Fulshear-Katy Community Guide & Directory 2023-24

LOCAL BUSINESS

with the Mayors by Mara Soloway

B oth Fulshear and Katy have thriving economies and excellent livability. We asked the mayors of each city to give us a few specifics on these topics. THE CITY OF FULSHEAR Aaron Groff became Mayor of the City of Fulshear in May 2018 after serving two years as a member of the Fulshear Development Corporation, the City’s Type B Economic Development Sales Tax Corporation. Groff is an entrepreneur and businessman and previously spent 27 years in vocational ministry. How did that background give you training to be a mayor? The biggest thing is that the mayor of Fulshear is a “weak mayor” – I lead the meetings, but I don’t have a vote. I lead from a position of influence seeking to gain consensus, which is exactly the way a pastor is in most congregations. Each year it seems Fulshear earns accolades for its growth and quality of life. How has the City encouraged economic growth without sacrificing livability? The City has done a good job of understanding that residential development was coming, and it made sure it addressed having lots of open space, walkability, connectedness and maintained the small-town charm. We’ve been careful to continue that process. Shortly after I was elected, we began creating coordinated development ordinances (CDOs) to ensure that we can have high quality of life and responsible development. The beauty is that within the city limits we have zoning restrictions. We have areas where the residences have to be on a 2-acre lot, other areas are 1-acre lot minimums. These open space requirements allow us to control some of the density. In 2019 not only did we get the CDO approved, we launched the economic strategic plan that identified some of those opportunity areas where commercial development would happen along the major roadways throughout the city. In addition, the Livable Center study enhances what’s already happening downtown. It’s projected that we’ll have 3,600 home starts this next year, maybe a little less than that considering the economy but not much.

What are some interesting stats about your business community? With rooftops come businesses. One of the things that makes our business community unique is that most of our businesses are small businesses and locally owned, such as many of our restaurants and retail services. To me, that’s one of the beauties of Fulshear. We’re neighbors with our business owners. One example is we have boutique retail for the most part. Many of the unique items sold are locally made or grown. The Fulshear Farmers Market every Saturday morning is a great place to find locally made products. Of course, there are a handful of franchises throughout the city. We also have as many as 2,800 home-based businesses – people who work from home consulting and other services. That commercial development is really starting to take off, and industrial growth is trending upwards. The industries that are leading that growth are general services, food and professional services followed by retail. In some areas, we’re beginning to see approximately 29% growth year-over-year. Sales tax collection continues to be strong, carried by retail and general services and food, which represent about 71% of that sales tax revenue. Year to date, we’ve seen approximately a 75% change in sales tax revenue up year-over-year. Of all our neighboring cities, Fulshear ranks first in year-over-year percentage growth, and it’s gaining in total revenue collections. In general, our local businesses are thriving, even our franchises. THE CITY OF KATY William H. “Dusty” Thiele was sworn in as Mayor of the City of Katy in May 2022. Mayor Thiele is a businessman and active community member, having served on several different boards, commissions and the city council. What benefits will Katy’s hospital expansions bring the city and residents? The expansions brings more than just additional facilities to the medical industry – they enhance financial impacts, jobs, and the quality of medical services. The timeframe in which emergency services have to deliver life-saving treatment that will stabilize

a patient is vital. Health care professionals refer to this timeframe as the ‘golden hour.’ Within certain trauma situations, in that one-hour window your life is in the balance. To have these types of facilities in our area is a game changer for healthcare. The Katy Boardwalk District is an intriguing development. What are the benefits of this type of multi-faceted project? Will Katy have more of the development projects in the future? The City of Katy continues to proceed with its portion of the Boardwalk project, i.e., the Katy Fort Bend Road expansion project and the second phase of the walking trail system. The Boardwalk is unique in that upon completion, our citizens can walk, hike, have a meal at a nice restaurant and enjoy the entertainment district, all to be located within the Boardwalk project. The City of Katy is always looking for opportunities to bring in good strategic partners to develop all types of projects beneficial to our citizens and our economy. What are a few interesting stats about your business community? In 2022, our tax base grew in new tax value by approximately $300 million. We have been fortunate to add value on the ground over the last three years in excess of $1 billion. We are looking forward to additional planned growth to further enhance our tax base. Tell us about Katy’s livability. The City of Katy is a vibrant and growing community. We are committed to maintaining a small-town atmosphere, striving to keep the traditions and heritage of Historic Katy alive. The City of Katy takes a dynamic approach to economic development to create a business-friendly environment. Many large, mid-size, and small businesses call Katy home. We pride ourselves on being a family-oriented community. Our highly rated schools, churches, parks, safe and family-friendly neighborhoods, and state-of-the-art medical facilities are extraordinary. Public safety is vital to our community, and our Police Department and Fire Department are outstanding. Our Emergency Management Department’s communication with our citizens informing them of emergency situations is excellent. Our citizens’ health, welfare and safety are our priority.

30 FULSHEAR-KATY COMMUNITY GUIDE & DIRECTORY 2023-24 ISSUE