“We do pride ourselves on an amazing police force that has incredibly quick response times,” notes Whitehead.“People know that our police are friendly and interactive, with their quick response and crime really stays south of us. It doesn’t creep into our community. For that reason, businesses want to be here.They know that their businesses are appreciated and protected” This combination of heritage, community, and security creates an enviable quality of life that supports business growth. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC GROWTH Helotes is actively shaping its economic future through targeted development projects and business-friendly policies. The Bandera Ranch mixed-use development represents one of the town’s most ambitious undertakings, designed to blend 200 rental homes with upscale commercial offerings. “That particular mixed use development deal was one that I worked on from the get-go, and we crafted that,” says Whitehead. “Mixed use development in itself is one massive variance, and so we designed it to be a nice mix of rental homes as well as commercial and some open park space.” “We’re looking for high-end date night restaurants, maybe a steakhouse, looking for boutique grocery stores,” he adds, emphasizing the project’s curated approach. Though ground hasn’t broken, the city is working closely with developers to secure key tenants for what will become a premier lifestyle destination. To attract businesses, Helotes employs pragmatic incentives through 380 agreements.“We have made use of 380 agreements to give tax, property tax refunds or sales tax refunds,” explains Whitehead. These case-by-case arrangements have successfully attracted retailers like QT Gas Station, Builders First Source, and several housing developments while maintaining fiscal responsibility. “We have had the vast majority of businesses come to Helotes without any agreement because they want to be here to become an epicenter and a major 102 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05
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