HARD [00:45:03] CHALLENGE TO MANAGE BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF THOSE BUSINESSES YOU THINK, OH, THEY'RE FRANCHISES. WELL, THEY'RE STILL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT LIVE RIGHT HERE. THEY'RE NOT. AND SO WHETHER YOU'RE A FRANCHISE THAT'S A SMALL BUSINESS OR A BURGER, THAT'S A SMALL BUSINESS, THOSE CHALLENGES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. AND KEEPING EMPLOYEES AND GETTING EMPLOYEES AT THE VOLUME THAT YOU NEED THEM AND FINDING GOOD ONES. SO YOU'RE JUST ABOUT TO HAVE THAT AS THE NEXT CHALLENGE. AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME TO ME AND I'M GOING TO HELP YOU. BUT IT IS A CONSTANT IT'S A CONSTANT CHALLENGE, AS YOU KNOW, TOO. AND SO I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY OUR TWO BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN LEANDER. THERE'S A MILLION OTHERS THAT GO WITH OPENING A SMALL BUSINESS PERIOD, BUT THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON CHALLENGES THAT WE SEE HERE. AND I WOULD SAY TO YOUR POINT OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES ARE HAVING DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. FOR INSTANCE, FOR OUR BUSINESS, WE OWN LEANDER BEAUTY SUPPLY. IT'S A BEAUTY SUPPLY STORE HERE, BUT WE DID NOT BUILD IT FROM THE GROUND UP. WE RENTED A SPACE AND CHANGED THE INSIDE OF THE SPACE. SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SOMEBODY MAY HAVE HAVE BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP, I DID NOT EXPERIENCE THOSE CHALLENGES AND WE KEPT THE SAME USE THAT WAS ALREADY THERE. SO I DIDN'T HAVE A REAL ISSUE WITH MY CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. BUT OTHER PEOPLE MAY. AND SO YEAH, MY CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN MORE ABOUT VISIBILITY. SO THE SIGNAGE, YES, THE SIGNAGE AND THE ORDINANCE RELATED TO SIGNAGE IS WHAT IS MORE OF A CHALLENGE FOR A BUSINESS LIKE MINE BECAUSE OF WHERE WE'RE LOCATED. WE'RE A LITTLE OFF THE MAIN ROAD. YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE US FROM THE MAIN ROAD. SO HOW DO WE LET PEOPLE KNOW WE EXIST AND HOW DO WE ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS? AND THEN HOW DO WE KEEP OUR RETENTION HIGH? HOW DO WE KEEP THE CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE? AND FOR US, IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD SITUATION. BUT I UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD CHALLENGES. AND SO MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT DINO WITH SHARKS AND HOW Y'ALL GOT STARTED, HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN HERE IN THE CITY AND WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN. OKAY, SO WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE. YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. WE'VE BEEN IN LEANDER SINCE 2018 OR 2017, I SHOULD SAY SO. EIGHT YEARS. WE START ON HERO WAY AND IT WAS REALLY SMALL. IT WAS A TWO LANE ROAD BACK THEN, SO. AND WE WERE LIKE THE ONLY BUSINESS THAT WAS OUT THERE. AND EVERY TIME WE TELL YOU ABOUT SHARKS, WE'D SAY, THEY'D SAY, WHERE'S IT AT? AND WE SAY, HERE AWAY. THEY, WE TELL THEM JUST PAST BAGDAD. AND THEY SAID, NOBODY GOES PAST BAGDAD. NOW IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT THE SAME, BUT GOING OFF OF WHAT BRIDGET SAID ABOUT HIS HIRING, THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKE A BIG PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. NOT ONLY HIRING, BUT HIRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE. AND EVERYBODY WANTS A LOT OF MONEY. SO YOU YOU TAKE 15 AND 16 YEAR OLDS THAT COME IN AND SAY THEY WANT $18 AN HOUR AND THEY NEVER HAD A JOB. SO IN MY BUSINESS, YOU REALLY CAN'T HIRE LIKE 20 PEOPLE AT $18 AN HOUR. I'LL PROBABLY BE SELLING $25 BURGERS. SO THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR BUSINESS IS. AS FAR AS THE SIGNAGE GOES, I THINK IF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO START A BUSINESS BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, NOT ANYTHING, BUT WHEN, MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR SIGNAGE BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE CERTAIN PARAMETERS THAT THEY WANT, SIZES AND WHERE YOU CAN PUT IT AND WHATNOT. DON'T OPEN YOUR BUSINESS AND SAY, OH, I'M NOT GOING TO GET A SIGN. THEN YOU FIND OUT YOU CAN'T HAVE A SIGN. AND WE'VE HAD THAT PROBLEM. SO WE'RE ON HERE AWAY. WE DON'T HAVE A SIGN. WE'VE TRIED TO GET A SIGN, BUT WE DIDN'T. SO THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH SIGN ORDINANCES. YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT AND MAKE SURE YOU CAN GET A SIGN. WE'RE IN TWO DIFFERENT PRETTY GOOD LOCATIONS HERE AWAY IN RONALD REAGAN. THE RONALD REAGAN IS WE'RE TUCKED IN THE BACK. WE CAN'T BE SEEN. WE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE. WE BOUGHT THIS BIG BEAUTIFUL SIGN FOR THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. AND THEN THE TREES GREW. YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. SO AND THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE SIGNS. SO WE'RE KIND OF HIDDEN BACK THERE. SO PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING US AND WE REALLY CAN'T GET ANYTHING ON THE STREET. SO DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOMETHING THAT'S TUCKED INTO THE BACK OF SOMETHING, REALLY, REALLY THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT COULD BE AN ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD. PEOPLE CAN'T FIND YOU. SO THAT'S ABOUT IT AS FAR AS SIGNS GO. BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY. WE NEED TO TALK TO THE CITY ABOUT CHANGING SOME SIGN ORDINANCES. BUT THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN AMAZING. YOU GUYS DEFINITELY WANT TO GET WITH BRIDGET. THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF RESOURCES AND JOIN THE CHAMBER AND GO TO THEIR EVENTS. YOU MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND MAKE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS. YEAH, SHE DIDN'T GIVE ME A T SHIRT. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. NO. DO YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD? I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT PERSPECTIVE. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS A LONG TIME HERE. I'M GOING ON THREE YEARS AND YOU'RE YEAR EIGHT. YEAH, YEAH. THROUGH COVID AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN. AND WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES. IT'S BEEN ROUGH. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO [00:50:03] GET BACK ON AND BACK ON TRACK AGAIN. BUT WE SURVIVED. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK THE CITY OF LEANDER CAN DO TO HELP FOSTER BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH SMALL BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY? WELL, WE DID SOMETHING WITH THE CITY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH. THANK YOU. YES. THIS THING IS SO WEIRD. I DON'T KNOW, WE DID SOMETHING WITH WITH BRIDGET AND THE CITY A FEW YEARS AGO. WE DID SOME VIDEOS, SMALL SHORT VIDEOS WITH ALL THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT? AND THAT WORKED OUT PRETTY GOOD. AND I THINK THE CITY SHOULD PROBABLY USE THEM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ACTUALLY PUT THEM OUT THERE ON YOUR CITY, YOU KNOW, ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGES. THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD. I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE LIKE MAYBE A NEWSLETTER THAT YOU GUYS COULD PUT OUT MONTHLY AND SPOTLIGHT SOME OF THE SMALL BUSINESS IN IN TOWN. I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COULD DO TO HELP, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS AND OBVIOUSLY USE SMALL BUSINESS IF YOU NEED FOOD OR SOME KIND OF A SERVICE OR AND JUST SPOTLIGHT PEOPLE THAT LET THEM KNOW THAT SMALL BUSINESS IS HERE AND THAT THE CITY SUPPORTS THEM WHERE WE'RE AT. RIGHT. SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS YOU WANT THE CITY TO MAYBE PROMOTE THE SMALL BUSINESS THAT'S HERE ALREADY. WE HAVE THE LIMELIGHT THAT'S COMING OUT. IS IT A MONTHLY? MONTHLY? AND WE DID TALK ABOUT, I BELIEVE, AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, MAYBE FEATURING THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN LEANDER, GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY. SO REALLY JUST HELPING THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES BE MORE VISIBLE. THAT'S WHAT I HEAR. YES. LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT, HEY, THESE THESE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT YOU CAN ASK. THE YOUNG LADY WAS SAYING EVERYTHING'S KIND OF SPREAD OUT, KIND OF LET THEM KNOW, HEY, THIS IS HERE AND THIS IS THERE. THIS IS OUT OF TOWN. THAT SIDE OF TOWN AND HERE WAS GROWING PRETTY BIG. SO I KNOW LOTS OF GOING ON OUT THERE. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON, WHICH IS GOOD. AND I WILL SAY TO YOUR POINT ABOUT PROMOTING, IF YOU NEED A SERVICE, I WILL TELL YOU THE FIRST MEETING I HAD WITH BRIDGET AFTER I GOT ELECTED BACK IN 21, I WENT TO HER OFFICE. I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE MEETING ABOUT, AND SOMEBODY WALKED IN AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, I HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY. I NEED A LAWYER TO HELP WITH THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER. SHE SAID, HOLD, HOLD MY BOOK. HOLD ON. AND SHE WENT AND FOUND THE NAME OF SOMEBODY WHO IS A CHAMBER MEMBER AND MADE THAT CONNECTION, MADE THAT WARM INTRODUCTION. SO I WILL TELL YOU, WHILE OUR CITY IS MIDDLE SIZE, PUSHING 100,000 PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT SO BIG THAT SMALL BUSINESS, WE WON'T PAY ATTENTION. AND SHE IS ACTIVELY WORKING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS. IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS, YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER. I PROMISE YOU, IF THERE IS A NEED THAT SOMEBODY HAS, SHE WILL MAKE THAT REFERRAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS. I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HER. IT WASN'T FOR ME, BUT I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, OKAY, THEY ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT PROMOTING THE SMALL BUSINESS THAT'S HERE. AND PEOPLE TRUST THAT REFERRAL BECAUSE IT'S A WARM REFERRAL AND THEY TRUST HER INTEGRITY AND WHAT'S BEHIND IT. AND SO THAT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT TOO. SO I WOULD BE A BIG PROPONENT OF JOINING THE CHAMBER, SUPPORTING THE CHAMBER, ESPECIALLY AS YOU START YOUR BUSINESS, PROCESS IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE OPEN TO DO THAT. YOU CAN DO THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT PROCESS. I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THAT. WHEN I FIRST STARTED, WE PRETTY MUCH WORKED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM, YOU KNOW, FIVE IN THE MORNING TILL 9:00 AT NIGHT, SEVEN DAYS FOR LIKE TWO YEARS DIDN'T GET OUT. WE WERE PART OF THE CHAMBER, BUT WE DID NOT. I DIDN'T GET OUT. FOR OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, I'VE BEEN REALLY INVOLVED WITH THE CHAMBER AND BRIDGET'S AMAZING. SHE'S HOOKED ME UP WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY. LIKE NICOLE WAS SAYING, IF YOU NEED SOMETHING OR SOMEBODY, I'VE CALLED HER AND SAID, HEY, I NEED THIS HELP. SHE'LL GET IT FOR ME. AND SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE FOR YOU GUYS TO USE THE CHAMBER FOR SURE. I WOULDN'T BE HERE RIGHT NOW PROBABLY IF I WASN'T IN THE CHAMBER. OH, THAT'S TRUE, THAT'S TRUE. HOW WOULD I BE HERE? WELL, WE ARE APPROACHING. OH. GO AHEAD. OH, I DIDN'T SEE. I'M SORRY. I THINK WE HAVE TWO. GO AHEAD. [00:55:50] THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. NO, I HADN'T PERSONALLY HEARD THAT. HAVE Y'ALL HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I KNOW JUST AS A CONSUMER THAT COULD BE A CHALLENGE TOO, WITH ESPECIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES. AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T SHOW UP ON A GOOGLE SEARCH OR EVEN ON THE MAPS. SO A LOT OF THE GPS MAPS THAT ARE ON OUR PHONES, RIGHT? THOSE ARE TIED TO THE GOOGLE MAPS. AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, AND SEEING WHAT KIND OF. YEAH. YEAH. SO I'M I'M WE CAN I CAN LOOK INTO SEEING WHAT KIND OF RESOURCE THERE MIGHT BE AT GOOGLE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU ALL CAN PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS. HOW DO YOU KEEP IT UP THERE? MAYBE THERE'S OTHER CERTAIN PARAMETERS THAT NEEDS TO DO WITH IT. SO I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY YEAH, YEAH. BUT IT'S SOMETHING FOR ME AS A CONSUMER CHECKING OUT ALL THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE AREAS. YEAH. YEAH. SO YEAH WE'LL DEFINITELY SEARCH THAT AND WE'LL YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL ADD TO THE SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE AS WELL. THAT'LL BE HELPFUL OKAY. THE ONE THING IS THERE ANY. THAT I WANT TO KNOW TOO ON THIS. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE WORKAROUND. IT DOESN'T RESOLVE WHY IT HAPPENED BUT IT MAYBE THAT'S A WE'RE ALL LOOKING LIKE THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO WE GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT. YES I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE. SO THE ANSWER IS YES. COMMUNITY IMPACT DOES HAVE LIKE STEPS I CAN YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THEM DIRECTLY TO GET HOW TO DO THAT. BUT WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU TOO. BUT YES, THEY THEY USUALLY GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AS THINGS ARE GETTING APPROVED. THEN THAT'S HOW THEY GO. BUT THEY DO GET THEM FROM OTHER RESOURCES TOO. SO A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL CALL MEMBER OR NOT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MEMBER. WE'LL CONNECT YOU FOR THAT. SO YEAH, IF YOU IF ANY SMALL BUSINESS WATCHING THIS DOWN THE ROAD NEEDS THAT INFORMATION, WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS ALWAYS. AND I WILL SAY THEY DO HAVE PARAMETERS AROUND WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT THEY'RE DOING, WHETHER IT'S A BRAND NEW OPENING BUSINESS OR A BUSINESS THAT'S CLOSING OR RELOCATING LIKE THEY HAVE, THEY DO HAVE SPECIFIC PARAMETERS AROUND IT. SO YOU WOULD WANT TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT THEY DO. I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT IF THE BUSINESS IS NEW, IF IT'S EXISTING, IF A SPOTLIGHT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE ON THE BUSINESS OR NOT, IF IT'S NONPROFIT, IF IT'S FOR PROFIT, LIKE THOSE TYPE OF PARAMETERS. YEAH. AND THEY CAN. YES. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT IS. WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS. YES, MA'AM. I HAVE A BUSINESS NAME. AND THEN I. SO MY INTENTION IS. BUT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE. THAT UNLESS. I FEEL LIKE. THAT. SO I'M WONDERING ABOUT I DON'T KNOW. [01:00:21] YEAH. SO THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT WOULD THAT MIGHT. WELL. ADD. AND THEN AND THEN I CAN SEE THAT WE'RE NOT. I WAS GOING TO SAY WE DO THAT NICOLE. SO IF YOU AND REALLY I THINK THERE IS A PLACE MAYBE THE CITY CAN HELP. BUT HONESTLY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE JOB OF THE CHAMBER IS. AND SO I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY LIKE, YES, COULD THE CITY BE A PART OF THAT? ABSOLUTELY. BUT THAT REALLY IS WHAT OUR JOB IS AND WE DO IT ALL THE TIME. SO THE BOY SCOUTS WERE JUST NEEDING THE SAME THING, AND WE CONNECTED THEM AND SOLVED THAT CHALLENGE FOR THEM. WE COULD DO THE SAME THING FOR YOU, BUT THAT REALLY IS SORT OF THE JOB OF THAT. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY I'LL LET THE I'LL LET YOU SPEAK AFTER THIS ABOUT THE CITY. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE THAT IS THE JOB IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE JUST TO DO EXACTLY THAT. SO. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD, MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW SOME LARGER CITIES, MAYBE WITH MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DO THAT DO LIKE ECONOMIC INCUBATORS OR THEY DO, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS WHERE BUSINESSES COME IN AND IT'S A CO-WORKING SITUATION OR CO-WORKING AREA THAT THEY CAN SHARE OFFICE SPACE THAT THE CITY WOULD HELP SPONSOR. THAT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY LATER FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S NOT WHERE WE ARE JUST YET. BUT WE WANT IT DESPERATELY. WE WANT IT. MANY OF US IN HERE, RIGHT HERE. YOU KNOW, THE CHAMBER IS. YEAH, YEAH. THANK YOU. BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY YES. AND. AND I'M GOING TO JUST CALL HIM OUT BECAUSE TODD AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, THREE TIMES NOW. AND HE WANTS THIS JUST AS MUCH AS I WANT IT. AND SO BUT TO GET AN INCUBATOR, THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND THAT IS WHAT EXISTS IN A LOT OF CITIES TO PROVIDE THAT EXACT SERVICE. AND THEN IT IS IT'S A PARTNERSHIP. AND SO IT'S BEEN IN OUR MASTER PLAN. BUT AGAIN, THERE'S AGAIN WITH THE CHALLENGE OF THE GROWING CITY. RIGHT. THE CITY ITSELF IS SO IN DESPERATE NEED FOR SPACE. SO IT SORT OF IS A WHAT DO YOU ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL. RIGHT. BUT I GET ALL OF THAT. BUT IT IS ON OUR IT'S ON OUR WE WANT IT. WE NEED IT. I KNOW YOU DO. YES PLEASE DO. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT'S JUNE 25TH FROM 1 TO 5. YEAH. JUNE 25TH, 1 TO 5 IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE. IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE LIVE STREAMED. IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING. YES. IT'S TRANSPORTATION. SO YEAH, CAPITAL, METRO ROADS, ALL THE THINGS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CITY. YEP. AND OF COURSE, YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO ATTEND IN PERSON OR LIVE STREAM WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU OR WATCH THE VIDEO LATER WHEN YOU GET OFF. SO WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS CAN WE WANT TO OPEN IT UP. SO AND NOBODY HAS BEEN SHY. SO THANK YOU FOR ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS. BUT IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ANSWER, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. WE HAVE DIRECTOR GRIFFIN HERE. WE HAVE DIRECTOR MALIK HERE. LIKE Y'ALL CAN ASK THEM QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES QUESTIONS WHILE YOU HAVE THAT ATTENTIVE AUDIENCE. BUT IF NOT, WE'LL WRAP UP. BUT ARE THERE ANY TYPE OF. IN HERE AND NOT DOING BUSINESS OR MAYBE NOT, WE'RE JUST NO. BUT SOMETHING. SO WE HAVE AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE THAT MOST OF US ATTEND IS TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. AND A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE AT THAT CONFERENCE AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT CITIES CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF YOUR RESIDENTS THROUGH A SENSE OF BELONGING. AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY DID, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING, AND I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR THE LAST [01:05:01] FEW YEARS, NOT REALLY SURE HOW WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THAT BEING THE SCALE OF CITY WE ARE, BUT THEY ACTUALLY DID HAVE A WELCOMING MEETING THAT HAPPENED. IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE DOING IT ONCE A MONTH, WHICH IS NOT REALISTIC FOR US, BUT THEY WOULD INVITE FOLKS THAT ARE NEW TO THE CITY TO COME IN, AND THEY WOULD ALL GATHER AROUND THE TABLE AND HAVE, LIKE I SAY, CHARCUTERIE BOARD. I DON'T KNOW, IT'S LIKE SNACKS OR WHATEVER. EVERYBODY GOT TO MEET EACH OTHER. EVERYBODY GOT TO MEET SOME OF THE STAFF. THEY GOT TO MEET, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE AND FIRE AND JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ABOUT. AND SO I'M NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD DO THAT WITH A CITY OF ALMOST 100,000 PEOPLE. SO WE'D HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT. AND CREATING SOMETHING. WE DID HAVE A CITIZENS ACADEMY. I BELIEVE THAT WAS LAST YEAR WHERE YOU COULD JOIN THAT ACADEMY AND COME THROUGH, I BELIEVE, DA CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. WAS THAT LIKE SIX WEEKS OR EIGHT WEEKS LONG? THE CITIZENS ACADEMY THAT WE HAD THE YEAR BEFORE, AND THEY WOULD ROTATE. SO YOU'D HAVE SOMEBODY ONE NIGHT TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT OTHER CITY SERVICES SO THAT PEOPLE COULD JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CITY THAT THEY WERE LIVING IN. SO WE DID HAVE THAT PROGRAM AT ONE TIME, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE OPPOSED TO IT. IT'S JUST REALLY HOW DO YOU ROLL OUT SOMETHING? YEAH, BUT HOW DO YOU ROLL IT OUT TO WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING? AND IT'S NOT JUST A HUGE AUTO, YOU KNOW, FULL OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY'RE NEW HERE. WE REALLY WANTED TO BE. I MEAN, IT COULD BE FUN. I'M NOT OPPOSED, OKAY? I'M NOT OPPOSED TO FUN, BUT IT COULD BE FUN. SO IT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT. AND I THINK MAYOR CHRISTINA IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HER, CREATING A CITY THAT VERY MUCH HAS A SENSE OF BELONGING IS IMPORTANT. YEAH, EXACTLY. I WILL SAY THE MAYOR DOES A BI MONTHLY MEETING CALLED THE MAYOR'S POWER HOUR. IT'S A CHAMBER EVENT, BUT IT'S OPEN TO ANYBODY. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER TO ATTEND. WE HAVE ABOUT 50% OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO IT ARE CHAMBER MEMBERS, AND 50% ARE NOT. A LOT OF THEM ARE NEW RESIDENTS AND A LOT OF ARE JUST NEW BUSINESSES, NEW RESIDENTS, ALL OF THE THINGS. AND SO WHEN WE GET CALLS FROM NEW RESIDENTS, WE SEND THEM TO THAT. IT ISN'T EXACTLY WHAT I THINK A GOOD WELCOME TO THE CITY MEETING WOULD BE. YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU COULD MAKE IT MORE IT'S NOT SPECIFIC FOR THAT. BUT SHE DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB IN THAT MEETING OF TELLING YOU ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING, THINGS NEW ROADWAYS THAT ARE BEING DONE, NEW THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN JUST ANSWERING YOUR GENERAL QUESTIONS. SO IF YOU'RE EVER INTERESTED, I THINK THIS MONTH, IS IT THE MEETING? IT'S THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 9:00 RIGHT HERE IN THIS. IS THAT RIGHT? 18TH. OH THANK YOU DARA, IT'S THE 18TH COMING UP. AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM AT 9:00. SO FOR ANYBODY WATCHING OR FOR ANY OF YOU OR FOR OUR FLOWER MOUND. NOW, LEANDER. FRIENDS, YOU SHOULD JOIN. IF YOU WANT TO JUST KNOW ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE CITY. IT IS A REALLY GOOD LIKE JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. UNTIL NICOLE IMPLEMENTS THIS. THANK YOU. YEAH, ON MY LIST ON MY LONG, LONG LIST. YES, I DID WANT TO SAY IF RANDALL IF WE WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY OF COURSE, TO TOOT OUR HORN, WE ARE NUMBER EIGHT NOW IN THE COUNTRY. BEST PLACE TO LIVE. THANK YOU. AND THIRD, IN SMALL CITIES. THERE WE GO. BUT IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST SHARING. I KNOW THE LIMELIGHT IS OUT THERE. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT PROBABLY IN THE LAST 3 OR 4 MEETINGS, BUT SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE CITY AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON RETAIL THAT'S COMING UP, JUST SO WE HAVE IT OUT THERE AGAIN FOR FOLKS, I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, THANKS. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. WOULD WOULD NOTE THAT WE JUST HERE WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS LAUNCHED WHAT WE'RE CALLING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STORY MAP THAT YOU CAN FIND ON OUR WEBSITE. SO THAT HIGHLIGHTS ALL THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS COMING IN, WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. AND ALSO IT HAS THE FLIERS AND BROCHURES FOR WHO'S COMING INTO THOSE, THOSE SPACES, AS WELL AS TIMELINES FOR WHEN THEY'RE THEY'RE SET TO OPEN. SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STORY MAP WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO STAY ENGAGED IN, IN WHAT'S COMING UP. BUT JUST TO NOTE A FEW PROJECTS AND I KNOW I'LL MISS OUT ON SOME, SOME GREAT ONES, BUT JUST TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE AN ENDEAVOR WORKING ON NORTHLINE COMMERCIAL, ABOUT 200,000FT■!S OF RETAIL GOING IN THERE ON ON NORTHLINE VERY HOPEFUL TO BREAK GROUND LATE SUMMER, EARLY EARLY FALL. SOME GOOD TENANTS LINED UP. HOME DEPOT IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS WELL. ON 180 3AA LOT OF [01:10:07] ACTIVITY AGAIN ON THE RETAIL SIDE WITH CRYSTAL VILLAGE IS AS WELL. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH WHERE CULVER'S WAS REFERENCED, WE'RE WE'RE THERE AT THAT. THAT DEVELOPMENT ALSO HAS TEXAS ROADHOUSE THAT'S NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS ESTANCIA, WHICH IS A UPSCALE BRAZILIAN BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE. AND JUST ON THE JUST GOING DOWN CRYSTAL FALLS, WE HAVE LEANDER UNION NOW, WHICH IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY THAT SITE, THERE'S WALLS GOING UP NOW, WHICH IS A EXCITING AND THEY'LL HAVE SOME CREATIVE OFFICE SPACE AS WELL AS RETAIL THERE AT THAT LOCATION. AND I MENTIONED EARLIER REAGAN, QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON. AND GATEWAY 29 IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT 29 IN IN REAGAN. SOME REALLY GOOD RESTAURANT OPERATORS IN THAT SPACE AS WELL WITH FIRST WATCH HOPDODDY COMING IN, EINSTEIN BROTHERS AND. BARRA BAR W WITH THE BAR SHOP AND DEVELOPMENTS. THAT'S THE DEVELOPER THAT PUT IN THE H-E-B ANCHORED SPACE THERE. THEY'RE GETTING READY TO START THEIR SECOND PHASE JUST SOUTH OF THEIR EXISTING SPACE. IT'S ABOUT A 50 ACRE DEVELOPMENT AND WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL GOING ON THERE. SO QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVITY. I KNOW I MISSED OUT, MISSED SOME GOOD ONES, BUT A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT ON ON GOING. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BEFORE WE WRAP UP, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT KENT IS GOING TO SHARE. YOU HAVE A QR CODE OUTSIDE WHEN YOU SIGN IN. IF YOU DIDN'T SIGN IN WHEN YOU CAME IN, YOU CAN SIGN IN THERE TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS SHARED TONIGHT, SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT DIGITALLY. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, AGAIN, WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP. OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN THIS SMALL BUSINESS TOOLKIT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR SMALL BUSINESS AND OUR AREA SUCCEEDS. AND THAT'S REALLY OUR FOCUS. AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO BETTER OR DIFFERENT, PLEASE REACH OUT. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE AT MY BUSINESS, IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, YOU HAVE TO LET ME KNOW I'M NOT SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO BE OFFENDED BY IT, BUT I CANNOT FIX WHAT I DO NOT KNOW, AND I CANNOT CHANGE WHAT YOU DON'T TELL ME. I MIGHT BE HERE, BUT I'M NOT HERE 24 HOURS A DAY, AND I DON'T SEE EVERYTHING BECAUSE I HAVE STAFF. AND SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO DO BETTER OR DIFFERENT, I'M OPEN TO THE DIALOG. I JUST HAVE TO BE TOLD IT. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE IDEA OF OUR WHOLE COUNCIL AND OUR STAFF THAT WE WANT TO BE PROACTIVE AND WE WANT BUSINESS TO FEEL WELCOME AND TO SUCCEED. AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT TO BE A SUPPORT TO SMALL BUSINESS AND NOT A HINDRANCE. SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO DO THAT, WE WANT TO TRY TO DO THAT. NOW, MIND YOU, THERE ARE LAWS WE GOT TO WE GOT TO FOLLOW AND THERE ARE ORDINANCES. YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO UPDATE IN A WAY THAT EVERYBODY WOULD WANT, BUT THE GOAL AND THE HEART IS REALLY TO DO RIGHT BY SMALL BUSINESS. AND LEANDER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I KNOW WE WENT A LITTLE OVER. IT'S LIKE 717. BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS I'LL BE AROUND. I'M HAPPY TO STAY. ALL OF US ARE HAPPY TO STAY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. SO THANK YOU ALL. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.