A Community Petition for Incentive-Based Economic Development

To: Smithville City Council, City Manager & Economic Development Director

From: Citizens, Property Owners, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Developers & Friends of Smithville, Texas

What We Are Asking For

We ask Smithville’s City Council, City Manager, and Economic Development Director to implement incentive-based economic development policies that reward investment, partnership, community pride, and historic preservation.

We Love Smithville. And We’re Ready to Build Its Future Together. Smithville has something rare:

• Authentic character and deep community roots
• A historic downtown that draws people in from across the region
• A location at the crossroads of Central Texas’ fastest-growing corridor
• A community that genuinely cares about its heritage and its future
• Preserving and building on that heritage is something we all share. And it requires more than plans — it requires action, partnership, and policies that welcome investment rather than discourage it.

A vibrant downtown doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when citizens, property owners, business people, entrepreneurs, and local government all move in the same direction. 

That time is now. Smithville is ready. We are ready. And we believe our city leadership is ready too.

Who This Petition Represents

• Citizens & Families: Who want a hometown with great local businesses, quality services, lower costs, and a vibrant community where their children want to stay.
• Property Owners: Who have invested in this community for years and want to see their properties and the neighborhood around them grow in value and opportunity.
• Small Business Owners: Who are building something meaningful here and need more foot traffic, more neighbors, and a downtown that is alive and growing.
• Entrepreneurs, Investors & Developers: Who are looking for a community ready to grow with them — where investment is welcomed, risk is reduced, and the path from idea to open door is clear.
• Real Estate Professionals: Who want to connect buyers and sellers in a market that is growing with confidence and momentum.
• Nonprofits & Cultural Organizations: Organizations dedicated to serving this community every day. A thriving downtown means more resources, more visitors, more support, and more opportunity for every mission they serve.

Specifically, we ask the city to:

• Formally adopt and publish an incentive-based economic development policy framework for downtown Smithville — making clear to developers and investors that Smithville is open, prepared, and excited to partner.
• Proactively communicate what is already in place: the administrative approval track, the on-demand HPDS meeting provision, and the permitting process — so that developers and property owners know Smithville is easier to work with than it may appear.
• Publish a clear, plain-language “Welcome to Smithville” guide for developers and investors, listing all available incentives, the permitting and COA process with realistic timelines, and a direct contact for the Economic Development Director.
• Streamline and clearly communicate the Certificate of Appropriateness and permitting process — ensuring developers understand what requires approval, what doesn’t, and how to navigate the path to a faster, more predictable outcome while maintaining the high design standards that protect Smithville’s character.
• Actively recruit developers, entrepreneurs, and investors by hosting a Downtown Development Listening Session, assigning the EDD as the single concierge contact, and distributing Smithville’s incentives and available properties widely.
• Develop a ready-to-use Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement framework so that any qualifying downtown investment can move quickly from conversation to contract.
• Help developers understand and build their capital stack — layering federal historic tax credits, state historic tax credits, PACE financing, Chapter 380 rebates, and other available tools so that projects pencil out and Smithville competes for investment effectively.
• Maximize Smithville’s participation in the Texas First Street Initiative and pursue the resources and connections it provides for property owners and developers today.
• Establish a Downtown Community Partnership Roundtable that brings property owners, business owners, developers, and citizens together regularly to share progress, solve problems, and build the trust that makes ambitious things possible.

Why This Matters — For Everyone

Smithville Standing Still

• Vacant storefronts define the streetscape
• Tax burden falls entirely on residents
• Development chooses neighboring towns
• Historic heritage fades over time
• Property values stagnate

Smithville Moving Forward

• Vibrant businesses fill every building and every block
• New development expands the tax base
• Smithville becomes the destination of choice
• Historic buildings restored and celebrated
• Rising values benefit every property owner

Our Commitment to Each Other

We recognize and appreciate the work the City of Smithville has already done — the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, the Historic Preservation and Design Standards Advisory Committee, the Texas Commission on the Arts’ Cultural District designation, the Preserve America recognition, the First Street Initiative participation, and the community events and programming that bring us together. That foundation is real and something to be proud of.

We are asking to build on it — together. Not with more plans, but with action. Not with fear of what Smithville might become, but with confidence in what it already is and excitement for what it can be. Not with punitive policies and increased burden on its existing citizens, property owners and organizations, but with incentive-based policies that encourage economic development.

The tools are available. The community is ready. The moment is now.

Sign your name and join us in shaping the Smithville we all want to live, work, and grow in. For the full outline of the incentive-based policies recommended, click here to learn more.

#SmithvilleForward  •  #HistoricSmithville  •  #HopeFloatsHere