BELTON, Texas — “I think if we have customers supporting the businesses and the businesses supporting each other it ultimately ends up in this cycle that benefits everybody and benefits the city," Virgina Benavidez, Owner of Z&H Candy, said.
Thats the idea of Imagine Belton—it's the next step of redevelopment that outlines our community's future.
Z&H Candy opened in September 2023 in Downtown Belton. While showing me how they make soda, one of the owners told me the Imagine Belton plan helped seal the deal for them to make downtown their choice to start a business.
“Not just because of the people who live here but because the other businesses who are here,” Benavidez said.
The outline for Imagine Belton will go from 15 zones to five to help simplify things. Focusing on neighborhoods, transition, Main Street, the fields, and Downtown.
“This gives you kind of a family of zoning so that way if they go with another use, say if they go from a coffee shop to a family restaurant or something like that they don’t have to go in and change the zone," Belton Mayor David Leigh said.
In the plan, Belton is the county's center, with creeks and lakes, and national infrastructure.
Mayor Leigh said during his 20 years in office, our community has been dominated by local businesses.
The plan calls for adding more sidewalks to increase foot traffic in Downtown — and give our neighbors additional parking space.
Around the corner you’ll find Pink Bulldog Boutique. Owner Micah Springston told me the uniqueness and history of the Downtown buildings are what attracted her — she’s been in business since 2020.
“Belton has a lot of old historical fun buildings,” Springston said.
Springston said she's seen a lot of growth and change in Belton over the years – and believes the Imagine Belton plan will help give our area an Austin vibe in the years to come.
“Just in the last three years I have been here we have added the train station and all of the fun stuff that they have to offer,” Springston said.
In her opinion, Belton is the place to be.
“We have what it takes we just need everyone to know how much awesome stuff we have here where you don’t have to leave,” Springston said.
