Rowlett Renaissance

02/10/2026

It’s been a week since the council meeting where so many residents showed up to speak about Herfurth Park — and that moment mattered.

The mayor and most of council took a positive step by giving the community time and opening the door to further discussion. Now it’s on all of us to stay engaged, stay informed, and keep participating.

I’ve seen so many constructive ideas shared for alternative locations for the safety complex and animal shelter, and I’m encouraged by the level of thought and care coming from this community.

This is what an engaged city looks like. Well done, Rowlett. 👏

01/26/2026

Let your voice be heard! Here are a few snippets of citizens speaking during the public hearing for Herfurth Park. We have another opportunity to speak at the February 3 meeting at 7pm before council votes.

If you want to get caught up on the issues, we have a link in comments with links to help you get informed and find the best way to be an engaged citizen — whether you have five minutes or hours to give each week.

07/23/2025

Never thought I’d be deep-diving brick walls… but here we are. 🧱
This issue has become one of the most controversial topics in Rowlett, so I pulled together everything—documents, history, maps, and money trails.
Take a look and decide for yourself: who should foot the bill?
👉 https://rowlettrenaissance.com/%f0%9f%a7%b1-fix-our-wall-whos-responsible-for-rowletts-crumbling-screening-walls/

07/22/2025

If you feel that DART has caused some challenges regarding safety in Rowlett this is a meeting you’ll want to attend.

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I’d love to see a big turnout at this meeting—it’s specifically about safety in Downtown, especially related to DART.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had conversations with Council members, DART, and the police, and I’ve already seen encouraging solutions start to take shape. I’ve personally witnessed weapons, drugs, graffiti, and even people walking around half-dressed—things coming off the train that make development downtown even more difficult.

After the recent shooting, I sent a few emails, and to my surprise, action followed quickly. If you’ve seen my posts before, you know I don’t say that lightly—quick follow-through from the city hasn’t been the norm.

That’s why I’m genuinely hopeful. Let your voice be heard and be a part of the shift we’re seeing in our city!

📍 Downtown Rowlett Community Information Session
🗓 Thursday, July 24 | ⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM
📌 Rowlett City Hall Council Chambers (4000 Main Street)

Join us for a one-hour information session to hear directly from City staff, Rowlett PD, DART PD, and other key departments. Learn about ongoing efforts in Downtown Rowlett, get updates, and ask questions.

👥 Representatives from:
• Rowlett Police Department
• DART Police
• Economic Development
• Community Development
• Code Enforcement
• City Staff

Let’s come together to help keep Downtown Rowlett vibrant, welcoming, and connected!

01/18/2025

I’ve already emailed city council 3 times this week but I have an itch to send them this video because it’s such an amazing story of city transformation. I’ll give council a break and share it with you all instead 😉

If this looks familiar, it just might be. This is a re-upload because of an error that needed to be fixed. See our community post if you want more details!Jo...

01/16/2025

Hey Rowlett! Big news alert! 🎉

A couple of council members have officially requested the discussion of a Downtown Advisory Board to be added to the agenda for February’s first work session.

Cue the happy dance! 💃🕺

I’ve been advocating for this for THREE YEARS, and I’m thrilled it’s finally up for discussion. Check your inbox for all the details in my latest newsletter, including how YOU can show your support to the council.

Not sure why this decision matters? I’ve got you covered with a quick 411 in the newsletter, too. If you want the details reach out and I'll add you to the list!

Here’s to starting 2025 with momentum and progress!

10/13/2024

HOW WILL WE PAY FOR A THRIVING DOWNTOWN DISTRICT?! $$$$

$3.4M could make the Downtown TIRZ useless for 13 of its 20 years—yes, you read that right. Instead of using this powerful tool to transform Downtown Rowlett, we’re at risk of locking up these funds for 6 more years to cover tax reimbursements for the Village of Rowlett Apartment agreement made in 2014. The whole point of the TIRZ is to generate MORE and create a thriving downtown so that residential property taxpayers don’t bear the full weight of the city’s needs.

I’m not saying this to criticize city council or staff. My true hope is to inform, empower, and unify our community, so we can truly understand what the majority desires. I’ve heard we all want great restaurants, retail, and definitely lower tax bills. We have an opportunity to shift the narrative—join the conversation and advocate for real change on October 15th at 7 PM at the public hearing at the council meeting at City Hall. Let’s make this fund work for us, not against us! 💡

10/07/2024

Monday (October 7th) at 6 pm, the City Council will review a strategic plan for Downtown Rowlett. This isn't just another city meeting—this is the kind of plan that could transform downtown into the hub we've all been dreaming of. And the best part? This plan was made with the community, for the community. I served on the advisory committee, and I can tell you firsthand that there's real value in these ideas.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE
Here's why you should make time to attend tonight's:
✨ Cool Concepts: If this plan is followed, we're looking at the introduction of new restaurants, retail, and experiences that will make downtown a true destination.
✨ Economic Growth: Tired of seeing your property taxes rise? A big reason is that Rowlett's tax base isn't diversified. The more successful businesses we attract downtown, the less tax pressure on homeowners. It's a win-win.
✨ Parking Solutions: If you've ever struggled to park downtown (hello, recent Freedom Place Church voting chaos), this plan addresses those issues head-on with smart parking agreements with local businesses.
✨ Public Spaces Designed for Fun: Festivals, live music, markets—imagine these events in spaces made specifically for the community to gather and enjoy.

This is a public meeting that you're welcome to join to listen in and show council you care.

09/20/2024

09/19/2024

Things have gotten tricky with Downtown Rowlett development this week…and here’s why you should care. I’ve been working hard to turn Downtown Rowlett into a place we all love. But here’s why it matters for everyone: Imagine if our downtown could bring in enough money to actually lower property taxes. Believe it or not diversifying our tax base could make that possible. This is an important—especially after the tax rate increase that passed yesterday. Downtowns can generate 10 times more tax revenue per acre than big-box stores. Main Street development is a good financial move for the city but great restaurants, retail and entertainment is definitely a BONUS for the community.

Here’s where things got interesting…I had a meeting with the city’s economic development team to talk about funding for downtown (the TIRZ fund) today and wanted a council member to sit in. The city manager said no, unless he could join too, which felt like an unnecessary roadblock. Why shouldn’t council members be in the loop on decisions that affect our city’s future? There’s SO MUCH MORE to say about this but since you probably don’t have time for a full novel I’ll just attach the screenshot of my email to council. If you’re on my community email list you already saw this.

I started out on a mission to bring parking solutions in downtown...and got into some interesting issues with our budget, lack of documentation and now what feels like poor strategies for open government and transparency. I know the council members I've spoken to so far care about these issues. I made an email to the entire council to add these issues as an agenda item in October. My hope is that we see the same progress with downtown development (or lack there of) as we did in the conversation with "Camp Miller" on Monday. It's go time! Who's with me?

09/12/2024

Downtown Rowlett has faced significant challenges in its development—from poor decisions by previous administrations and staff turnover to parking issues and a lack of funding. We have our work cut out for us.

Today, I’m sharing my requests for the council to ignite a real shift. As a developer, I’ve put on my brainstorming hat to come up with solutions that don’t rely solely on cash, as the city strategizes how to increase revenue and make the same level of investments as our surrounding cities. ---> https://rowlettrenaissance.com/my-requests-for-council-to-launch-into-a-successful-downtown/

09/12/2024

In the past, downtown businesses hosted an exciting event known as the Main Street Market. We featured high-quality vendors, food trucks, and plenty of fun. By strategically placing vendors throughout downtown, we successfully drove traffic to local businesses. It worked!

With downtown development lacking the necessary funding to compete with neighboring cities, we need to think creatively and get a bit scrappy. One of our requests to the council is to allow us to host these events again, strategically, to build momentum for development while providing the community with the vibrant shopping and dining experiences we all desire—even while downtown is still a work in progress. It’s a win-win with no cost to the city.

I have a few more innovative requests for the council to help us accomplish our goals without the delays and excuses we've experienced in the past.

What would you like to see in Downtown Rowlett? What are some of your favorite downtowns to visit?